‘Sliders’ Slips Back Into Fox Schedule
If you’re a member of the FOX Friday night faithful, your luck has changed. That’s to say, the network is giving “Strange Luck” a rest and returning “Sliders” to the schedule starting tonight at 8.
When we last saw Quinn Mallory (Jerry O’Connell), Wade Wells (Sabrina Lloyd), Maximilian (John Rhys-Davies) and Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks), they were “sliding” from one parallel universe to another. Last season they visited worlds where the Soviets had won the Cold War, where women held every position of power and, in a memorable slide, a world where the hippie “summer of love” had never ended.
Tonight, the quartet lands in a parallel universe that is ruled by a great and powerful sorcerer (Rod Wilson). Wonderful allusions to “The Wizard of Oz” transpire as the sliders are sent on a mission not unlike that of Dorothy and her pals.
There is a surprise twist at the end; pay attention to the man behind the curtain.
FOX did itself a favor by keeping this clever fantasy alive. It’s good to see it slide back onto the schedule.
Highlights
“Due South,” CBS at 8: The series rolls on with another comic adventure. Attempting to avert a serious car accident, Fraser (Paul Gross) causes a chicken farmer to break a shipment of invaluable eggs.
When the driver threatens to sue for $10 million, Fraser smells a rat and sets out to find out why the eggs were worth so much.
“Sergei Grinkov: Celebration of a Life,” CBS at 9: The skating world was shocked and saddened by Grinkov’s death. Tonight, peers pay tribute in an exhibition that will benefit his pairs partner and widow Yekaterina Gordeyeva and their 3-year-old daughter. Gordeyeva, who skated with Grinkov to Olympic gold medals in 1988 and 1994 and four world championships, will also perform in the salute, which was taped at the Hartford (Conn.) Civic Center.
Scott Hamilton, Oksana Baiul, Paul Wylie, Katarina Witt, Brian Boitano, Kristi Yamaguchi, Viktor Petrenko, Kurt Browning and Rosalyn Sumners will also take to the ice in what promises to be an emotional evening.
“Great Performances,” KSPS at 8:10: Ireland’s Colm Wilkinson stars in a 10th anniversary concert-style performance of “Les Miserables” taped in October at Britain’s Loyal Albert Hall.
“Hypernauts,” ABC at 9:30: ABC previews this new live-action Saturday morning show that can best be described as “Star Trek” for teens and preteens. It combines live actors with impressive computer graphics.
Three young space rangers find themselves lost in space - shades of “Voyager” - as the result of a mishap during a routine mission. The action-packed series makes its regular time period Saturday at 9 a.m.
“Homicide: Life on the Street,” NBC at 10: In a stirring repeat from 1994, Pembleton (Andre Braugher) is sued by a serial killer who alleges his constitutional rights were violated during interrogation. Slightly out of sync is a story line involving detective Felton, played by Daniel Baldwin, who has long since departed the series.
Cable Calls
“Circle of Friends” (1995), MAX at 8: Critics warmed to this film set in Ireland in the 1950s.
Chris O’Donnell (“Batman Forever”) stars in a tale about college friends looking for love and happiness. O’Donnell plays a campus hunk who meets his match in an outspoken but socially awkward classmate (Minnie Driver).
“The Abyss” (1989), USA at 9: Ed Harris is the hero in this underwater epic that borrows liberally from “Alien.” A deep-sea oil-rig crew attempts to rescue a submarine only to encounter a hideous organism from another world. The Oscar-winning special effects create a both spectacular and credible foundation for the familiar scenario. Unfortunately you get the feeling that no one could decide how to end the film.