I was the one who reached out to the ComicCon folks about a panel - a Sliders reunion panel as Grizzlor put it.  I got in touch, heard back, gave them my pitch and am hoping they follow up with interest. I think it's our best chance at getting the ball rolling, the same way that frankly I am not sure X Files would have ever returned if there wasn't a podcast about it from a semi-famous actor and Gillian didn't go on nerdist. These things are incredibly stupid in terms of how they work but it basically took that for a renuion to happen.

Sorry guys, wasn't able to get anywhere with this. I don't think ComicCon has interest. Perhaps the results could be different if it wasn't just a fan reaching out.

IDW has done work with other licensed properties as well- Transformers and X - Files, for example. Sliders would be a perfect fit.

IDW also has a big reprint line- maybe they can acquire the rights to reprint the Acclaim books and then take it from there....

Of course, like Ireactions mentioned, any petition or push could just do the opposite and make them churn out some other property with a similar premise ... but there's nothing that could be done about that. The question is how best to get a fan push seen. Charmed fans have a constant media push on facebook and twitter, but they have a large fanbase. Sliders just doesn't.

Perhaps this is all just a wistful dream. It has such a low chance of happening.

In terms of marketing -- it would be foolish to try to sell SLIDERS comics or ebooks based on nostalgia. Instead, they should be sold on a brilliant storytelling engine of infinite possibilities. What if it's 2016 and the war on women has been lost? What if it's 2016 and electricity is rationed to individuals? What if it's 2016 and all digital privacy has become non-existent? Aim for an audience interested in science fiction anthology -- albeit an anthology that would feature the same four characters in every story.

What I think the true issues are with Sliders is this: It never had enough traction when it WAS on TV to ever get a second thought as a reboot. We have to remember some key things about Sliders:

1. We fought tooth and nail to get season two made. If it wasn't for the email campaign that crashed FOX's servers, Sliders would've joined VR-5 for good.

2. Sliders still was on the bubble for a pickup on season three. That was never guaranteed.

3. Sliders was never a ratings hit to justify much attention. Hence why episodes were out of order for every FOX season and how much the network meddled in it. If Sliders was a hit out of the park, they'd be hands-off and let production handle itself like with X-Files.

4. Scifi made some good strides to get the show back on track but they too never gave the show enough budget or direction to take it to the next level.

Sliders was always the "little show that could" and I still am amazed that we got five seasons. We had to fight for every single one of them. If you look to a much more popular show like Quantum Leap, that STILL has no chance of coming back and that was way more popular than Sliders, IMO.

I want a reboot / reimagining more than anyone and the fact that Jerry is on board is a HUGE plus. However, it's a property that is a bit tarnished due to how it was handled and no major powerhouse to champion it.

All so, so true.

Eh, there are people with power.  Universal licensing division. They'll license the property to anyone willing to pay enough.  A license wouldn't be all that substantial with sliders (compared to other more top tier properties) because there's just not a lot of demand for the license.

And this is what we have to hope for and try to do.  We have to hope that someone wants to make a pilot or mini series or movie or series with the Sliders brand (a production company, network or studio).  We know basically the only folks who will really look to do that are the creators of the original series or anyone who jerry can convince to work with him on it (and he seems to be looking to the original show creators right now to "drive").

You posted a spectactuler press kit from Season 1.  This is substantial, and can be used as a weapon in our fight. If you watch those interviews here's what's clear:

- The cast loved each other
- The cast was enthusiastic about the project and were very happy with season 1
- They all had a lot of fun working on the show.

This footage can be used to be spliced together to put together highlights.  This is a perfect tool for taking the principals back to that place in their lives and remind them of how they felt and how others felt about them. John gave Jerry one of the greatest compliments a young actor can have.  I think we can use this to help motivate the gang.  If we get something together, I'll probably try to track down Bob Weiss' email and see if I can pass it along to him as well. He's involved with the X Prize Foundation, so this might be possible.

ireactions wrote:

However, we tried that and... well, we hit the problem I described above; the people contributing to the project came to the gradual but inescapable conclusion that they would gain more profit from doing their own stuff. Hell, Matt is constantly advising me to drop the SLIDERS stuff and write my spunky teen girl detective series instead.

Has anyone actually approached Universal proposing books or comics? I know there's an entire publishing arm that has to go with it, but I've found that tie-in works to a property can sometimes be easier to achieve.

I don't think Universal owns any comic book companies (not in that business), but maybe I am wrong?  Assuming I am not a licensing deal with another party would be the only way.

Lion Forge, that did a bunch of licensing of universal series, a couple of years ago, was the best bet for the comic book route, but I dont think they've been particularly successful.  They had licensed Airwolf, Punky Brewster, Saved By the Bell, and some others.  I'm just guessing they haven't necessarily done well enough to follow up and expand to more series (like sliders).

Some people, including I believe temporal flux, had looked into doing a comic.  The production costs are minimum like 15-20k... art, writing isn't cheap, and it would be difficult to make commercial viable unless you really know what you are doing and its not your lone property.

I don't think the orignal Sliders comic did even all that well either. I've gotten the sense that the sliders audience isn't necessarily the comic book audience either (which seems to be more super hero focused) but perhaps I am wrong about that.

However, we tried that and... well, we hit the problem I described above; the people contributing to the project came to the gradual but inescapable conclusion that they would gain more profit from doing their own stuff. Hell, Matt is constantly advising me to drop the SLIDERS stuff and write my spunky teen girl detective series instead.

Has anyone actually approached Universal proposing books or comics? I know there's an entire publishing arm that has to go with it, but I've found that tie-in works to a property can sometimes be easier to achieve.

We fought tooth and nail to get season two made. If it wasn't for the email campaign that crashed FOX's servers, Sliders would've joined VR-5 for good.

The fan campaign for Season 3 was also completely insane in its focus and determination. It is a seminal achievement to be admired. I mean, you can't really evaluate a decision outside of the specific circumstances in which the decision was made; the fans had no way of knowing that they would resurrect a version of SLIDERS that was fundamentally diseased.

Personally, I think that it may be up to the fans to attempt to resurrect SLIDERS as a pilot project. PDF screenplays marketed to a general, entry-level audience. Like STAR WARS doing SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE and releasing novels, comic books, a soundtrack, videogames -- all the tie-in merchandise without an actual movie for it. However, we tried that and... well, we hit the problem I described above; the people contributing to the project came to the gradual but inescapable conclusion that they would gain more profit from doing their own stuff. Hell, Matt is constantly advising me to drop the SLIDERS stuff and write my spunky teen girl detective series instead.

1. We fought tooth and nail to get season two made. If it wasn't for the email campaign that crashed FOX's servers, Sliders would've joined VR-5 for good.

2. Sliders still was on the bubble for a pickup on season three. That was never guaranteed.

3. Sliders was never a ratings hit to justify much attention. Hence why episodes were out of order for every FOX season and how much the network meddled in it. If Sliders was a hit out of the park, they'd be hands-off and let production handle itself like with X-Files.

4. Scifi made some good strides to get the show back on track but they too never gave the show enough budget or direction to take it to the next level.

Sliders was always the "little show that could" and I still am amazed that we got five seasons. We had to fight for every single one of them. If you look to a much more popular show like Quantum Leap, that STILL has no chance of coming back and that was way more popular than Sliders, IMO.

I want a reboot / reimagining more than anyone and the fact that Jerry is on board is a HUGE plus. However, it's a property that is a bit tarnished due to how it was handled and no major powerhouse to champion it.

At the end of the day, without someone who holds actual power either at NBC Universal open to the idea of bringing it back, Sliders has no chance. This makes me wonder if the efforts to do something need to be more focused on the business side such as trying to bring it to the attention of Netflix's brass or working to contact Universal and getting their attention. Once someone's eyes are on it, THEN we pounce with a Kickstarter / Jerry / petition / mass movement.

I mean think about all the shows and movies you consider yourself a fan of.  Now how many are you willing to write fanfic for?  How many are you willing to talk about on a daily basis?  And how many would you be willing to say, "I'm putting my life on hold to devote to this?"

This is very true. However, it leads to another question -- how much time, attention, thought, consideration and effort would SLIDERS require if the show had stayed in Vancouver, done 5 - 7 seasons with the original characters and then ended with a two hour finale presenting a final adventure and a happy ending?

One of the reasons SLIDERS REBORN is delayed -- I decided I had to find a way to work Mallory into the series (preferably without altering the story already in place). It was simply wrong to have an anniversary celebration without a role for Robert Floyd. If SLIDERS hadn't been run so clumsily and unprofessionally, would any of these extensive mental gymnastics and online story conferences be necessary?

(Hilariously, Rob personally assured me that he would not be offended by his exclusion from a piece of fan fiction for a television show he worked on for one year over a decade and a half ago -- and it STILL bothered me.)

But that's just the fans. From an unsentimental and economical standpoint, there is no real upside to remaking SLIDERS. You'd have to give up large amounts of profit and control to the rightsholders and creators, whereas if you made your own parallel universe series -- like PARALLELS -- you could do what you wanted. And if you don't bring back the original cast or if you're determined to do a NEXT GENERATION -- then aren't you basically doing PARALLELS? An new TV show with new characters that might not even benefit from having the SLIDERS legacy behind it?

If they ever did get any momentum with a revivial, I am sure they could check with Kelsey to see if he really was a fan and wanted some involvement.  But it's not something to look at as how this thing is really going to get made. And we as fans can only try to provide gentle nudging to try to push people who actually can make an effort to really try bringing this to life.

I mean think about all the shows and movies you consider yourself a fan of.  Now how many are you willing to write fanfic for?  How many are you willing to talk about on a daily basis?  And how many would you be willing to say, "I'm putting my life on hold to devote to this?"

Now you guys are absolutely right - if a Sliders reunion panel was created at ComicCon, that's a place where the ball gets rolling.  Whether the cast gets together and starts talking and seeing when their schedules might be free.  If the panel is packed with super-high energy and tons of interest in a new movie or whatever, then you have the beginnings of something.  Because there's  a huge difference between Jerry O'Connell or Kelsey Grammer or whoever calling and saying "hey, you guys should do some new Sliders" and a studio exec finding out organically "Hey, there was a huge panel at ComicCon with all the original Sliders and people were really excited about it.  What if we decided to try and do something with the rights?"

Kelsey Grammer is a Sliders fan?  Damn I saw him on Broadway, I could have asked him!

ugh, it would have been perfect to have found out. He has a production company and actually has some clout to get things done.