The last time Sliders was canceled, the story was left hanging. At least this time around the show's creators had some warning and were able to make a final episode that gives a little closure. But not a lot. This is no cozy ending that ties up all the threads unraveled over five seasons. Instead, this episode marks a transition for the sliders to a new phase of adventures. Their further exploits may never appear on TV, but hopefully can continue in novels, comics, and so on.

What makes this episode a must-see, besides the fact that it's the last one, is how it pokes fun at Sliders itself. The sliders watch a bit of a very popular TV show called The Sliders (which bears a familiar-looking logo), in which their lookalikes run along the very same back-lot set that has dominated the show's fifth season, shooting bad guys, dodging cars that explode for no reason, and sliding out at the last minute through an offstage wormhole. The group also meets a Sliders fan club and--in a wonderful tribute to real Sliders fans--it's the fans who ultimately help them overcome the forces that stand in their way.

There are fun moments, and many poignant ones as well. What the episode lacks, perhaps, is any real sense of danger. But the focus isn't peril. It's about difficult decisions involving risk and loyalty. The episode maintains that good old Sliders feel throughout--slightly campy but always sincere. The end of this series may disappoint people who'd like the story all wrapped up, but it definitely delivers strong drama--ending with a bang, not a whimper.