Let’s begin with a question: who is the titular unstuck man? Is it Colin Mallory, the farmboy inventor we picked up last season? Is it Oberon Geiger, the “textbook megalomaniac” running amok in the premiere? Or is it you, the dear viewer?
Few episodes of Sliders pack such an emotional wallop, and when they do the conclusion is usually uplifting. Thanks to Chris Black for putting the newbies through this crucible.
“Strangers and Comrades” is a deeply-flawed episode masquerading as important character study. It hopes you’ll overlook the inconsistencies and errors in favor of the tragedy of war. Don’t be fooled by the propaganda.
This is a filler episode in a filler season. We’re just killing time until the theoretical syndication money rolls in.
Watching this brings back memories of the second season. Perhaps it was the intertwined trio of worlds that hinged on one series of events, but more than anything else this episode asked me to think about what I was watching, a phenomenon that’s been all too absent in much of the last two seasons.
“Please Press One” regurgitates the Sliders trope where the cast topples an oppressive regime — only this time it’s an empty rehash where every ounce of social commentary, excitement, characterization, humor, or charm have been subtracted, leaving behind an empty echo of something better.
Some social satire, a decent alternate world, amusing execution — but it settles for less instead of reaching for more.
A tedious 45 minutes of plodding nonsense that throws away an intriguing parallel world in favor of cheap and under-budgeted spectacle.
A terrific parallel Earth, strong chemistry, great character moments all add up to a fun episode — with one appalling flaw.
Yes, there is a ton of forced plotting to make this story work. Yes, there are gaps in logic. But so help me, there’s an aloofness at play here that I can’t dismiss.