The 1990s were a decade filled with many sci-fi television shows. Sliders stepped on the scene and gave fans a unique and interesting twist on the genre that grabbed viewers week after week. The show’s premise allowed for an endless number of potential storylines, and the writers often took full advantage of that for great stories.
Since the end of the show, Sliders has become a cult hit with new fans discovering the series every year. Throughout the show’s respectable number of seasons, there have been some truly standout episodes.
ten The Exodus – 7.6
During season 3, Sliders produced a gripping two-part episode. “The Exodus” sees the heroes slide into a universe where the earth will be destroyed by the radiations of the sun. They can save some people by dragging them into another parallel universe and they have to make the difficult decision of who to save.
Usually, Sliders centered on the life of the heroes and the struggle to return to their universe but “The Exodus” turns the tables. By wanting to save people, they put themselves in danger and morally put themselves in a complicated situation. Moral dilemmas on Sliders are familiar to fans of series like Star trek.
9 Over time – 7.7
Usually the bulk of an episode centers around a parallel world and the heroes’ attempt to escape the predicament they find themselves in. However, “As Time Goes By†covers several different worlds and teaches Quinn a valuable lesson. Over the course of three successive worlds, Quinn meets an ex-girlfriend whom he tries to help solve a personal problem. Ultimately, he learns that his interference has done more harm than good.
While heroes have often found mind-blowing ways to alter space and time, “As Time Goes By†teaches a valuable lesson that there usually are repercussions. Although Quinn tries her best to help, he learns that even the best of intentions can lead to disaster.
8 Last days – 7.7
In only the third episode of the series, “The Last Days” offers one of its darkest scenarios. The cursors find themselves in a universe where an asteroid will destroy the earth in 24 hours. Unfortunately for the heroes, they realize that they cannot glide into the next world for 72 hours.
The episode is strong as it explores the concept of the series to its darkest conclusion. While the drama of the main characters is gripping, they also have to face the fact that the whole world is going to be destroyed and there is nothing they can do about it.
seven Gillian of the Spirits – 7.8
“Gillian Of The Spirits” distracts Quinn’s attention and allows the other characters to shine. The heroes slip into a parallel universe where any technology manufactured after 1945 is prohibited. Quinn doesn’t fully materialize in the universe, and the rest of the gang have to figure things out without him.
The supporting actors have the chance to shine in the episode and show off their individual strengths. By placing Quinn in the background of the episode, the writers strengthened the audience’s bond with the other characters.
6 Double Cross – 7.9
Sliders shone when offering a parallel view of the real world and commenting on everyday issues. In “Double Cross,” the gang slip into a world of declining natural resources, and they team up with a group of scientists who are set to find out the same thing Quinn did. However, they quickly learn that scientists have a more sinister goal for sliding technology.
“Double Cross” holds up a mirror of modern society and makes some pretty scathing reviews. The dwellers of the parallel earth only focus on consuming more resources and they don’t care who they hurt for doing it. Sliders, like most science fiction films, is able to make subtle political commentary without alienating its audience.
5 Invasion – 8.0
While most episodes focused on a moral lesson, some were simply action-adventure stories with sci-fi elements. “Invasion†presents a terrifying version of humans who remained primitive and never developed. These primitive humans follow the heroes between worlds and end up in a futuristic version of earth.
“Invasion†offers viewers a unique clash between the past and the future, with the heroes trapped in the middle. Although the plot is common for Sliders, the interesting characters and suspenseful writing elevates the episode beyond mere entertainment and proved to be one of the best sci-fi shows of the 90s.
4 The pilot – 8.1
For the first episode of the series, the writers made sure to build a great episode that introduces the characters and the premise. Quinn is a genius student in physics who is discovering how to open portals to other worlds. By accident, Quinn and several others are thrown through the portal and into parallel worlds.
The pilot episode was a perfect introduction to the exciting new series. The writers have managed to put together all the necessary information and come up with an interesting drama to keep viewers engaged. Although the series is less well known than other shows, the quality of the pilot is what made it successful and kept it running for as long as it did.
3 The Guardian – 8.2
Sliders often asked the question “what would you do?” To their audience and fans loved thinking about the possibilities. “The Guardian†sees the heroes on a version of earth where time flies more slowly, prompting them to fix things and take risks that they otherwise wouldn’t have.
Quinn’s plot is especially strong in the episode as he attempts to change something that happened in his past. He learns that the past should not be changed and that sometimes it is necessary to learn from traumatic events instead of being defined by them.
2 Luck of the toss – 8.3
Sometimes the worlds the cursors encounter seem perfect, but they quickly learn that there is darkness below. “Luck Of The Draw” tells the story of a utopian world where all of society’s problems are apparently solved. The gang encounters an ATM that distributes unlimited money and they soon learn that they are entered into a death lottery.
“Luck of the Draw” is an obvious allegory and allusion to Shirley Jackson’s play “The Lottery”. The Cursors learn that their greed can get them in trouble, and the episode makes a commentary on modern society.
1 Post-traumatic slip syndrome – 8.5
At the start of season 2, Sliders produced the best episode of the whole series. The gang slips back into a land that appears to be their home. However, as the story progresses, it’s clear that not all is what it seems and Professor Arturo is different.
Sliders often played with viewers’ expectations and gave them several close calls when it came to bringing the heroes home. “Post Traumatic Slide Syndrome” is particularly strong because it gives viewers the usual quality of the show but with added heartache. By showing a close call, fans wanted to see the heroes succeed even more.
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