Sliders, some curiosities

[Mav]

As I've made my way through various sci fi (alot thanks to nite), I finally got around to getting back into Sliders.

 

I saw sporadic episodes years and years ago. Never saw the reruns on the Sci Fi channel here in America.

 

And I noticed, alot of things just don't add up.

 

So far I'm in late season 1, so if stuff gets explained in later seasons, cool. (speaking of which you can mention them, I don't care about spoilers at all)

 

- The "timer" as it's called, opens the wormhole to other dimensions. How come this thing never seems to run out of energy?

 

- How does the timer, manage to create a wormhole, on such "limited" power? By limited, I mean, it's the size of a cellphone roughly (from the mid 90's time period), so it's "batteries" can't be that large, and even the newer things like lithium batteries and such still have a self life unless designed to be recharged by something simple that is easily obtainable

 

- How come they, I dunno, never let the time just run out?. The first double of Quinn we see, gets "sucked" into the wormhole when his timer activates it. But in every episode so far, the gang all have to physically jump/fall into the wormhole "before" it closes? If they can choose when to enter it, as such before it closes, why not just let it close and open another after it? Granted, its a tv show and they need plot twists and "drama" but it would solve every situation of "ah shit, gotta meet up with the others and slide out before its too late"

 

- So far I've found seasons 1-3. I know there was a season 4 cause Sci Fi owns season 5 but alot of people say they don't rerun it or release it on dvd. So what is too happen of that?

 

- How come each season is like 13 episodes?..

 

- How come Fox, even that far back (pre-Firefly fuck up) ran season 1 out of order?

 

- If Quinn couldn't send a camera or recorder through the wormhole to test it, in the Pilot, due to the interferace frying it, how is it the timer makes it through each slide unharmed unless it happens to fall out of his pocket at the end of the slide? (same electrical properties as a camera, I assume?)

 

- Sometimes, some of them will complain of "getting kicked" or "bumped" by another mid-slide, like in a crowded small space. Aren't they split into all kinds of atom particles or do they just not shell out the money for the effects of putting a human in the wormhole tunnel?

 

- Isn't it a little, "ironic" every dimension usually one of the gang is someone well known, popular, in power, wanted by the law, dead, a murder, etc? Granted the infinite dimensions things means, literally infinite possibilities, and yes again its a tv show, but even after only 8 episodes, thats getting stale (still funny but it will get over done)

 

great series overall, love it. quelching my sci fi needs between the fridays of new sci fi

[mmsock]

:) Interesting insites there. Can't answer them with any certaincy, but I'll offer up some thoughts.

 

The initial wormhole was created in Quinn's basement using all that equipment in the background. The timer doesn't open the wormhole, it tracks it by time and coordinates. Any simple electronic device on batteries could do that. In a few episodes they show the timers (there were more than one version) dissasembled. If you look closely, you'll probably see a battery in there.

 

Jumping into the vortex just looks cool :) The Quinn double from the pilot had his own timer which could have different operational quirks, explaining the 'sucking in'.

 

They can't let the vortex close and re-open it because once that wormhole is closed, it's particular time and coordinates are not accessible for 29 years later. They'd be stuck there until then.

 

far as I know, only the first 3 seasons have been officially released on DVD. But, you can find unscrupulous box sets containing the whole series.

 

Why short seasons at first? Fox is cheap. Seriously though, lots of shows start off with small episode orders which are then expanded based on the show's popularity. For instance, Seinfeld was initially only a 4 episode show.

 

Broadcast out of sequence? That also happens all the time, due to things like production schedules, and producers changing the order to boost ratings by more 'sexy' episodes.

 

The camera might not record images onto the tape due to magnetic fluxuations. Those wouldn't hinder the timer's performance once removed from the field. Plus, the circuitry could be magnetically shielded like stereo speakers are.

 

Bumping into each other is a contradiction. Initially yes, matter entering the vortex was shown to be atomized (sub-atomized?), and then re-integrated at the destination. You'll notice in later episodes they'll show the people sliding through the wormhole as if they were in a water slide. Chalk that one up to 'it's just a TV show', and O'Connell being a producer :lol:

 

Doubles being conveniently persons of importance was indeed a contrivance, but in later episodes they didn't run into their duplicates very often. And when they did, they were sometimes scumbags, losers, and criminals. You'll see.

 

I'd be interested to see what others think about your questions. I too really liked that show, especially when Kari Wuhrer joined up :D For a bit of a spoiler: If you're new to the show, expect some cast changes. Several of the sliders get knocked off in various ways, which few shows have the courage to do and continue production.

 

BTW, Sliders still runs on SciFi channel occasional during the day where they'll show something like 7 episodes back to back. Keep an eye on the broadcast lineup if you want to record and watch the ones you haven't seen yet. :)

 

 

[bbbb]

Was the later seasons of Sliders any good? I saw the first two but missed the newer ones.

[Potato]

That really depends on your tastes. Most of season 3 they were doing TV versions of popular movies. Seasons 4 and 5 make huge changes to the series. Some of these are good some not so. I'd suggest watching the later seasons and making up your own mind.

[macrovirus]

I have a question about a particular episode of Sliders. Having only caught a few episodes here and there, I seem to remeber an episode where they slide into a world which is about to be destroyed by something or other, and someone in this world has found out about the wormhole technology (it appears red in color) and they are looking for somewhere to evacuate the population to. Is this early on in the series, or later on? Because I do seem to recall that all the episodes that feature Kari Wuhrer in aren't particularly good at all.

[GorunNova]

I'll answer your questions with total guesswork and tongue-and-cheekery.

 

- The "timer" as it's called, opens the wormhole to other dimensions. How come this thing never seems to run out of energy?

It's powered by the usually tech-frying interference caused by wormholes as they pass through it. Either that, or it's powered by a bunch of fleas running treadmills...

 

- How does the timer, manage to create a wormhole, on such "limited" power? By limited, I mean, it's the size of a cellphone roughly (from the mid 90's time period), so it's "batteries" can't be that large, and even the newer things like lithium batteries and such still have a self life unless designed to be recharged by something simple that is easily obtainable

Actually, some peope can just punch holes in the fabric of space-time with their pinkies... the timer's just a time-saver ^^

 

- How come they, I dunno, never let the time just run out?. The first double of Quinn we see, gets "sucked" into the wormhole when his timer activates it. But in every episode so far, the gang all have to physically jump/fall into the wormhole "before" it closes? If they can choose when to enter it, as such before it closes, why not just let it close and open another after it? Granted, its a tv show and they need plot twists and "drama" but it would solve every situation of "ah ####, gotta meet up with the others and slide out before its too late"

... because if they let it close, they'll have to wait decades for the next one to open. They mention that repeatedly, as far as I know. They DO want to get home before they're sixty... (serious answer, this time...)

 

- How come each season is like 13 episodes?..

Because it's a slower release series. Not every series is 22 eps a year, you know ^^

 

- How come Fox, even that far back (pre-Firefly #### up) ran season 1 out of order?

Because it was an experiment, possibly sci-fi time slot filler at the time.

 

- If Quinn couldn't send a camera or recorder through the wormhole to test it, in the Pilot, due to the interferace frying it, how is it the timer makes it through each slide unharmed unless it happens to fall out of his pocket at the end of the slide? (same electrical properties as a camera, I assume?)

Because Wormholes really, REALLY like the taste of electronics ^^ ... or you could look at my answer for the power source for the timer ^^

 

- Sometimes, some of them will complain of "getting kicked" or "bumped" by another mid-slide, like in a crowded small space. Aren't they split into all kinds of atom particles or do they just not shell out the money for the effects of putting a human in the wormhole tunnel?

Nope, they flip through the wormholes fully intact. This ain't Stargate, y'know ^^

 

- Isn't it a little, "ironic" every dimension usually one of the gang is someone well known, popular, in power, wanted by the law, dead, a murder, etc? Granted the infinite dimensions things means, literally infinite possibilities, and yes again its a tv show, but even after only 8 episodes, thats getting stale (still funny but it will get over done)

No, it just means that their home universe really, really sucks, given that they seem to be doing so much better everywhere else in the multiverse. Makes me wonder why they bother trying to get home, actually ^^ (actually, it does tone down a weeny bit... then tone up, and tone sideways... some of their writers, ihmo, weren't that great)

 

All in all, I'd say watch away, but it's not a series I'd ever buy... ;p

 

I've heard season 4 & 5 were pretty good... haven't seen them, though...

[Potato]

I have a question about a particular episode of Sliders. Having only caught a few episodes here and there' date=' I seem to remeber an episode where they slide into a world which is about to be destroyed by something or other, and someone in this world has found out about the wormhole technology (it appears red in color) and they are looking for somewhere to evacuate the population to. Is this early on in the series, or later on? Because I do seem to recall that all the episodes that feature Kari Wuhrer in aren't particularly good at all.[/quote']

 

This is a two parter from season 3 and is the beginning of the cast changes. It introduces Kari's character and writes out Professor Arturo. It is probably the best story from season 3, at least IMO.

[kyoisthebest]

I have a question about a particular episode of Sliders. Having only caught a few episodes here and there' date=' I seem to remeber an episode where they slide into a world which is about to be destroyed by something or other, and someone in this world has found out about the wormhole technology (it appears red in color) and they are looking for somewhere to evacuate the population to. Is this early on in the series, or later on? Because I do seem to recall that all the episodes that feature Kari Wuhrer in aren't particularly good at all.[/quote']

 

This is a two parter from season 3 and is the beginning of the cast changes. It introduces Kari's character and writes out Professor Arturo. It is probably the best story from season 3, at least IMO.

 

It probably was the best story in season 3, but the cast change was a really bad idea. It's not always fun when a show goes, "Hey, let's bump this useful character for that hot chick" especially when the rest of the season had episodes that stretched to place her in random sexual situatuons. *cough* Symbiote episdoe *cough*

[MrDad]

I have a question about a particular episode of Sliders. Having only caught a few episodes here and there' date=' I seem to remeber an episode where they slide into a world which is about to be destroyed by something or other, and someone in this world has found out about the wormhole technology (it appears red in color) and they are looking for somewhere to evacuate the population to. Is this early on in the series, or later on? Because I do seem to recall that all the episodes that feature Kari Wuhrer in aren't particularly good at all.[/quote']

 

This is a two parter from season 3 and is the beginning of the cast changes. It introduces Kari's character and writes out Professor Arturo. It is probably the best story from season 3, at least IMO.

 

It probably was the best story in season 3, but the cast change was a really bad idea. It's not always fun when a show goes, "Hey, let's bump this useful character for that hot chick" especially when the rest of the season had episodes that stretched to place her in random sexual situatuons. *cough* Symbiote episdoe *cough*

I believe they didn't have much choice. I heard John Rhys Davies (Prof. Arturo) wanted out to do other projects. They picked this way to let him go. If he had ever decided to return, they could simply get one of Arturo's alternates to join up with the group.