32. Dead Man Sliding

Aired:		Friday, November 29, 1996
Filmed:	???
Production #: 	K1804
Network #:	SL-303		
Written By:	Nan Hagen
Directed By:	Richard Compton
Music By:	Stephen Graziano
Edited By:	Casey Brown

Ratings:			Competition:
	Viewers: 8.5		CBS:	8:00	"Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"(r)(17.0/37)
	Rating: 5.2 		ABC: 	8:00	"Family Matters"(r) (13.6/47)			
	Share:	10 		ABC:	8:30	"Boy Meets World"(r) (12.4/54)	
	Rank:	74/100		NBC:	8:00	Movie: "D2: The Mighty Ducks" (11.9/57)	
			 			Fox:	8:00	"Sliders" (8.5/74)
Logline: On a world where the legal system takes the form of televised game shows, Quinn is mistaken for his no-good double and sentenced to death by guillotine.
World From:
Unknown, but possibly Buttonwillow World. Because of Logan's meddling, the sliders can end up within a 400 mile radius of San Francisco. Quinn says that they landed in a place called Buttonwillow, California. Or, Lemoore World, another California town that Arturo says they've visited. Or Wasco World, the same as above, Wasco, California. Arturo calls them all "dull pieces of dirt."

World Into:

Court World : The Quinn of this world is a no-good, lousy, criminal, welder from San Francisco.

Duration:

Two days.

Timer Status:

Okay.

World Into:

Alien World:A world inhabited by short, green and moldy 'people'.

Duration:

Unknown.

Details, Details:
  • In the mall area where the sliders are strolling a the beginning of the episodes, there are many stores, some of which 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 Home Quinn are named Greg Hughson and Mary Margaret Peters.
  • Wade, Remmy 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 licence plate on the truck behind the executioner reads 4074862.
  • Quinn's prisoner number is 506627.
  • The news truck is "Remote Truck No. 5."
    Personal File:
  • Remmy 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.
    Script Snips:
  • "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.
    Rewind That!: When Arturo, Wade, and Remmy 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.
    Money Matters: Wade has enough to buy a disposable camera, a map to the stars' homes and a pair of sunglasses. She also suggests the four rent a car later and take the tour of the stars' homes. The sliders later check into the Royal Chancellor Hotel and buy drinks.
    Neat-picks:
  • 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 series "School House," an episode of "Tales From the Darkside" and was the voice of Top Cat in the 1961 cartoon "Top Cat."
    Jill Whelan played Nancy Wilkes on the TV comedy "Friends" -- not the NBC series, but the 1979 sitcom-drama that ran for one month on ABC, but Whelan is probably best know for playing Vicki Stubing on "The Love Boat" from 1979-1986.
    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.
    History Lesson:

    Criminal punishment on this world is, in a word, harsh. Public caning applies for infractions like spray painting, but more serious crimes put criminals on a TV game shows like "Justice Tonight" and "The Judgment Game."

    As a result of these harsh punishments, the state of California is exceptionally safe. No locks on the doors and purses and wallets left unattended are considered off limits. It seems that the government of California implemented such safeguards and gave legal power to The Games to dispel with criminals in a fashion suitable to the viewing audience. Lawyers were banned on but the accused were allowed to provide an advocate, who must have no legal knowledge, but who can speak for the defendant on the Games while the prosecutor, or actually the People's Proponent, is usually a celebrity guest.

    The folks in Europe really love The Games and network feeds are picked up by different stations in Europe.

    Guest Stars:
	Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs 1	[Himself] The People's Proponent

	Perrey Reeves			Taryn [Contestant Coordinator]
	Fredric Lane			Phil
	Lisa Rieffel			Deanne Bloch 

and:
	Don Most 2     as		Skip Collins 

Co-Starring:
	Brett Miller			Prison Guard
	Robert DiTillio			Emcee
	Ed Wasser			Studio Guard
Uncredited:
	The map seller, the cab driver, caning victim, caner, three judges, 
	the guards who beat Quinn with their nightsticks, Joey the 
	pink-mohawked bartender.
    1. Classic TV fans will recognize Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as Vinnie "Boom-Boom" Washington on "Welcome Back, Kotter" though he also played Jackson family patriarch Joe on the mini-series "Jacksons: The American Dream."
    2. Classic TV fans know Don (Donnie) Most as Richie Cunningham's wacky friend Ralph Malph on "Happy Days."
    The Inside Slide:

  • The opening scene is filmed in Universal Studios' "Citywalk." So what was it like filming in a crowd?

    "It's funny, when you film in crowds, you know, because you sort of blend in," Jerry says. "And that's what filming in New York is like a lot. You know, when you're walking in throngs of people, and you just have a radio mike on, and you sort of blend in. And it's funny, it gives it a nice natural look."

  • Before this episode finally aired, it had been scheduled twice previously by Fox. On Sept. 20, 1996, Fox announced it would air "Dead Man Sliding" on Oct. 11. Then, on Sept. 30, Fox revised its schedule and decided it would air this episode on Oct. 18. Later, on Oct. 11, it changed its mind once again -- for the last time. The network announced that this episode would air a full mouth and a half later on Nov. 29. It did.
    Closed Captioning:
  • When Quinn explains the "aliens" on Alien World to the others he says "Trust me, short green and moldy is not a great look." But in CC, he says "Trust me, you don't what to know what they look like."
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