Episode Review: “Time Again and World”
Season 2
Original Airdate: 4/5/96
Review Rating: 6/10

The Sliders travel to two different dimensions which leaves them seeing… déjà vu.

Everyone one is all worked up in the beginning of this episode about not getting home. Well I guess I would be too. But what’s cool about Sliders is the “what if” scenario and it starts out with a bang. The women of the first world grow mustaches and goatees. Pretty weird if you ask me.

As Quinn waits to meet the others to slide, it looks as if a showdown is brewing. Sure enough, there’s a traffic accident between a police officer and a judge. Moments later it results in the judge’s homicide. It’s as if an elaborate set up was in place to kill the man. What mixes up the story even more is when the dying judge gives Wade a computer disc. The Sliders barely make the slide to the next world.

On this new world it’s déjà vu, where the same things happen, except now the judge shoots the cop. It’s seems that this world operates on Van Meer’s theory of Straight Relativistic Time Dilation, where time is behind on this world. Professor Arturo explains this theory in greater detail in the season three episode, “The Guardian”. This world’s dressing attire is pretty strange too, where policemen wear kilts. Even the step father of the country wore them as well… President J. Edgar Hoover.

The Sliders check into the “Lamplighter” motel which becomes their haven for season two. Meanwhile an investigation is ongoing of the police officer’s death. Soon enough the Sliders are threatened by the “mafia” to keep quiet on all that they saw. Yet after all the harassment and threats, Wade continues to nag the Sliders about figuring out what the computer disc and “LC the Rock 54″ is all about.

Rembrandt, Quinn, and Arturo want to get out to the countryside and leave all their troubles behind. Well, that’s exactly what I would’ve done too. However Wade continues to become a nuisance, and the rest of the Sliders eventually give into her demands. This is an episode that has really brought me to despise Wade and her unruly attitude. Not only that, she seems to whine about everything. I really don’t see how the rest of the Sliders put up with her on this world.

Judge Nassau is soon arrested for the shooting, as the Sliders try to find out what is on the computer disc. There are various double agents in this crime, with one party spying on another while pretending to be someone else. There’s so much going on in this episode it’s nearly impossible to fully grasp the whole picture. It’s as if this episode is too smart for it’s own kilts.

The Sliders discover that the disc contains a highly important government document. It’s something the police and government want to keep a tight lid on. They face a difficult decision; to save the life and freedom of Judge Nassau or suppress the truth that would change the face of a nation.

Memorable Quotes:

Judge Nassau (to Wade): “I was prepared to die you know.”
Wade: “I know. I hope you understand I did what I thought was right. Things may not be as hopeless here as you think.”
(portal roars)
Arturo (to Wade): “Age before beauty.”
Wade: “After you.”
Rembrandt: “Go, girl!”
Quinn (to Natalie): “Are you ok?”
Natalie: “Yeah, I think so.”
Quinn: “You gotta be strong. Both of you. I gotta go.”
Natalie: “Will I ever see you again? I wish I understood all of this.”
Quinn: “Where there’s mystery, there’s hope. Keep hope alive!”

Episode Review: “Into the Mystic”
Season 2
Original Airdate: 3/1/96
Review Rating: 7/10

The Sliders arrive on a world where mysticism and superstition reign.

Creator Tracy Tormé’s battle to keep continuity from the first season to the second paid off. The premiere episode of season two picks up where “Luck of the Draw” ended, with a bullet to Quinn’s shoulder.

The opening scene to the next world they slide to says it all. Period architecture lies in a night scene with a red lit building, while lighting and rain pour. The perfect horror movie looks in order. Rembrandt races to the nearest phone booth to find a doctor for Quinn’s bullet wound. I really like that the show took the time to create a phony looking phone book. Rembrandt barely finds a doctor among all the sorcerer ads.

As soon as the Sliders get to the doctor’s office they’re riddled with nothing but paperwork. You gotta love Rembrandt and Arturo’s reaction to the situation. “There’s one constant about every America we visit.” – Arturo. “Yeah, the healthcare system always sucks.” – Rembrandt. Not long after, Quinn and Rembrandt go up to see the doc and sure enough it looks like he came from your next door haunted house.

In some instances I feel this episode uses too many old fashioned “scare tactics”. As soon as we see the doctor’s face– thunder strikes, and unusual lighting marks the city. It’s the typical eerie approach to a sci-fi show. Why not mix it up and do something more creative?

Well it turns out this “witch doctor” can do nothing for Quinn’s shoulder yet charges them a $266.00 bill. Sounds like the typical fraud in America doesn’t it? Unable to pay, the Sliders make a run for it and shack up in the Dominion Hotel. Ross J. Kelly the infamous lawyer, and Pavel the cab driver are reoccurring characters that appear in this episode. Reoccurring doubles was a staple of the first season and I’m glad to see its being used in the second season as well.

The Sliders are soon approached by a “Grim Reaper” like character who gives Quinn a subpoena. He’s in deep trouble for not paying the witch doctor his dues. They go from person to person seeking advice in getting Quinn out of trouble, or else the witch doctor gets Quinn’s brain. They meet up with Pavel the cab driver. In this day and age people talk about separation of church and state. Well Pavel talks about the how Ouija boards in the classroom are a violation of coven and state. It’s fascinating how each parallel world differs from the next.

Pavel drives the Sliders to the only one they feel can help them… the Sorcerer. They have to walk across the Golden Gargoyle Gate Bridge to get there. The only problem is that half of the bridge is gone. Some poor special effects are used and I feel that it really hinders what could have been an excellent scene.

The Sliders learn that the Sorcerer has the ability to slide from world to world. They contemplate if the Sorcerer can keep Quinn safe from the witch doctor, and most of all… get them home.

This is a decent episode that has a sinister feel to it, which we didn’t see in the first season. I think you’ll like the beginning of the episode that connects back to finale. Most of all the ending is bittersweet and it’ll have you talking for quite sometime.

Memorable Quotes:

Quinn: “It’s my house.”
Arturo: “Is it possible?”
Quinn: “Here’s the bad news. 53 seconds to the next window. If this isn’t home, if we’re wrong, we’re stuck.”
Rembrandt: “I don’t know, guys. According to this, OJ Simpson was tried for a double murder. The Raiders play in Oakland. Cleveland Indians made the World Series?”
Wade: “A lot could’ve happened since we left.”
Arturo: “That much?”
Quinn: “20 seconds—all right! This gate has been squeaking since I was 12. I know the sounds it makes like the back of my hand.”
Rembrandt: “I knew it was too good to be true.”
Arturo: “That’s what happens when you put your faith in sorcerers.”

Episode Review: “Luck of the Draw”
Season 1
Original Airdate: 5/17/95
Review Rating: 7/10

The Sliders discover a world where the lottery is a form of population control.

As the Sliders land on lottery world, Wade befriends a newfound dog, “Henry”. I’ll just start out and say that we don’t see the dog after this episode. It’s a minor flaw that some find as a large nitpick. Although we don’t see the mutt after this episode we do see him jumping through the wormhole and it’s pretty humorous to see.

After they buy some fresh fruit, the Sliders try their hand at playing the lottery. They learn the more you play the more chances you have to win. Oddly enough the “playing” involves an ATM machine dishing the player out any amount of money they want. The Sliders act as if this earth is a Utopia like place. It’s the little things in this episode that I feel add so much. For instance a billboard declares “Drink BC Cola. Birth Control In a Can!” Transit systems are the city’s public cars, and they’re free for you to use. To top it off Professor Arturo unknowingly dropped his wallet and a young gentlemen returned it!

Arturo and Rembrandt are off fishing while Wade and Quinn temporarily discuss “the issue” between them, if you know what I’m talking about. This is one of those rare occurrences where they discuss a possible relationship. Actor Jerry O’Connell knew that the writers didn’t want any “hanky panky” going on between the Sliders too. Fine by me. There’s probably too much to handle from one world to the next for a relationship anyway, besides… this isn’t a soap opera.

After Rembrandt’s fine fixings at dinner, Wade learns she has won the lottery. Limousine rides, necklaces, rings, cars, dresses and more are all free for Wade. No dealer can turn her down, anything she wants she gets– at no charge… well not really. Quinn feels it’s all too good to be true, and he’s right. He learns that the lottery Wade has won is a death sentence– a form of population control, and there’s no way of backing out.

One thing that startles me is that Arturo never seemed to be pessimistic of the lottery like Quinn was. Given Arturo’s “non involvement with the locals” I expected more of him. Soon after Quinn discovers the actual “winnings”, he lets the rest of the Sliders know. At the lottery ball dance Wade takes another lottery winner named Ryan as her date, and he also goes along with them to the next world. While Wade has a ball, Rembrandt gets into a huge amount of trouble with his escort.

This is an interesting episode that explores a different yet deadly form of population control. On a final nitpick I have to say that Wade’s whaling scream at the end of the episode is atrocious for an actress. I guess you wonder why she’s screaming. Well, one slider won’t make it to the next world without a bullet to the shoulder. All in all, the first season finale delivers an exciting and dramatic ending to the season.

Memorable Quotes:

Quinn: “It’s barbaric.”
Arturo: “On the contrary, my boy– in some ways it’s more human than our society.”
Quinn: “Professor, they kill people to limit the population.”
Arturo: “In our world, millions of people die every year through war, famine, disease, caused in part by the fact that we refuse to accept limits on our population. Here, they kill volunteers– painlessly, and generously reward their beneficiaries. Now… you may abhor their methods– as indeed do I– but as a man of science, you cannot dismiss the result.”

Episode Review: “The King is Back”
Season 1
Original Airdate: 5/10/95
Review Rating: 9/10

The Sliders arrive on a world where Rembrandt’s double is as famous as Elvis Presley.

Quinn’s double has passed along the sentence of death to our Quinn for painting a freeway overpass. The judge he stands before is akin to Lance Ito; former judge of the O.J. Simpson trial. Coincidence? I think not. The rest of the Sliders are anxiously awaiting the slide in the courtroom while the sentence is passed. Before we know it they’ve made one of the “coolest jailbreaks of all-time”, as Quinn likes to call it.

One neat thing is that they visit three different worlds in this episode. This really gets your imagination and sense of adventure going. While the Sliders try to figure out where they are, they notice that everyone is staring at them. This is where the fun starts. Arturo realizes he’s left his “fly” down and Rembrandt is mistaken as a “Rembrandt impersonator”. The singing sensational Rembrandt of this world supposedly died in a boating accident. I will admit that Rembrandt’s continually bragging that he’s a big singer of this world is a tad annoying. But then again who wouldn’t brag about being a big superstar?

Instead of finding ourselves in a horror house, we’re left in a ‘humor hotel’. The comical genius and actor Will Sasso stars again in Sliders as the hotel clerk. He’s one of the reasons why this episode is probably the funniest of them all. The heavy comic approach is a great strength, which I feel should have been used more in previous episodes. Only until an interruption of “Skipper’s Island”, does Rembrandt realize he and the Sliders have been videotaped and appear on the news.

Captain Jack Brim, the famous manager of this world’s Rembrandt Brown is also comical, yet nearly a pest to the Sliders. Back on the local news there’s a Freedlander tape or the infamous “Zapruder tape” of the Sliders seen walking across the street. Unbelievably, the news media sees our Rembrandt as this worlds sensational Rembrandt, Quinn as Jim Morrison of the Doors and even Arturo as the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti!! You have to see it to believe this outrageously hilarious scene!

Since it appears the King, (Rembrandt Brown) has returned from behind the spotlight, large waves of fans convene upon the hotel. Remmy gets a little too anxious and goes out to greet his fans. Before we know it Arturo is pulled down to his underpants, and Rembrandt’s clothing is shredded. Realizing the motel clerk tipped everyone off of their whereabouts, Arturo wreaks havoc on him. Quinn (Jerry O’Connell) nearly destroys the take, by almost laughing out loud while the Professor is mistaken again as Mr. Pavarotti. This is undoubtedly one of the most hilarious scenes in sci-fi history.

Again, you won’t be disappointed by the comedy of the episode as well as the dramatic ending and punch line. It’s almost as if the storyline is directed at a ‘what if’ Elvis Presley came out of hiding. Apart from the comedy we’re given some action as well as one of the most iconic Rembrandt songs, “Tears in My Fro”.

Rembrandt is soon captured and held hostage by foe Maurice Fish. Angered by the outcry of support and a new live performance by our Rembrandt, this world’s Rembrandt eventually comes out of hiding. Catching up with the Sliders, Rembrandt’s double eventually saves him from the crazed, Maurice. This world’s Remmy bows out and gives our Rembrandt all the glory, fame and life. Rembrandt realizes he has the opportunity to live the life he’s always wanted. He has to make a life changing decision, to stay or slide.

Memorable Quotes:

Arturo: “Keep them away! Keep them away! Keep them away!”
Quinn: “Are you all right?”
Arturo: “I think all the essentials are still there.”
Arturo (to Gomez the hotel clerk): “You– will call the police now, and get us a police escort our of here, away from that mob!”
Gomez: “Whoa, be reasonable. A police escort? Mr. Pavarotti–
Arturo: “I am not Mr. Pavarotti! Mr. Pavarotti is an Italian. He speak-a like-a this. Do I speak-a like this? No! Why? Because I am an Englishman, you blistering idiot! Now, I have had it up to here with you! You had no right to advertise our presence in this third-rate hotel.”

Episode Review: “Eggheads”
Season 1
Original Airdate: 4/26/95
Review Rating: 9/10

The Sliders travel to a world where academic achievement is equivalent to being a sports superstar.

I like the fact that we start out on this world with a sign displaying “longer library hours” and a guy with his boom box playing opera, if you can believe it. We get two instant contrasts between this world and our own. The Sliders also discover Einstein on a fashion ad and the most shocking, Quinn’s double on an athletic billboard.

Before the Sliders can compose themselves they’re swarmed by fans. Arturo soon discovers he’s famous as well. Wade and Rembrandt’s meddling soon brings them to discover Quinn and Arturo are the “Sliders”. This episode starts out nicely and gets us to imagine how on earth Quinn could be a famous athlete, and yet at the same time a slider.

Since their doubles are Sliders, they rush to Quinn’s basement in search of the sliding machine to auto set the system, i.e. to go home. They turn up empty, with a basement full of old trophies and sports magazines. Everyone agrees to assume the identities of their doubles in order to find the sliding machine, but it’s not gonna be easy. Quinn immediately throws a teammate named Wilson off the team’s starting lineup since he was a benchman. However, Wilson and his mob has much more in store for Quinn. It turns out that Quinn’s double skipped out on some gambling debts, and therefore our Quinn is in some deep trouble.

One thing that really sticks out in this episode is the amusing hip-hop “Library Rap” music video. It so well done that it looks like it came straight from the MTV channel. This episode frequently shows us how much knowledge has influenced this world through music, sports, and even the society within.

Quinn is awestruck by the complex game he has to play in order to assume his double’s role. “Mindgame” blends games with the likeness of Othello, Family Feud, Jeopardy, and tag. The team who captures the most squares wins the game. Strangely enough, this is a university led academic sports game. You think our own educational systems would adopt such a sport. Not only would this game bring some starlight to the eggheads, but it would also make our society more intelligent and educated about the world.

The sliding machine seems as if it will never turn up and Arturo beings to question if their doubles have just fled overseas given their troubles. Professor Arturo soon gets caught up with a subpoena from his wife. Back on earthprime, Arturo’s early wife died of a brain aneurism at a young age. Here, he’s trying to reconnect with her and hopefully give his double a better chance at being forgiven. I’m really surprised by the lack of support Wade and Rembrandt give to Quinn and Arturo. They seem to just sit back, drink some beer, and watch television. Not to mention Rembrandt’s stupidity by betting on the games.

A championship game is on the line and Quinn is forced by the mob to either throw the game or quit, otherwise his life is at stake. This is an enjoyable episode, given the stark contrast between the flashy sports on our world and the academic maturity on this one. This is a favorite of co-creator Robert K. Weiss and the thought put into the episode makes it work, and work well. Only eggheads could have come up with such a clever sports episode.

Memorable Quotes:

Pitts: “This is a miracle. We have just seen a miracle. Cal gets the win. It’s a miracle. Last time I looked at that board it was red all over. Square 31– Mallory’s there. What happened?”
Jackson: “It was Mallory carrying his team on his back, at the end of this game. Playing like the Mallory of old.”
Pitts: “They needed square 31. They give it to their man, Mallory…”
Wade: “He did it!”
Rembrandt: “How much did he win by?”
Wade: “I don’t know. What difference does it make?”
Rembrandt: “A big difference. I got Harvard plus the points.”
Wade: “You bet on a game you don’t understand? You’re an idiot.”