The Sliders Pilot episode aired on FOX Wednesday March 22nd, 1995 as a mid-season replacement. The first episode did quite well in the ratings. With a nine episode order, including the pilot there were only eight more episodes left to air.
Sliders continued to air on Wednesday nights on FOX, but never ran in the correct order. Episodes like "Summer of Love" and "Prince of Wails" which were sort of three part stroy arcs ran out of order, leaving the viewer mis-guided and confused. But FOX wanted to air the episodes in any which way they pleased.
Ratings for Sliders were marginal within the following weeks, and the neilson rating for the season finale "Luck of the Draw" didn't break any records either, they were marginal as well. So FOX wasn't sure if they wanted to keep the show going or not, and when the time came for the 1995-1996 season "Sliders" wasn't renewed. It took awhile for the executives and producers to realize that this show had potential, so they decided to get the actors back for season 2. But again season 2 was a mid-season replacement as the first season was.
The ratings for season 2 weren't what was expected...the highest watched episode of the season was "In Dino Veritas" in which the Sliders Slide into a world where Dinosaurs are not extinct. This gave the show a chance. The show was given more special effects episodes like "Invasion" . But after "In Dino Veritas" the ratings declined...below expectations. And the show was cancelled.
A letter writing campaign to FOX actually encouraged the network to revive the show for a full 25 episode season. All stars returned. The third season moved from Vancouver to L.A. During its run Sliders slowy gained a fan-following and a small target audience. A third season 2-parter which starred Roger Daltrey had very high ratings...for Sliders high ratings were very good. But it was during this episode that series star John Rhys Davies departed fromthe show.
John Rhys Davies was planning to leave the show since way back in season 2. He wanted the show to head into a more hard-core scifi show but wanted to leave because he felt the show was going in the wrong direction. But...John was going to stay for the entirety of season 3...it was a certain *someone* who had him fired from the show because of something John did earlier to that *someone*.
John Rhys Davies wasn't the only one to leave the show during the third season. Series co-creator Tracy Torme left
as well. He also felt the show was lacking what it was intended for. Tracy Torme had written a season finale for year 3 called "Heat of the Moment"
in which Arturo would have played a major part in...but after John left the show and Kari Wuhrer(Maggie) took over
the script was scrapped. Its a shame...this unproduced episode could have been the best one weve ever seen. :(
After Kari Wuhrer joined the ratings become larger...her character was meant for this...this *eye candy* was FOX's
way of pulling in viewers in hopes they would sit down for an hour and enjoy not "Sliders" but Kari's body...
After the season finale "This Slide of Paradise" aired in May 1997... Fox was actually trying to make a decision whether or not to make season 4. They were planning on airing season 4 bi-weekly with "The Visitor" in the 1997-1998 season. This fourth season on FOX would continue from the cliffhanger in season 3. The characters of Rembrant and Wade would have gotte home so they would just center the show around the characters of Quinn and Maggie.
Before the decision was made for Sliders and The Visitor to be cancelled one script was written for each show. A 4th season premiere episode for Sliders call "Genesis"(alt-script from Scifi's script) and a second seaon premiere script was written for the visitor. All is that is known of the 4th season "Sliders in Love" script is that David Peckinpah wrote it...or drafted it atleast... it was dramatically changed to fit Scifi's idea to bring back the Maggs and insert embrant the Wade-missing story arc...and Colin..and uh...Quinn from Kromagg Prime.
After the cancellation on FOX , the Scifi Channel immediately stepped in and bought the rights to seasons 1-3 and ordered an additional 22 episodes. But, this was all just a part of the Scifi channels devious plot to lure Sliders viewers in to watch other Scifi programs...they didn't care about the viewers...just ratings... The channel planned to cancel Sliders after season 5 in the beginning, at any cost.
Ratings were good, though, for season 4. For a cable network a 2.0 rating is outstanding. This is the kind of ratings it received.
In August of 1998 Scifi decided to renew Sliders again for 18 new episodes...but without Jerry O'Connell and Charlie O'Connell. Two new cast members were hired...Robert Floyd and Tembi Locke joined the cast as Mallory and Diana Davis.
Unfortunately after season 5's finale episode "The Seer" which will probably air in late 1999 or early 2000 it will mark the end for Rembrant and his companions. The terrible news of the cancellation of the show was given during the on-line chat with Tembi Locke and Robert Floyd on July 19. After 88 episodes the show is done. It will only remain as reruns after this year.
Sliders Rest in peace.
