Jerry O’Connell on What He’d Do Different with a Sliders Revival

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For three decades now, Jerry O’Connell’s character Quinn Mallory stumbled upon the blueprint of interdimensional travel while tinkering with gravity in his mom’s basement on the iconic SYFY series, Sliders. Over the subsequent five years, Mallory and the rest of the team traversed numerous Earths, each one unique from the last. The show concluded on a suspenseful note, leaving Rembrandt “Crying Man” Brown (played by Cleavant Derricks) having jumped into a portal whose outcome was uncertain – possibly sending him back to his original universe or potentially ending his life. Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting the revival of Sliders.

More recently, O’Connell shared his thoughts about a possible return of the show on the web. “I cherish my time and everyone involved in it, but starting with Season 3, there were new managers. There was an increase in weapons/CGI/explosions. Personally, I enjoyed the first two seasons more. If we ever re-start this project, that’s the approach I’d take…

For More on Sliders

Updates on a Potential Sliders Comeback: Is There a Chance for Its Return? Here’s What We Currently Understand About the Series Finale on SYFY

Reality of the week, the early years of Sliders

At the start, Quinn Mallory, a young graduate student with dreams of constructing an antigravity device in his home basement, finds himself unwittingly. He stumbles upon a gateway to another dimension instead. Following some initial tests, he decides to leap into the abyss and lands in a world turned upside down.

As I uncover my ability to traverse different dimensions, I rally a team consisting of my most esteemed professor, Maximilian Arturo (John Rhys-Davies), my cherished confidant Wade Wells (Sabrina Lloyd), and an unexpected interdimensional traveler, none other than Rembrandt Brown.

Following an incident that breaks their connection to their original reality, the sliders are left hopelessly jumping from one universe to another, with no idea of their final destination or duration. As they navigate through the first season, they encounter various worlds: one ravaged by lethal illness, one facing imminent asteroid impacts, one where scientists are idolized celebrities, among many others. The second season continues this pattern, taking them to places such as ones ruled by supposed psychics, ones where financial brokers engage in armed duels, ones transforming San Francisco into a dinosaur reserve, and ones where time flows backward.

At the close of Season 2, the Sliders stumbled upon the Kromaggs, an aggressive and technologically superior race of humanoids intent on eliminating all realities controlled by humans. Upon their return for Season 3, the show began to delve into more complex mythology, leaving less scope for creative exploration.

How Sliders changed in its later seasons

Starting with Season 3, the focus of Sliders shifted towards action-packed episodes aimed at attracting new audiences, as opposed to the introspective narratives prevalent in the first two seasons. This change is evident in the Season 3 opener, “Rules of the Game,” where the sliders find themselves in a high-stakes live-action game reminiscent of a first-person shooter, with survival being the primary goal and a potential reward if they succeed, but death as the consequence if they fail.

It’s important to mention that “Rules of the Game” was initially planned for Episode 5 of Season 3, but it was switched to the opening slot due to its high-action plot. The original premiere episode, “Double Cross,” was then moved to Season 3, Episode 2. Throughout the season, viewers can expect a variety of worlds: one on the brink of destruction by a pulsar, another infested with zombies, a third invaded by parasites that body-snatch, and a fourth inhabited by human-animal hybrids created artificially. Meanwhile, the production of the show was also undergoing changes behind the scenes.

In the midst of the third season, John Rhys-Davies decided to part ways with the show due to disagreements about the series’ creative direction. Co-creators Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé also departed during this period, leading to new management taking over with their unique vision. Sabrina Lloyd continued until the end of Season 3, but chose not to join for Season 4 when the show moved from Fox to SYFY. The series’ lead actor Connell stayed on until Season 4, but was swapped out for an alternate Mallory character in the final season. Out of the initial four sliders, only Derricks remained until the conclusion of the series.

Sliders offered a chance to spin engaging science fiction yarns featuring recurring characters. The show’s concept enabled diverse scenarios, regulations, and predicaments in each installment. It blended a captivating ongoing tale with the anthology series feel of The Twilight Zone. However, as the series unfolded and the multiverse mythology became more complex, an increasing amount of focus shifted towards the overall narrative, leaving less room for delving into fresh worlds.

Is Sliders getting a reboot or revival?

Just as the character Quinn Mallory, it’s uncertain if the show “Sliders” will return to its original destination. For years, discussions about a reboot have been ongoing, but none have come to fruition so far. However, in 2021, the show’s creator, Tracy Tormé, expressed his desire to revive the series with the original cast and some fresh faces.

Tormé mentioned that he can’t guarantee the entire original cast will return since deals haven’t been finalized, but he frequently communicates with Cleavant Derricks. He thinks it wouldn’t feel like Sliders without Jerry O’Connell, and he also keeps in touch with Rhys-Davies. As a result, Tormé envisions a blend of returning cast members and some fresh faces. They’re currently working on reviving the series.

About a year after, O’Connell expressed that progress had slowed down since there was no new information regarding the project. His recent discussions about a Sliders rewatch and revival, however, has sparked optimism among fans, implying that perhaps in another reality, the show Sliders could make a comeback.

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2025-02-17 17:17