jack

Sliders is still cool.

* In some respects, I'm more accepting than I was in the 80s. At the time, the introduction of an astral plane just seemed contrary to the idea that the show was supposedly based on physics. Now, I'm partly more used to people's confused thinking, and partly more used to looking past the superficial problems to see what idea the episode is putting forth.

* On the other hand, some themes I've just seen so often and always seem gratuitous. Unremovable necklaces that electrocute you when you lie are cool, but the social effect is essentially the same as just going "beep", so why does anyone invent the nasty sort? And why is it always suggested that it means people can find out anything -- surely "I don't want to say" is often right.

* Shows about small groups of characters falling into successive situations have a lot of the same aspects as roleplaying campaigns :)

* You need a plausible risk. Sliders always hints someone might really not make it, but you never believe they *all* might not make it, so racing to meet the timer isn't actually very exciting. If you're wondering if a guest will make it, or if missing a slide handicapped them for the next episode that there could be plot about it'd be more interesting.

* It's cool because the characters are you, know, characters. Professor Arturo has unbearable gravitas. Quinn is impulsive. Wade snaps. And you care about them. They always want to fix things, as opposed to being so unbearably moral they make your teeth hurt.