NDSU Spectrum: TV review

Sliding off into the sunset

By JOHN HANSEN

Feb. 4, 2000

The Sliders will make one last leap through a transdimensional rift tonight as one of science fiction’s most intriguing shows calls it quits after five seasons. With its potential-laden premise, “Sliders” could have gone on for many more seasons, but the Sci-Fi Channel decided not to renew it.

A classic ‘What if?’

“Sliders” is a classic “What if?” anthology, exploring alternate versions of our planet and the four main characters. Every episode, the Sliders travel between Earths via a timer that opens a wormhole; they only get a certain amount of time on each world before they must slide again, otherwise they’d have to wait 29 years for the next slide window.

Although the new worlds look like our own at first glance, differences soon become apparent: Maybe it’s a technologically backward world stuck in the Old West, maybe there’s a high-tech war raging between humans and Kromaggs, maybe dinosaurs still exist.

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Sometimes, one of the Sliders will encounter their “double,” giving them a glimpse at who they might have been if they had lived with different circumstances and made different choices.

Likable characters

Over five seasons, the show’s quality has ranged from brilliant to laughable, but it’s always been fun. One constant is that the characters have always been likable. Season 5’s cast includes returning Sliders Rembrandt Brown (Cleavant Derricks), and Maggie Beckett (Kari Wuhrer), the former Navy pilot who joined the team in Season 3.

Added to the group this season are science expert Diana Davis (Tembi Locke) and the suave, occasionally heroic Mallory (Robert Floyd), who is the fused personality of Jerry O’Connell’s Quinn Mallory and a double.

The departure of leading man O’Connell after the excellent fourth season had pundits predicting doom for the series. Admittedly, Season 5 has seen a slight drop in quality, but it’s not because of the cast changes. The lack of an obvious leader among the new Sliders actually resulted in a vibrant group dynamic with everyone on equal footing.

In its first three seasons on Fox, “Sliders” was overshadowed by “The X-Files,” and rightly so; that show was in its prime while “Sliders” was struggling to find its identity.

Season 4, the first on the Sci-Fi Channel, was the breakthrough year as the serious nature of the early seasons gave way to a more fun approach, and many great episodes resulted. This season has been less consistent, but the occasional standout episode still rewards loyal viewers.

A fun formula

“Sliders” offers five basic episode types: the theme episode, the character episode, the performance episode, the comedy episode and the continuity episode. Many episodes contain multiple elements.

As “Sliders” has evolved, the established clichés have led to some amusing in-jokes. When the Sliders come out of the gateway they always seem to land someplace new (a couch, a dumpster, somebody’s house, the middle of the ocean, or – if they’re lucky – an unobtrusive back alley).

And when attempting to learn about the new world, they’ll often cover for their ignorance by saying “We’re from Canada.”

The continuity on “Sliders” is weaker than other shows. In Season 1, the Sliders were trying to get back to Earth Prime, gradually discovering that the odds were against it.

Season 3 had the Sliders chasing a killer from world to world; Season 4 featured the Nazi-like Kromaggs as recurring villains. One Season 5 episode attempted to wrap up the storyline of lost Slider Wade Wells (Sabrina Lloyd) from Season 3.

“Sliders” has had its share of weak episodes: Not one, but two, shows took place on a dinosaur world. Suffice it to say the cheesy effects lessened the suspense.

Creative high points

But there have also been near-masterpieces, notably:

• Season 3’s “The Guardian” (on an Earth with a slower rotation, Quinn sees his past self and debates between preventing an upcoming tragedy or not interfering),
• Season 4’s “My Brother’s Keeper” (on a world where clones are used for spare parts, the Sliders join up with an underground movement to show that clones are humans too)
• and Season 5’s “The Return of Maggie Beckett” (Maggie meets her father’s double and resolves her lingering anger with her real dad, while Mr. Beckett deals with the grief of losing his daughter).

No one ever accused “Sliders” of being TV’s best sci-fi/fantasy show, but it was certainly good enough to warrant a sixth season.

The Sci-Fi Channel showed foresight by rescuing it from cancellation two years ago; it’s a shame they didn’t do the same this year.

Grade (episodes 1-17): B