Sliders, that underrated 1990s sci-fi show

[auntiehill]

If I recall, it was some kind of pulsar that destroyed each part of earth as the planet rotated. Most of the people had been vaporized but all of a sudden, they say, "Hey, let's go the parking garage!" If no one else on the planet is alive, I'm pretty sure that's not going to help. Also the cheesy shot of the entire planet exploding at the end, like a flaming tennis ball....

 

[Anwar]

If I recall, it was some kind of pulsar that destroyed each part of earth as the planet rotated. Most of the people had been vaporized but all of a sudden, they say, "Hey, let's go the parking garage!" If no one else on the planet is alive, I'm pretty sure that's not going to help. Also the cheesy shot of the entire planet exploding at the end, like a flaming tennis ball....

And then there was Rickmans' whole plotline where he had a fungal virus destroying his brain...so he had to suck brain matter out of other people to inject into himself and this somehow cause him to change form because of foreign brain matter.

And Maggie not caring terribly about her husband dying so she could have a romance with Quinn

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Yeah the whole Rickman story was just bonkers. Brain juice doesn't work like that.

 

[Farscape One]

"Brain and juice! What is brain juice?!"
"SPOCK'S BRAIN" (if it were made after this SLIDERS arc)

 

[auntiehill]

And then there was Rickmans' whole plotline where he had a fungal virus destroying his brain...so he had to suck brain matter out of other people to inject into himself and this somehow cause him to change form because of foreign brain matter.

And Maggie not caring terribly about her husband dying so she could have a romance with Quinn

Yeah, that made me really not like Maggie right from the start. I didn't care for the actress to begin with and the character came off as 2 dimensional, at best. Plus who is stupid enough to think that brain fluid makes you PHYSICALLY TURN INTO THAT PERSON?
*sigh*

 

[Christopher]

Yeah, that made me really not like Maggie right from the start. I didn't care for the actress to begin with and the character came off as 2 dimensional, at best.

I'm not sure season 3 Maggie even had as many as two whole dimensions. But as I've said, she became an infinitely better character in seasons 4-5, whose far more capable writers gave her genuine personality and substance. And Kari Wuhrer finally had good enough material to show what a strong, appealing actress she could actually be when given the chance.

 

[Guy Gardener]

If I recall, it was some kind of pulsar that destroyed each part of earth as the planet rotated. Most of the people had been vaporized but all of a sudden, they say, "Hey, let's go the parking garage!" If no one else on the planet is alive, I'm pretty sure that's not going to help. Also the cheesy shot of the entire planet exploding at the end, like a flaming tennis ball....

Retroactivce Kromag extinction device.

Possibly for mining?

You pulverize the planet.

A new asteroid field.

Open a sliding aperture a hundred miles in radius.

Millions of tons of metal, water and rock zips through to Kromag Prime.

Yeah, that made me really not like Maggie right from the start. I didn't care for the actress to begin with and the character came off as 2 dimensional, at best. Plus who is stupid enough to think that brain fluid makes you PHYSICALLY TURN INTO THAT PERSON?
*sigh*

I saw her hold a rifle.

She's shooting and running.

But the stock was not under her armpit.

She'd break her wrist and have no chance of aiming straight if that was a real gun.

Dumb.

 

[Anwar]

The plot was beyond stupid and the "science" of it was ridiculous. John Rhy-Davies had written a story idea, using some sound scientific research (he apparently studied in the sciences before getting the acting bug) but the producers took it and shredded it, replacing it w/ nonsense--like going to the lower levels of a parking garage will save you from bursts of gamma radiation that had already wiped out all other life on Earth. I don't know if it was a "screw you" or just lazy coke heads not giving a damn.

Apparently Rhy-Davies had pissed off some writers and producers of the show, so they were in a vindictive mood.

So Arturo gets an incurable disease, get his brains sucked out, gets shot and then gets left to be obliterated by Pulsars.

Ouch.

 

[auntiehill]

Apparently Rhy-Davies had pissed off some writers and producers of the show, so they were in a vindictive mood.

So Arturo gets an incurable disease, get his brains sucked out, gets shot and then gets left to be obliterated by Pulsars.

Ouch.

Exactly. Technically, he didn't get his brains sucked out. He got stabbed in the head with the needle, which caused him to have a stroke. The villain was interrupted before the said "brain sucking" could occur. But Arturo could hardly speak or walk when he died. So..."it's your last scene---the heroic death scene! But you can hardly speak at all, so you only get three words."

It's just a giant "Fuck You." If I recall correctly, he had said something to the wife of one of the producers. She said she couldn't see why he cared about some scientific inaccuracy he pointed out, because it was just a "dumb sci fi show." He pointed out to her that it didn't have to be dumb--that it could be smart and enjoyable if the people making show cared enough to put in the slightest effort--or words to that effect. She stormed off and told her husband Mr. Big Wig producer. When Torme and his crew were replaced, John wanted to leave also. So they took the story idea he had submitted, ripped it to shreds, killed the character off so John would get no big farewell speech, and even guaranteed that he couldn't come back as that Arturo ever again because the planet fucking blew up.
Bastards.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Ha!

I only just noticed that Tracy Tormé is not a woman.

For twenty years I've been thinking, wow she broke into the market early and held a position of dominance. Good for her!

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Ha!

I only just noticed that Tracy Tormé is not a woman.

For twenty years I've been thinking, wow she broke into the market early and heald a position of dominance. Good for her!

Same........

 

[Ragitsu]

These days, you never know.

 

[Guy Gardener]

These days, you never know.

If you are a parent today who names their male child Tracy, then you are a wise-ass who loves a good farce.

Saw a movie recently where a Geoffrey Epstien like character was inviting all his female branch managers to an executive training seminar, which is actually a flimsy cover for an ongoing orgy... But now and then they accidentally invite boys to the training course because they have nongendered names like Pat or Cameron.

 

[gweeps]

Sadly, the show lost a lot of steam for me after Jerry, Sabrina and John left.

 

[Ragitsu]

If alternative realities/multiple universes truly exist, then there is a version of reality where O'Connell, Lloyd and Rhys-Davies stayed on and the writing never devolved; over there, Sliders became a five-season smash hit.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

If alternative realities/multiple universes truly exist, then there is a version of reality where O'Connell, Lloyd and Rhys-Davies stayed on and the writing never devolved; over there, Sliders became a five-season smash hit.

If a multiverse exists that's more then possible.

 

[Anwar]

If alternative realities/multiple universes truly exist, then there is a version of reality where O'Connell, Lloyd and Rhys-Davies stayed on and the writing never devolved; over there, Sliders became a five-season smash hit.

One fan theory is that, since the "Azure Gate Bridge" episode made it clear there were other versions of the Sliders also lost, sliding from world to world, that the Sliders we saw from S3 onwards may not have been the ones from S1-S2. They were one of the other lost groups.

 

[urrutiap]

i still remember Sliders a little bit from time to time.

I only remember the first season or whatever where it had that really weird math basketball game.

that and Jerry O Connel's brother showed up later on.

These days i dont remember what the heck went on during the show.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

That ball game was kind of neat, and the Library rap song

 

[Christopher]

I was recently reading about Indian history, and how there was a time in the 7th century or so when philosophers and religious scholars were basically celebrated like pro athletes or rock stars, with debates between opposing philosophical schools often being these huge events like the Super Bowl, with opposing kings and rulers backing rival schools of thought so that there could be huge stakes behind the debates. The winning debaters were feted like royalty and the losers could be banished, mutilated, or executed.

When I read that, it did remind me a bit of the "Eggheads" episode of Sliders. It wasn't just fiction -- there really was a time when scholars were the celebrities.