Retro Review #27: “A Tale of Two Quinns”
FANDOM ENTANGLEMENT is back with another retro review of the 90s sci-fi series SLIDERS. But this time, we’re going back to the 80s as we take a look at one of the best episodes of the entire series, Season 3, Episode 4, “The Guardian” (original airdate: October 11, 1996 on Fox).
The Sliders arrive on a world just like their own, only time is moving at a rate of twelve years slower than normal. There, Quinn encounters his young double and tries to change an upcoming event in his life, despite the other Sliders’ warnings.
This episode was written by series co-creator Tracy Tormé (going out with a bang in his final episode) and directed by Adam Nimoy (son of the late, great Leonard Nimoy; his second of three episodes).
Fandom Entanglement co-hosts Damon Sugameli & Mike Bloxam are joined by Korman Productions Deep Dive TV Podcast co-hosts Dave Korman & Stacie Wilcox! Join our duo of dynamic duos as we travel back in time (without actually traveling back in time) to 1984 in what is probably the Quantum Leap-iest episode of Sliders! In a season full of increasingly subpar movie ripoffs, we get a fantastic character-driven story of Quinn befriending his younger self in an attempt to put right something that is about to drastically go wrong. We also get an equally-as-good B-story for Arturo as he begins to face his own mortality after being diagnosed with a terminal illness (that will ultimately have no bearing whatsoever on his actual fate).
So sit back, relax, have a Skip and Go Naked (the drink, people…get your mind out of the gutter!), and don’t be afraid to carpe diem! (Just make sure you know how to retrieve someone who has invented bungee-jumping for the first time!) Hope you enjoy our analysis and review of this spectacular episode!
Next up, one of the worst episodes of the entire series: “The Dream Masters,” with returning guest Aaron Moss from The Headcast Network. Will it be a trick…or a treat?
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Check out these resources for a veritable who’s who and in-depth information about the series:
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Recorded on September 17, 2025.
Episode edited by Damon Sugameli.
Opening narration by Mike Bloxam.
Main theme produced and composed by Danny Lux.
Screen captures provided by slidecage.com and Albie Burdge.
No copyright infringement is intended.
Episode main cast:
- Jerry O’Connell (Quinn Mallory)
- Sabrina Lloyd (Wade Welles)
- Cleavant Derricks (Rembrandt “Crying Man” Brown)
- and John Rhys-Davies as (Professor Maximilian) Arturo
Episode guest cast:
- Phillip Van Dyke as Young Quinn
- Linda Henning as Mrs. Mallory
- Leslie Horan as Heather Hanley
- Meadow Sisto as Ambrosia
- Marty York as Brady Oaks
- Timothy Wiley as Rex Crandell
- Robert Winley as Bull
- John Kendall as Bartender
- John C. Colton as Priest