Sliders: 10 Best Episodes, According To IMDb

The 1990s was a decade jam-packed with a lot of great sci-fi television. Sliders came on the scene and gave fans a unique and interesting spin on the genre which had viewers tuning in week after week. The show’s premise allowed for an infinite number of potential scenarios and the writers often took full advantage for great stories.

Since the show ended, Sliders has become a cult hit with new fans discovering the series every year. Throughout the show’s respectable number of seasons, there were some true standout episodes.

10 The Exodus – 7.6

During season 3, Sliders produced a gripping two-part episode. “The Exodus” sees the heroes sliding into a universe where the earth is going to be destroyed by radiation from the sun. They can save some of the people by sliding them to another parallel universe and they must make the difficult decision of who to save.

Usually, Sliders focused on the lives of the heroes and the struggle to get back to their universe but “The Exodus” reverses the roles. By wanting to save the people, they put themselves in danger as well as put themselves in a complicated spot morally. The moral quandaries on Sliders are familiar to fans of shows like Star Trek.

9 As Time Goes By – 7.7

Usually, the bulk of an episode would focus on one parallel world and the heroes’ attempt to escape whatever predicament they were in. However, “As Time Goes By” spans several different universes and teaches Quinn a valuable lesson. Over three successive worlds, Quinn meets up with an old girlfriend who he attempts to help out of some personal problem. In the end, he learns that his meddling did more harm than good.

Though the heroes often found mind-bending ways to alter space and time, “As Time Goes By” teaches a valuable lesson that there are typically repercussions. Though Quinn tries to do his best to help, he learns that even the best intentions can result in disaster.

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8 Last Days – 7.7

In only the third episode of the series, “The Last Days” offers one of its darkest scenarios. The sliders end up in a universe where an asteroid is going to destroy the earth in 24 hours. Unfortunately for the heroes, they realize they cannot slide to the next world for 72 hours.

The episode is strong because it explores the concept of the show to its darkest conclusion. Though the drama of the main characters is riveting, they must also grapple with the fact that the entire world is going to be destroyed and there is nothing they can do about it.

7 Gillian Of The Spirits – 7.8

“Gillian Of The Spirits” shifts focus from Quinn and allows the other characters to shine. The heroes slide into a parallel universe where all technology made after 1945 is banned. Quinn doesn’t fully materialize in the universe and the rest of the gang must figure things out without him.

The supporting cast gets a chance to shine in the episode and show their individual strengths. By putting Quinn in the background of the episode, the writers strengthened the audience’s bond with the other characters.

6 Double Cross – 7.9

Sliders shined when it offered a parallel view of the real world and commented on everyday problems. In “Double Cross,” the gang slides into a world with dwindling natural resources and they team up with a group of scientists who are close to discovering the same thing that Quinn did. However, they quickly learn that the scientists have a more sinister purpose for the sliding tech.

“Double Cross” holds a mirror up to modern society and makes some pretty scathing critiques. The people of the parallel earth are only focused on consuming more resources and they don’t care who they hurt to do so. Sliders, like most sci-fi, is able to make subtle political comments without alienating their audience.

5 Invasion – 8.0

While most episodes focused on a moral lesson,  some were simply action-adventure stories with sci-fi elements. “Invasion” introduces 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 future, with the heroes trapped in the middle. Though the plot is common for Sliders, the interesting characters and suspenseful writing elevate the episode beyond simple entertainment and showed it was one of the best sci-fi shows of the ’90s.

4 The Pilot – 8.1

For the debut episode of the series, the writers made sure to construct a great episode that introduces the characters and the premise. Quinn is a genius physics student who figures out how to open portals to other worlds. On accident, Quinn and several others are hurled through the portal and into parallel worlds.

The pilot episode was a perfect introduction to the exciting new series. The writers managed to squeeze in all of the necessary information as well as provide interesting drama to keep viewers invested. Though the series was lesser known than other shows, the quality of the pilot is what set it up for success and allowed it to run 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 to ponder the possibilities. “The Guardian” sees the heroes on a version of earth where time moves slower, which inspires them to fix things and take chances they otherwise wouldn’t.

Quinn’s plot line is particularly strong in the episode as he attempts to change something that happened in his past. He learns that the past shouldn’t be changed and that sometimes it is necessary to learn from traumatic events instead of being defined by them.

2 Luck Of The Draw – 8.3

Sometimes, the worlds the sliders encounter seem perfect but they quickly learn that there is darkness underneath. “Luck Of The Draw” tells the story of a utopian world where all of society’s problems are seemingly fixed. The gang encounters an ATM that dispenses 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 the play “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. The sliders learn that their greed can get them into trouble and the episode makes a commentary on modern society.

1 Post Traumatic Slide Syndrome – 8.5

Early in season 2, Sliders produced the best episode of the entire series. The gang slides back into an earth that seems like their home. However, as the story progresses it is clear that all is not what it seems and Professor Arturo is different.

Sliders often played with the viewers’ expectations and gave them several close calls when it came to getting the heroes back home. “Post Traumatic Slide Syndrome” is particularly strong because it gives viewers the usual quality of the show but with added heartbreak. By showing a close call, fans wanted to see the heroes succeed even more.

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