Dead Man Sliding

Justice has a new name and a new game on a world where crime is televised. Quinn’s ne’er do well double is caught on film beating a man for his wallet, and our Quinn is picked up by a bounty hunter. Unable to grasp the rules of the society in a timely fashion, Arturo and Quinn lose the public’s interest in the trial, and Quinn is sentenced to death. Their only hope of saving him is to find this world’s Quinn and turn him over instead. When it turns out he’s innocent, Wade hacks into the game’s computer systems and discovers that Quinn has been framed — for the ratings. With the help of alternate Quinn and a chagrined bounty hunter, the five race against the clock to save Quinn from a very public execution.

Worlds Visited

	Wasco World Read the full Travelogue entry »
	Buttonwillow World Between here, Wasco World and Lemoore World, Arturo’s had his fill of dreadfully dull pieces of dirt in California. Read the full Travelogue entry »
	Lemoore World Read the full Travelogue entry »
	Justice World The legal system has been supplanted by a revenue-earning series of Court TV shows. Read the full Travelogue entry »
	Muppet World A world inhabited by short, green and moldy “people.” Read the full Travelogue entry »

Details

• Universal CityWalk stores include a nacho stand, a children’s bookshop, a Tony Roma’s restaurant, and a Hollywood Athletics store.
• The green digital tele-ticker behind the bar reads: “…please. Odds: 75-1 for denial of peti…”
• The store beside the Royal Chancellor Hotel is called Sparky’s.
• The criminals that will also appear on The Judgment Game with Quinn are named Greg Hughson and Mary Margaret Peters.
• Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo travel to the game in a taxi from the Crosstown Cab Company.
• To phone in your vote for The Judgment Game, call 1-96-JUSTICE (or 1-965-878-423).
• A sign on the wall as Quinn is being beaten reads: “Contestant Transport Area — Authorized Personnel Only.”
• Taryn’s computer readout of Quinn’s Double says that he’s 23, 185 pounds, 6 feet 2 inches, and has a 6 inch scar on his back from a knife wound.
• There’s another Game contestant named Golin who lives in Silicon Valley.
• When they’re testing the guillotine at night, the license plate on the truck behind the executioner reads 4074862.
• Quinn’s prisoner number is 506627.
• The news truck is “Remote Truck No. 5.

Character Information

• Rembrandt says that the R&B singing group The Commodores offered him the lead singing duties after Lionel Richie went solo in 1982.
• Wade says she’s a big fan of Dolly Parton.
• Arturo says that Wade spent two years in college.

Money Matters

• Wade has enough to buy a disposable camera, a map to the stars’ homes and a pair of sunglasses.
• The Sliders pay to have comedic photos taken of one another.
• Arturo buys drinks in the Royal Chancellor Hotel bar.
• The Sliders stay at the Royal Chancellor Hotel.
• Arturo, Rembrandt and Wade can afford a taxi to where The Judgment Game is filmed.
• Wade is able to buy an outfit that would make a hooker blush.

Notable Quotes

• “I think that being a double from another dimension should qualify.” — Wade, trying to think of special circumstances as grounds for Quinn’s appeal.
• “I’m scared too, Professor. But you know what keeps me going? You guys. Knowing that you’re here, knowing that if that was me in there you’d do anything in the world to get me out. And Quinn knows that too, and he’s countin’ on us. So we can’t lose faith now.” — Wade. ‘Nuff said.
• “Now there is no way that that is me. That guy is huge.” — Quinn’s double, in a hilarious New York accent (even though he’s still from San Francisco).
• “For all I care, the European affiliates can…” — Quinn, though he doesn’t finish the sentence, he forms his mouth to utter the F-word.

Neatpicks

• Wade says that Arnold Stang, Jill Whelan and Linwood Boomer were all considered major Hollywood stars on this world. Never heard of them? Neither had the Sliders, except Boomer whom Quinn remembers as being on Little House on the Prairie. Actually, Arnold Stang was quite successful in Hollywood. He appeared on television in Broadside (1964 comedy), Doc Corkle (1952 comedy), Henry Morgan’s Great Talent Hunt (1951 comedy) and The Milton Berle Show (from 1953-1955). He also appeared in the 1949 comedy variety seriesSchool House, an episode of Tales From the Darkside and was the voice of Top Cat in the 1961 cartoon of the same name. Jill Whelan is best known as Vicki Stubing on The Love Boat, and also played Nancy Wilkes on the TV comedy Friends — not the NBC series, but the 1979 sitcom-drama that ran for one month on ABC. Linwood Boomer did indeed play blind man Adam Kendall on Little House on the Prairie from 1978-1981. Sadly, that’s about all he ever did… until 2000, when he created and wrote FOX’s surprise hit comedy, Malcolm in the Middle.

Rewind That!

• When Arturo, Wade, and Rembrandt approach Quinn’s double on the steps of Deanne’s help Arturo yells “Ah, young man, a word.” Quinn’s double turns calmly, smiles and darts. The smile is hilarious.

Rewind That!

When Quinn explains the “aliens” on Muppet World to the others he says “Trust me, short green and moldy is not a great look.” But in closed captioning, he says “Trust me, you don’t what to know what they look like.”

Guest Stars

• Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as The People’s Proponent
• Perrey Reeves as Taryn
• Fredric Lane as Phil
• Lisa Rieffel as Deanne Bloch
• Don Most as Skip Collins

Co-Starring

• Brett Miller as Prison Guard
• Robert DiTillio as Emcee
• Ed Wasser as Studio Guard

Uncredited

• The map seller.
• The cab driver.
• The caning victim and caner.
• The three judges.
• The guards who beat Quinn with their nightsticks.
• Joey the pink-mohawked bartender.