The Java Jive

On a world where even red meat has a Prohibition, Rembrandt steps in as a jazz singer in a notorious speakeasy after his crooked cop double kills the owner’s pianist.

Written by: Janét Saunders & Jennifer McGinnis
Directed by: Jeff Woolnough
Edited by: Casey Brown
Music by: Danny Lux

Broadcast History

Original Airdate: August 6, 1999
Production Code: E0807
Network Code: SL-508

Synopsis

The Sliders land in a world reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties. But instead of bootleg liquor, caffeine is prohibited and the Hippo Club deals heavily in it. The Sliders help out Angie, a beautiful nightclub singer and owner of the Hippo Club whose staff quits when a murder occurs outside her club. But the show must go on. With the help of the Sliders, it does. Rembrandt is in his element performing at the piano and providing back-up vocals for Angie. Maggie plays waitress, Diana fills in for the cigarette girl, and Mallory tends bar. Dropper Daddy, a notorious gangster, is looking for a new supplier of caffeine. But before Dropper Daddy can locate one, Angie’s lover Harrell is killed by a crooked cop, Rembrandt Brown — our Rembrandt’s alternate in this world. Dropper Daddy and his goons kidnap Angie, believing she has the information he wants, and rough her up to make her talk. The Sliders work with the police to bust Dropper Daddy’s operation and to save Angie. With a new lease on life, Angie decides to close the Hippo Club and devote herself to singing.

Worlds Visited

Caffeine World

A Prohibition-style United States where not only is caffeine outlawed, but red meat, alcohol and tobacco. Finally, someone's gotten it right!

Details

  • The Chandler Hotel on this world is known as the Hippo Club.
  • The sign in front of the Hippo Club reads "Angie Morgan and the Sweet Thunder Revue."
  • Diana drinks coffee with tainted caffeine.
  • Harrell lives in apartment 4B.
  • Harrell's notebook reads:
    The Columbian connection is a guy named Medellin Max. He'll make the drop at the club at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Do I let Wells in on this, or make the bust myself? And what about Brownie?

Money Matters

  • Uh, oh! The Sliders are low on cash? So what do they do to rectify the situation? Rembrandt takes a job as the new pianist at the Hippo Club, while Mallory works the bar and Diana and Maggie peddle illegal caffeine.


Notable Quotes

  • "Men are pathetic." — Maggie.
    "Amen." — Diana.
  • "Stop sampling the merchandise, Alfalfa." — Rembrandt, to Mallory, after Mallory complains about the lack of good hooch at the Hippo Club.
  • "Why can't we just hit the ATM machines like we usually do? I mean, I have a Ph.D., for crying out loud." — Diana, curious why the Sliders took a one night job at the Hippo Club.
  • "No offense, but your boyfriend isn't much of a housekeeper." — Mallory, on the cleanliness of Harrell's ransacked apartment.

Neatpicks

Parallel History

With the passage of the Gephardt Act, even caffeine was banned here. Finally, the American government had removed a liberty that once flowed freely across the country like booze, cigarettes and beef before it. While it's unknown how massive tobacco, alcohol and coffee bean PACs were looked over by Congress and Senate, the result is clear: a cleaner living America.

But what about those people who crave caffeine and other items prohibited in this country? Speakeasies, throwbacks to the 1920s, have flourished by providing people with illegal hooch, tobacco and caffeine. In fact, the 1920s atmosphere is everywhere in this United States, showing that laissez faire didn't really help fedora sales.

In Los Angeles, a major speakeasy is the Hippo Club, owned by lounge singer Angie Morgan. Morgan supplies her customers with synthetic caffeine mixed with sugar. While the synthetic stuff is just as good at giving people a buzz, it's also got some irritating side effects, like seizures. And, well, death.

Guest Stars

Co-Starring

  1. Shane Stevens also appears as a Kromagg Soldier in Strangers and Comrades.
  • RCC

    This lady’s boyfriend/lover was JUST murdered, and she’s already got the hots for Rembrandt. So much for grieving.

  • RCC

    Also, prohibition in the 1920′s expanded to include red meat & caffeine, were modern hair, clothing & music styles also banned? They have cell phones, cd’s & other modern electronics, so it’s meant to be the 90′s, it’s HIGHLY unlikely that hair, clothing & music styles wouldn’t have changed in 70 years.