Sometimes things are so poorly constructed it’s seen as art. I’ll countdown the best of the worst, so bad they’re good “Sliders” episodes.
Honorable Mention: Season 3 – “Sole Survivors”
Throw in night scenes, some freaks in makeup and you got yourself the making of a campy horror episode. Short story short, Quinn gets bitten by a zombie and turns into one. It seems the government banned caffeine and the obese population turned into zombies by ingesting diet pills. There’s some side adventures with Maggie name calling Arturo “some old guy”. The most intriguing things are like how a manhole leads to a cave, a Jeep breaking down, and making coffee. If that’s not interesting enough you can see Quinn ask Maggie to kill him. In the end a lone doctor and blonde woman save the world. “A lot of things just come down to loyalty. Don’t they?” – Quinn Mallory. Yeah I guess so, even this TV show.
5. Season 3 – “The Fire Within”
This Sliders episode reaches a new level by sliding into hell… literally. Or so Rembrandt believes. They accidentally bring a “living flame” to the next world. While a flame that loves to burn anything would be bad enough, they place it smack dab in the middle of an oil refinery. You can’t get more explosive than that. While Quinn, Arturo and Remmy play with fire Wade does something meaningful with her life, like helping the poor. Goofy googles Quinn finally makes contact with the flame, discovering it can talk and even take the form of a human shape. Who can’t laugh at how unrealistic it is, plus the infamous “go away we’re spraying for coach roaches!” scene. If that isn’t enough to excite you, you’re in store for a firefighting 101 lesson.
4. Season 3 – “Dinoslide”
Rickman is running around sucking as much brain as he can while the Sliders try to track him down. Maggie and Wade have a cat fight, while deadly dinosaurs roam offscreen. The scenery in this episode is nice, except for the poor quality dino CGI. It turns out this is the New World where Rembrandt saved Malcolm and others from Pulsar World. We’re led to believe weasel is just like chicken legs, and fungus is a good coffee substitute. In order to save the new colony on this world the Sliders must eat worms, explode a T-Rex’s head, and suggest a boy taken hostage is an “acceptable casualty”. The icing on this fruitcake is the final heartwarming scene where Rembrandt and Malcolm reminisce of old times.
3. Season 4 – “The Chasm”
Everyone’s just so happy …except Maggie as usual. Quinn’s done with sliding, he has decided he’s home, and it seems Rembrandt is going to jump in a hole. Things get even more bizarre when Quinn suggests (with a smile on his face) he is giving Maggie his depression. Rembrandt hallucinates with twitches, runs off like a scared kid, and eventually goes on a life story novella about how his life is filled with fear. Some frantic preacher keeps suggesting to Rembrandt he must commit suicide to make everyone else happy too. But at the same time I just got this feeling everythings gonna be all right. It’s like we’re riding the world’s most amazing roller-coaster. But even if you think this ride is bad, don’t worry… “it’ll pass”. It’s not like I care.
2. Season 3 – “Paradise Lost”
This episode tries to make you think you are 8 years old by using the boogeyman tactic. Only problem is there is no boogeyman, just a giant underground worm. The town feeds off it’s excrement or something of the kind in a bizarre feeding ritual, which gives a youth sustaining nutrient. The Sliders are considered outsiders in this small town, and are destined to be used as the worm’s dinner. Everyone is hush hush except the old creepy lady who keeps telling the Sliders to get outta town, warning them of the illustrious “cove”. Quinn is the bad-to-the-bone hero, fist fighting off every enemy, all the while Arturo goes missing. It turns out he was fed to “the Beast”. Quinn explains the creature to where any layman can easily understand too, “it could be some kind of freak nemertean.” The worm is found in the familiar season three cave set, and Arturo is found alive in a cocoon. Repeat after me, “it’s spawning”. Let’s not forget this wouldn’t be a good episode without a good slow-mo fire and explosion.
1. Season 3 – “Electric Twister Acid Test”
Twisters are everywhere and a maniac is on the loose while Jerry O’Connell styles his toned physique. If only that was all. But this episode manages to throw in even more gems like Corey Feldman wielding a pitch fork and drinking slime. The timer’s technology is bringing in the twisters and it’s time to crackdown on the unruly (the Sliders). Normal people, aka Corey Feldmans are considered “Outcasts” and use tunnels to get around while Wade is used in a torture Dunk Tank game. But who can forget the legendary cave set used ad infinitum in this season. What’s cool about this episode is that Jerry O’Connell and Corey Feldman reunite and pay homage to their 1986 movie, “Stand by Me” in their “skin it” scene. “This town is gonna need all the help it can get.” – Quinn Mallory. Yeah, no kidding.