Sliders – The Fourth Season (Universal DVD)
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: C+ Episodes: B-
In 1998
the series Sliders made a not often
seen Network switch, going from FOX to Sci-Fi Channel obtaining one of the
biggest rating jumps that the station had ever seen. The basic premise of Sliders never changed, but the cast atmosphere drastically changed
with the departure of Prof Arturo (John Rhys-Davies) and the series took a
serious hit in this reviewer’s opinion.
The Fourth Season kicks off
with Quinn (O’Connell) and Maggie (Kari Wuhrer) separated from their fellow
Sliders; in Season 3 having damaged
their timer and landed in a different parallel universe. Season
Four mainly focuses on getting the team back together (i.e. - finding
Rembrandt and Wade) and an immanent war with the warlords known as the
Kromaggs. Rembrandt is quickly rescued
but Wade’s rescue is not so easy having been transported as a prisoner to a
different parallel world. On Earth Prime
(the Sliders supposed home world) they are at constant battle against the
Kromaggs and intend to free the people of Earth Prime.
The focus
of the series evolved (not necessarily for the better) from jumping to find
their way home to defeating the evil of the Kromaggs. There is still (of course) the element of
sliding, but not as good as it had previously been. The actors, however, had one of their best
seasons yet; having now (especially O’Connell) developed great depth and
emotion for each of their characters.
The series also still embodied the use of different versions of the
Sliders existing in the parallel universes; something that always made the
series extremely interesting. The
departure of John Rhys-Davies was a sad disappointment and the addition of
Jerry O’Connell’s brother Charlie O’Connell was not consolation. Charlie O’Connell is no Jerry and this
reviewer is pretty sure has very little to no acting ability. Season
Four of Sliders is not the best
season of the series (that would be Seasons
1 & 2), but it still has heart that surely is lost once O’Connell
leaves the part of Quinn after this season.
The
technical features of this season slide between good and adequate. The picture is once again presented in its
original broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33 X 1 full screen that remains to have
good color but a degree of compression and darkness issues. The picture quality is just average as it has
been for the last two releases. The
sound is once again your basic Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo with no frills that has
crisp dialogue tracks, but the peripheral sound and music tracks could use some
work. The extras are adequate but once
again don’t offer anything special to long time fans. This being the last O’Connell season one
would have thought they would have taken the time to create a plethora of
interesting extras, but none are to be found.
Though Sliders – Season Four traded humor and
better storylines for action, fans will still find the series gripping and
interesting. This reviewer feels this is
the last good season of the series so don’t miss out.
- Michael P Dougherty II
