Topic: Rebooting Sliders

I guess I'm a little naive on this topic, but what could we do to drum up interest in a revival of Sliders? Have there been any attempts or fan campaigns in the past to make producers and networks aware of interest in the series? Does anyone here have connections with Tracy Tormé? Maybe he could launch a kickstarter or something similar? I just feel that Sliders is too good a concept to be remembered for its difficult production and revolving door of cast members. The 4 main characters would have to be re-cast of course, but cameos could be made by the original stars. It's probably just wishful thinking on my part, but the way I see it, producing a series like Sliders on the television budget most series get today would be much easier than in the '90s.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

No one has really tried a reboot to our knowledge.  Weiss tried to do a movie, Tracy has tried, even Jerry was seriously talking to people following the Funny or Die spoof he did.  It's a terrific concept, no question, and still bizarre that Universal hasn't redone it.  That being said, Universal doesn't have a good track record.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

Grizzlor wrote:

No one has really tried a reboot to our knowledge.  Weiss tried to do a movie, Tracy has tried, even Jerry was seriously talking to people following the Funny or Die spoof he did.  It's a terrific concept, no question, and still bizarre that Universal hasn't redone it.  That being said, Universal doesn't have a good track record.

Maybe it's something a streaming service like Netflix could pick-up? I believe the satire and political commentary of early Sliders could work really well in today's television landscape.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

I once asked Temporal Flux how a new SLIDERS could start over again without all the baggage of the past. Could we reboot without losing what makes SLIDERS special? TF replied that he would love to see a reboot with the original cast, and he gave me his idea, which I updated for today with some ideas from Transmodiar:

  • In 2019, Wade Welles is a fortysomething tech journalist who failed to build a life beyond reviewing smartphones and laptops.

  • Rembrandt Brown is a coffee bar owner in his sixties who failed to hang onto his 15 minutes of fame.

  • Professor Arturo is a genius in his seventies who failed to find a career outside of writing high school study guides for science students.

  • Quinn Mallory is a fortysomething tax accountant who lost his passion for science after failing to create anti-gravity -- but 25 years after giving up, he realizes that he discovered something else instead.

  • Quinn has not spoken to Wade Welles or the Professor since a strange day in 1994 when they accused him of strange behaviour he didn't recall and ended their respective associations with him.

  • Quinn has never been able to explain why the Professor recalls him being rude and abusive in class or why Wade remembers Quinn kissing her.

  • In fact, those hours of his memory are missing, which he attributes to sleep deprivation over his failed science project.

  • When Amanda Mallory dies, Quinn goes back to his old house to clear it out and sell it. He uncovers his old anti-gravity machine and his video cassettes. Watching one of them, one he doesn't remember making, he is struck by inspiration.

  • He restarts the machine with some adjustments and opens a new vortex.

  • After an initial slide, he eagerly invites the Professor and Wade, finally realizing what happened in 1994.

  • They open a gateway to explore once again, accidentally drawing in a passing Rembrandt -- and the adventure begins again.

  • SLIDERS: A journey through what could be and might have been. Sometimes, getting lost is the best way to be found.

Here's how I think the plot could unfold:

  • Opening scene: same footage from the Pilot where Quinn knocked out the power in 1994.

  • Cut to 2019.

  • Quinn, a tax accountant, has been assigned to income tax duty.

  • Wade and Arturo are sent to his desk, where, as he does their taxes, they rant at him for various sins (giving up on science, ridiculing Arturo in his class, abandoning his life's passion, kissing Wade and pretending it never happened).

  • Quinn tells them he has no idea what the hell they're talking about and he's done fine for himself. He failed in his ambitions for science -- he moved on. Wade leaves in disgust. Arturo tells Quinn he should be ashamed of himself.

  • ARTURO: "You abandoned your gift! You could have changed the world with your intellect and body of knowledge, but what have you done with it instead? Learned how to fill out forms and reduced yourself to a calculator on legs!"

  • The phone rings. Quinn picks it up. Then he hangs up. He looks blank and lost.

  • ARTURO: "What the devil is wrong with you now?"

  • QUINN: "My mom had a heart attack. She's dead."

  • ARTURO: " ........................... but on balance, Mr. Mallory, perhaps you shouldn't be too hard on yourself."

  • A blur of funeral arrangements, farewells, followed by Quinn going to his old house.

  • He explores his basement, which he has not visited in years.

  • He finds a video cassette on the floor, one of several. Pops one of these into a VHS player and TV.

  • He sees his younger self (Jerry in young-age makeup, obscured by low VHS quality video) talking about adjustments to make to the anti-gravity machine.

  • Quinn can't remember making this video or these adjustments -- but now he makes them. He triggers the machine. It doesn't work. But these adjustments inspire him to try a subsequent configuration. He triggers it again.

  • A vortex opens and sucks Quinn in.

  • He ends up in a parallel universe, explores it, and then the sliding machine back home re-opens a tunnel to bring him home.

  • (Some explanation about how Quinn set up a double-entry gateway, purely by accident.)

  • Quinn returns to his basement, excited. Starts playing more of the VHS cassettes -- and urgently calls the Professor and Wade to his house.

  • He plays them the videos, saying that his alternate universe double must have left him these tapes all those years ago -- probably as an apology for screwing up his life.

  • They review the footage, although some is missing due to some tapes having been broken over the years. They construct a timer while various segments of VHS-Quinn play.

  • VHS-Quinn speaks in reverent, eager tones about what must be out there in the multiverse, how excited he is to explore.

  • (Presumably, Quinn recorded these entries in 1994 between speaking to Smarter-Quinn and welcoming Wade and Arturo into the basement.)

  • Quinn, Wade and Arturo slide out, accidentally ensnaring a passing Rembrandt as they do, who happens to be driving past the Mallory house for reasons too terrible and complex to explain here (read: I haven't thought of any yet).

  • They have another adventure, but triggering the timer early causes them to be lost in the multiverse.

  • All the video journals are left behind on Earth Prime except for fragments here and there that Wade finished converting to keep on her smartphone (as a convenient aid for future episodes if the writer gets stuck for a plot device).

And then, on the website! We have some exclusive web content. We have:

  • Clips of VHS-Quinn talking. It's established that he's recording these segments in 2001. We have him recap individual episodes of the 1995 series from his perspective along with worlds we never saw.

  • We have clips of Quinn explaining the function and properties of sliding.

  • We have clips of Quinn talking about his childhood, which is precisely the same as "The Guardian."

  • And then a final clip.

  • It's Quinn in 2001, saying that terrible things have happened.

  • His friends are all dead.

  • His world is gone.

  • The only reason he's alive now is because a fellow slider sacrificed himself to bring Quinn back from quantum limbo.

  • Quinn has been forced to make a terrible choice.

  • He has commandeered a Kromagg weapon.

  • It is a reality warping weapon. He has modified it. He has reprogrammed it.

  • He can alter reality. He can change the past. He can make it so that no one has ever created sliding, not himself, not his doubles, not the Kromaggs.

  • Everyone will live the lives they'd have had if sliding had never been created.

  • But this is only a delay; he knows his amnesiac self will reconstruct some variant on the technology eventually. So he's left him these tapes to guide him.

  • He hopes his amnesiac self has the wisdom and perspective in the future that Quinn lacked in 1994 and wishes his future self luck in his adventures, speaking of the infinity and wonder of the multiverse and everything that awaits him once again.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

In the X-Files post, I talked about how I'd continue the X-Files.  Have a connection to the old series but don't make it a reboot.  In that sense, the connection I would choose is Quinn....although, with some work, I think it could work just as well with Wade.

It's 2018.  Quinn Mallory and the Sliders made it home some time ago.  (Editor's note: it doesn't matter which Quinn this is.  Either it's Season 1-2 Quinn with Seasons 3-5 redacted, it's Seasons 1-5 Quinn who was separated from Mallory and got home, or it's an all-new Quinn).  He's spent years working on sliding on his own, but he ran out of money some time ago.  The FBI has been pestering him to give him the sliding secret for years - he's been arrested, his friends have been arrested, he's been tortured...nothing worked. 

But Quinn has run out of options - sliding has become his life's work, and he has to fix the wrongs of his past.  He agrees to work with them, and he's brought to a massive, technologically magnificent lab.  He has brilliant scientists working for him, and he's free to work on whatever he wants.  But the government isn't giving him free reign - they want him to help them chart the multiverse.  They want him to lead a team of soldiers that go on exploratory missions.

Quinn refuses.  He's been out there, got lost, and he's not doing it again.  (Editor's note: He's in mid-40s, and he saw what sliding did to the Professor and Rembrandt.  Maybe he's married.  Maybe he has an adopted kid or something.  Either way, he's not interested).  But he has the next best thing - one of the things he's worked on is a miniature pinhole vortex that stays open indefinitely.  With it, he can stay in radio contact with the team at all times.

So Quinn leads the team as they go out into the multiverse, but there are tons of different factions at work.  Quinn's told that it's a simple exploratory mission.  But he also knows that there are factions in the government that are looking to steal resources from other worlds.  Or maybe even flee Earth Prime entirely (global warming or some other planetary threat).  Of course, Quinn has ulterior motives of his own - he's secured a few demands of his own, including the ability to send the team on missions of his own choosing.  What is Quinn looking for?  Or is it a who...?

For the most part, the team would be the star.  They'd go on missions, get in trouble, and find their way out.  For it to work, there'd need to be some sort of technological limitation (like random sliding)  to keep them from just leaving when things got tough.  And, of course, they'd have their own motives and reasons for going on the trip.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

crouteru_ wrote:

Maybe it's something a streaming service like Netflix could pick-up? I believe the satire and political commentary of early Sliders could work really well in today's television landscape.

Certainly possible, although the trend is to take successful older movies (with much more name recognition), and reboot those.  As for linking in the old cast, should they go down that route, it's absurdly easy!  I mean, you could go the Pilot route where Quinn shows up to school/brag to his double, or basically have the new group "stumble" on a world with one or more of the original characters.  Since there's barely any reason to adhere to previous "continuity," their back story could be mentioned just in general terms.  It's incredibly easy and fitting.  One possibility would be to use the old 29.7 year trapped on a world concern!  Granted we're not at that point yet, but for these characters, it's really been almost 20 since we've seen them, so it would make sense. 

A reboot I think would work.  Alternate histories, it's just rarely done.  Star Trek, Counterpart, Man in the High Castle, Fringe, The Leftovers, heck even Xena did it.  But they rarely went beyond 2 worlds.  Sliders involved well over 100, with a few dozen that were quite memorable.  The concept remains unique.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

I worry about telling the SLIDERS fanbase (such as it is) that Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo were shot and blown up and got their brains sucked out and put in a joke box and merged and lost and probably died -- but somehow survived all that only to be incarcerated and tortured. 

The next gen route is fine, but I'd just have three new characters discover sliding (with some leftover Quinn tech in his basement being a leap forward) only for them to get lost and be rescued by Dr. Mallory who serves as their mentor. Keep it simple. I think it'd be fine if Dr. Mallory was tortured and escaped, but I'd advise saying that Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo are free and clear and fine.

But even then, I don't think it makes sense to attempt a second generation. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION was drawing upon a lengthy and revered legacy and legions of fans. As far as the audience is concerned, any new SLIDERS whether sequel or reboot *is* the first generation.

Temporal Flux's brilliant approach is less a reboot, more a gentle segueway. It serves both us and the general audience. Who would Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo be if sliding had never affected their lives? TF's genius takes us there. 

And Transmodiar cleverly proposed: what if these aren't alternate versions but the originals living their lives after the reality-warping Kromagg-human war erased sliding from existence, its discovery delayed by several decades?

This is generally where Slider_Quinn21 points out that John Rhys-Davies has no business bungee jumping and fleeing the police at his age and that Sabrina Lloyd can hardly play the youthful adventurer today. But that would only make the show better; they're not suited to sliding, they're out of place, in the wrong world, far from home. 

For people like Slider_Quinn21 who don't like reboots, this REDUX is not a reboot. It's the aftermath the Season 4 Kromagg war. For the general audience, it's a new beginning. 

Or you could recast. I'd like Lucas Till to play Quinn, Elle Fanning to play Wade, Colin Salmon to play Rembrandt and Victor Garber to play Arturo. And I'd like Jerry and Sabrina to play Quinn's mother and father, Cleavant to play Rembrandt's brother and John to play Arturo's mentor.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

I agree that Sliders probably makes more sense as a fully recasted reboot than a sequel.  Sliders doesn't have name value, and it's hard to get buzz going about the Sliders name.  And while it's true that I don't like rebooting a series and overwriting all it's previous history, I don't think that's the primary reason why I like my idea....it's that it'd take someone like Jerry to get it off the table.  And in that case, I think Jerry would rather play Quinn again than be recast as someone like Arturo (although that would be interesting).

It'd be fun to see the gang back together again, but I'm cool bringing the show back while touching upon its history.  Maybe I went a bit too far in my mind experiment, but I figure that if Quinn ever got home, the FBI would constantly be on him from the moment he got back.  I think, sadly enough, the government would do whatever it takes to unlock the secret, and they'd need a "Smarter Quinn" like Quinn had.

So maybe he made it home, and Quinn's living under an assumed name.  Rembrandt and Wade could probably have gotten away with going back to their own lives since they don't have the tech knowledge to help the FBI.  I could see Arturo disappearing into retirement never to be seen again.  So maybe in the Pilot, Quinn isn't down on his luck....maybe he goes to them.  Or maybe he finally gets caught.

**********

Unfortunately, I think, at the end of the day, rebooting Sliders in any form doesn't really make sense.  The brand is old and not that beloved.  Outside of a "hey don't you remember that show?!?" references on the occasional genre production, the brand itself doesn't have a ton of value.  If you're going to do a show going from parallel universe to parallel universe, there's no need for the name because it doesn't add much.  Especially since the name costs money and just calling it "Vortexers" (titles are hard) is free.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

I think the most likely route to a reboot happen is NBCUniversal having some sort of development deal with a producer who is a huge fan of SLIDERS and pushes for NBCUniversal to take the property off the shelf. It's not terribly likely at all, but it happened with DOCTOR WHO. BBC had no desire to revive the series because they'd done it very cheaply in the past, saw no way to revive it inexpensively, knew science fiction in 2005 was pricey -- but they wanted to work with Russell T. Davies after the success of QUEER AS FOLK and THE SECOND COMING. And Davies didn't want to do anything but DOCTOR WHO. Once that starts, Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo whether played by the originals or new actors, have a lot of obvious marketing avenues to become icons to a new generation of viewers.


I do think Slider_Quinn21 went way too far, way, way too far -- but the ideas themselves were pretty solid even if I objected to torturing and imprisoning the original cast. If you forced me to go with his next generation approach...

SLIDERS - SECOND GENERATION
Sarah Nyugen is a tech support worker who failed out of her physics program in grad school. Kai Geoffrey is a YouTube star who failed to hang on to his 15 minutes of fame after an ill-advised stunt at a suicide scene. John Galen is a politician who failed to retain office after a scandal involving a blimp, some helium tanks and a hot dog stand.

Geoffrey, in a desperate attempt to revive his career, attempts a video at the supposedly haunted Mallory house only to experience computer problems that send Sarah to his aid.

Sarah, fascinated by the remnants of Quinn's technology, accidentally triggers a vortex that ensnares her, Kai and John (who just happens to be driving by). They are sent to an Earth where Galen is the wealthiest man in America and he lives it up -- until it turns out identity theft is a capital crime and Galen is marked as an impostor. On the run, the three are aided in surviving this parallel Earth by a mysterious stranger who reveals himself to be Dr. Quinn Mallory.

Sarah triggering his tech drew his attention. Quinn slid to this Earth to investigate. But in helping these new sliders, Quinn accidentally damages his own system and now the four find themselves sliding randomly through the interdimension in a search for home with Quinn serving as an experienced slider who is hiding a secret of his own, a dark past from which he's running, a terrible reason for why he can never go home again...

I think it'd also be neat to have one episode of PHASE II in which Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo are called in to investigate the new sliders' disappearances and reassure us that our old friends are indeed alive and well and not... like, in jail or something. *casts a curious look at Slider_Quinn21*

But written all this, I think you'd be better off just starting over again with Quinn opening the vortex for the first time whether he's played by Jerry O'Connell or Lucas Till.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

Personally I think a reboot with a little deference might work better.

I think that Quinn's son should be the one that creates sliding (with help from his father's notes), Wade could be Michael Mallory's (Quinn's son) widowed mother. That would allow for new characters with new relationships with a lot of references an homages to the original and plenty of cameos as well.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

I've enjoyed reading all your thoughts on this. Personally, I would reboot everything from scratch; same characters played by new actors, same basic premise and beginning as the pilot episode. The original cast could make guest appearances in later episodes playing a different character as a nod to fans of the original series.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

ireactions wrote:

I do think Slider_Quinn21 went way too far, way, way too far -- but the ideas themselves were pretty solid even if I objected to torturing and imprisoning the original cast.

The original Sliders were tortured all the time in the original series.  My original intent, in my head, was for the FBI to try and get the information out of them, but they'd just laugh it off because they'd all been through Kromagg torture techniques. smile

Re: Rebooting Sliders

crouteru_ wrote:

I've enjoyed reading all your thoughts on this. Personally, I would reboot everything from scratch; same characters played by new actors, same basic premise and beginning as the pilot episode. The original cast could make guest appearances in later episodes playing a different character as a nod to fans of the original series.

This is the only way it would work.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

Slide Override wrote:
crouteru_ wrote:

I've enjoyed reading all your thoughts on this. Personally, I would reboot everything from scratch; same characters played by new actors, same basic premise and beginning as the pilot episode. The original cast could make guest appearances in later episodes playing a different character as a nod to fans of the original series.

This is the only way it would work.

Polite disagreement with both you and myself -- as much as recasting appeals, Slider_Quinn21 is right to point out that anyone wanting to do a parallel universe show could do one without using the SLIDERS title. So what makes SLIDERS worth resurrecting in the first place? If you recast, you're creating different characters who just happen to have the same names at which point you might as well have different names for both the people and the series.

So, what defines SLIDERS is, in the end, the four original characters as played by the four original actors.

Which is why, if we're being reductive, the only way a SLIDERS reboot could work is to have Jerry O'Connell, Sabrina Lloyd, Cleavant Derricks and John Rhys-Davies return as the leads of a new series. And the best route for that is to do a rebootquel. The original cast, at their current ages, discover sliding for the first time in a version of reality where Quinn makes the first slide in 2019 instead of 1994.

Whether this version of reality is (a) a parallel universe or (b) a new version of reality after the Kromagg-human war ripped sliding out of the multiverse is open to debate. You could do both, however, by presenting the TV show entirely as Option A and leave the Option B information offscreen in media tie-in novels, comics and webisodes.

15 (edited by Slide Override 2018-04-08 03:41:59)

Re: Rebooting Sliders

ireactions wrote:
Slide Override wrote:
crouteru_ wrote:

I've enjoyed reading all your thoughts on this. Personally, I would reboot everything from scratch; same characters played by new actors, same basic premise and beginning as the pilot episode. The original cast could make guest appearances in later episodes playing a different character as a nod to fans of the original series.

This is the only way it would work.

Polite disagreement with both you and myself -- as much as recasting appeals, Slider_Quinn21 is right to point out that anyone wanting to do a parallel universe show could do one without using the SLIDERS title. So what makes SLIDERS worth resurrecting in the first place? If you recast, you're creating different characters who just happen to have the same names at which point you might as well have different names for both the people and the series.

So, what defines SLIDERS is, in the end, the four original characters as played by the four original actors.

Which is why, if we're being reductive, the only way a SLIDERS reboot could work is to have Jerry O'Connell, Sabrina Lloyd, Cleavant Derricks and John Rhys-Davies return as the leads of a new series. And the best route for that is to do a rebootquel. The original cast, at their current ages, discover sliding for the first time in a version of reality where Quinn makes the first slide in 2019 instead of 1994.

Whether this version of reality is (a) a parallel universe or (b) a new version of reality after the Kromagg-human war ripped sliding out of the multiverse is open to debate. You could do both, however, by presenting the TV show entirely as Option A and leave the Option B information offscreen in media tie-in novels, comics and webisodes.

Definitely a polite disagreement, as what you set out is never going to work. Sliders has nowhere near the fan following or star power to support the form of Reboot that you propose. What defines Sliders is certainly subjective, but the main composition is our four characters having adventures by sliding around the multiverse. No offence, but you do not need the original actors to accomplish this.

The only way this show could ever be resurrected is by a fresh reboot, with new actors playing the original roles. Anything else is just a pipe dream.

None of this, by the way, is my own dreams on the matter. Of course I would love a continuation or some form of reboot-esque version with the original actors, but it's just never going to be. But I love the show so much that I would gladly embrace a fresh take.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

The problem is that if you recast, why call it SLIDERS at all? Why pay royalties when a new title and characters with different names would see a new creator receive the full share of the money?

17 (edited by JWSlider3 2018-04-08 08:07:19)

Re: Rebooting Sliders

I really don't think there would be any royalties involved. I mean, doesn't Universal own it outright. Otherwise Tracy Torme could take it somewhere else?

For example, who is the new Lost in Space aimed at?

Re: Rebooting Sliders

Well, the question is “Does Sliders have a brand?”   We often have a bit of tunnel vision as invested fans, but the facts are that a great many more people watched the good years of Sliders  than did the bad.  The pilot movie premiere had an estimated 14 million people watch it.

http://www.slidecage.com/wp-content/upl … atings.pdf

To put that in today’s perspective, the recent return of Roseanne initially had an estimated 18 million viewers and was considered a blockbuster smash by today’s terms.

In my experience in the greater world, Sliders is not something on people’s minds; but if I mention the name even now, I’ve been surprised how many say “Oh yeah!  Loved that show!”  That’s all it takes - mentioning the name.  That’s a brand, and I believe it has more value than you may expect.

19 (edited by Slide Override 2018-04-08 08:16:40)

Re: Rebooting Sliders

I hear you, but the same question can be said for any form of reboot or adaptation ever.

Ultimately, there is an incredible amount of power in brand recognition, in an already established IP from which to work with. It is something that is more prevalent now than it has ever been. Imagine having a pre-built sandbox from which to work from and play in? It comes complete with it's old fans, with what knowledge is already present in the general populace, its place on the net (including merchandise, former sites, and fan contributions), combined with the power of nostalgia and the potential for new profit - and all with less work than if you had to build it completely from scratch. Is it really a surprise that everything is getting rebooted nowadays? It is more than just a distinctive lack of fresh concepts and ideas, it is because of the latent power contained in something that is an already established brand.

Now, we can argue just how 'powerful' the brand of Sliders is, but that's kinda besides the point. For all the parties involved in such a take when something is rebooted, it is material from which to work from, a fresh take on a concept that can be presented to an entire new generation or audience whilst also grabbing those old fans. Some work, some don't, but that's the machine as it is at the moment.

To go back to the original point, to just take the old actors and start from ground zero ... it just would never work, for anyone involved.

EDIT:

TemporalFlux made a contributing point there about the power and value of a brand. Sliders isn't enough in itself or the cast involved to command something like a straight continuation or soft reboot. But a completely new take? It might be worth it for some parties.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

I feel all that would have to happen is for anyone to remake "Doorways" and then Universal would go "Hey, we have a show like that!"

Re: Rebooting Sliders

My opinion hasn't changed much from the last thread we had on this topic.  Do it as a reboot, with new characters or with characters that are younger doubles of the old ones (remember The Guardian established that worlds can run on different times).  Have them encounter some of the old sliders once a season, as guest stars.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

JWSlider3 wrote:

I really don't think there would be any royalties involved. I mean, doesn't Universal own it outright. Otherwise Tracy Torme could take it somewhere else?

For example, who is the new Lost in Space aimed at?

I believe the standard arrangement is that the creators would own 10 per cent of the franchise. Such as it is. Anyone developing TV would be better off calling their parallel show by a different title and they'd have more freedom, recognition, ownership and profit.

LOST IN SPACE is a known and recognizable brand for the general audience.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

Slide OVerride wrote:

To go back to the original point, to just take the old actors and start from ground zero ... it just would never work, for anyone involved.

I can't ever agree with the reductionist, absolutist approach. It would be very difficult. It would be a challenge. But to say it would never work? That's a little too extreme for me.

24 (edited by Surf Dance Chris 2018-04-10 17:03:12)

Re: Rebooting Sliders

While Sliders’ hardcore fan base (us) is incredibly small compared to many other properties, Sliders has a lot more of a casual fan base than we give it credit for. Remember, Sliders season 1-3 has been for a while and currently is available on Hulu. The series has been available on iTunes for a long time. Sliders was on Netflix for a long time. Sliders has been available on dvd for a very long time, including several re-issues. Obviously, Sliders has a decent casual fan base and it would beneficial to use the Sliders name and character names in a reboot. I think more people would be interested than a lot of you think.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

ireactions wrote:

The problem is that if you recast, why call it SLIDERS at all? Why pay royalties when a new title and characters with different names would see a new creator receive the full share of the money?

This is essentially the biggest point in my mind.  If Sliders was truly more popular than we think it is, or if it was doing really well on iTunes or DVDs or Hulu or reruns.....someone would take advantage of that.  Or would, at the very least, TRY to take advantage of that.

Take Battlestar Galactica.  This was a show, like Sliders, that was saved by a letter-writing campaign.  It has a small but cult-ish following.  The brand, for some, meant something.  Original star Richard Hatch tried for *years* to bring it back, only failing because Sci-Fi went with a reboot.  It didn't work, but Galactica had a champion.  There were novels and several attempts to bring the series back into the limelight.

With Sliders, we had a Funny or Die video.  That's basically it.  The show itself has popped back up, either on DVD or in reruns, but that's been just about it.  There's no one really championing the cause (outside of us - since there's been tons of original writing about the show - just nothing approaching mainstream).  We've heard that there were attempts here and there, but I don't know if those attempts went anywhere.  We've never heard of a script being written for this feature film that was rumored to be pitched.  People seem interested in it, but no one seems to be willing to do much about it.

Like I said before, I think Jerry might have the juice to get something done somewhere.  Maybe not a feature film but a TV miniseries?  A short run somewhere like Netflix or Hulu or Freeform or wherever?  But that would depend on who owns the rights and whether or not it'd be worth it for someone to get them.

So with no real champion, we're left with "the brand isn't popular enough to warrant a reboot" (yet).  Otherwise, someone would've done it.  I say "yet" because, eventually, everything will have been remade and Sliders will get its shot smile

Re: Rebooting Sliders

before the reboot of bsg, most didnt really think much of it.  It was a show that was a blaintent ripp off of star wars and lasted 1 season had a reboot that lasted a half season.  The only people that had any nastalgia for it where adults that were young kids that watched it in the early 80s.  it had a slight revivalin the late 90s after the scifi channle launched only because they had to use the universal catalog of shows and it buck rogers and lost in space were the only space themed shows they could get their hands on.

So popularity about the same, non fans remember it as jerry O'Connell's show where he time traveled with a remote control and wormholes, foxs ripp off of quantum leap.

rebooting old shows is more popular than it was during the bsg reboot.

If you could have jerry play Michael Mallory, its limited involvement.  If his brother wants to come back and play an uncle no biggie, if rest of cast wants to cameo at some point cool if not, no biggie.  Then just recast a 4 man crew using same charactoristics as original team.

Re: Rebooting Sliders

I still think having Quinn (played by Jerry) be the deceased father is the best way to go. That way you have a new cast of characters and a new origin story. But, this way it wouldn't negate the possibility that Quinn and company did have their adventures 20 some odd years ago in another reality (maybe the new show might even stumble across some of the worlds the original group did).