Retro Review #33: “Chat A.R.T.”
FANDOM ENTANGLEMENT is back with another retro review of the 90s sci-fi series SLIDERS. This time, we’re chatting in real time about Season 3, Episode 11, “State of the ART” (original airdate: December 6, 1996 on Fox).
The Sliders land on a world where the human race was wiped out by robots. Quinn and Rembrandt are captured by the robots’ demented creator who has plans to use them in a mind-transfer experiment.
The episode’s teleplay was by Nan Hagan from a story by Schuyler Kent, was directed by John Kretchmer, and guest-starred the one-and-only horror legend Robert Englund as James Aldohn.
Human co-hosts Damon Sugameli & Mike Bloxam are pleased to welcome back human author Erik Dreiling as we discuss the timeliness of this story in the advent of the very quickly-rising A.I. revolution. Ironically, this used to feel like a standard-fare episode that is now much more relevant and leaves more of an impact that it did nearly 30 years ago. Is A.I. only as smart as the humans who created it? Will the near-future bring us pleasure bots determined to serve their masters or terminators determined to eradicate us from existence? One thing we can all agree is a good thing: Robert Englund’s creepy and unsettling performance as the villain of the story. Another thing you can count on with absolute certainty: this entire description was written (as it always is) with no A.I. assistance.
Hope you enjoy our analysis and review (100% free of chat bots)!
Next up is “Season’s Greedings,” with a number of surprises in store for the holiday season! Stay tuned…
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Follow Erik on his Facebook Author page link: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?…
Jumpmaster Press website: https://www.jumpmasterpress.com/
Erik’s Virtual Seasons stories (as well as Mike’s and Damon’s) can also be found here: https://quantumleap-alsplace.com/virt… (under the “TVS Writers” tab)
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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 November 19, 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:
- Eddie Mills (D.E.R.I.C.)
- Kathleen McClellan (E.R.I.C.A./Shauna)
- Jerry Rector (Paul)
- Jeff Rector (Scarface Paul)
- and Robert Englund (James Aldohn)
- Ted Detwiler as T.E.D.