Mother and Child

// K2819 · Originally aired December 7, 1998

A woman and her half-Kromagg son join the gang as they travel to her home Earth, where an anti-Kromagg virus may prove deadly to the newborn.

Written By // Richard Manning
Director // Helaine Head
Music // Danny Lux

Reviews

// Earth Prime

In the end, I don’t think the episode would have worked even had all mention of Wade been excised—but I do think I’d have been far less disappointed with it.

// Think of a Roulette Wheel

Somewhere, there is another world where Sliders is not a tonedeaf “boy’s club.” This, however, is not that world.

// External Reviews

Worlds Visited

Kromagg Outpost 117

It’s no place to raise a child, even if it is a Kromagg-human hybrid.

Former Kromagg Outpost 71

A viral countermand against the Kromaggs was unleashed into the atmosphere here, making it free from Kromagg rule. Dynasty Directive states travel to this world is punishable by death.

Details

Christina is running through Red Sector 5 in her attempt to escape from the camps.
It takes about one full year before a Humagg baby starts to develop Kromagg characteristics.
Christina’s information is available in the Kromagg Central Database.
Unit 4 is the group of Kromagg soldiers that are ambushed by the Sliders.
Christina’s Kromagg ID is JK1125.
The Kromagg database, when shut down, reads “Error 807: Please contact system administrator.”
The signs around town read:
- Vigilance always! The Pig-Faces may be back!
- Obey Martial Law.
- The only good Kromagg is a DEAD Kromagg.
- Curfew violators will be shot.
- We have a Victory Garden.
Sonski and Associates Land Survey has been around since 1905.
The Wrightwood Cafe, last seen in The Alternateville Horror, is back!
Jonathan Griffin drives a new Ford Taurus with the license plate 2BAI249.
Christina’s childhood pediatrician was Doctor Bailey.
The military compound where the vaccine is being stored is part of the 222nd RESDEV of the United States Air Force.
O level clearance and higher is required to get access to the vaccine.
Jonathan, Jr. is being carried in a Kelty Kids sack at the end of the episode.

Character Information

A shocking turn of events: it seems that Rembrandt did not do everything in his power to save Wade while detained by the Kromaggs. In fact, Rembrandt left her behind and did little to save her. This may account for his guilt lately.
Rembrandt may not be able to read Kromagg, but Quinn sure can (see Nit-picks).
Christina, along with hundreds of others, were running through their downtown as Manta ships flew overhead and killed them all. Christina’s two brothers died in that attack.
Christina’s mother also died in the war.
Christina had dreams of returning home.
Maggie wants to have kids.

Notable Quotes

“It is humanly impossible to overreact to the Kromaggs.”—Quinn.
“You could always name him ‘Maggie’.”—Maggie, talking to Christina about the baby.
“Why do I always have to come up with the good idea?!”—Quinn. Haven’t we heard this before?
“You read Kromagg?”—Quinn.
“He bought it!”—Rembrandt.
“It’s not over ’till the fat ‘Magg croaks.”—Rembrandt.
“Do you have continental breakfast?”—Quinn, jokingly, after Christina tells them they can stay at her house as long as they need.
“Seems like we’re always taking care of somebody else.”—Maggie, to Quinn, after expressing desires to have a child.

Nitpicks and Errors

The Kromagg monitor in the compound is reading that all four Sliders together after Quinn and Maggie have gone down the mountain to make sure no Kromaggs are following them.
Why does Quinn tell Rembrandt there isn’t enough time to go and get Wade when all he has to say is that she isn’t on this world anymore? How bad does that sound?
Richard Manning has some funny ideas about what infrared is. To him, it means that you can see, from great distances, people that might be obscured by mountains. Kromagg scanners can see over mountaintops. This is not possible. At best, I-R is good for night vision by detecting thermal differentials. They aren’t blips on a monitor, and unless the detector has a zoom function, it doesn’t matter if Rembrandt is streaking through the forest naked, he won’t be visible.
Also, how is the Kromagg mainframe picking up “several indicators”? They didn’t know the Sliders were there, and they don’t have tracking devices in them, so unless they have a satellite in geosynchronous orbit over the camp monitoring all movement of humanoid activity, this shouldn’t be possible. And I doubt that the Kromaggs would be that paranoid.
Where did the Kromaggs obtain all of these Humvees in pristine shape? The one that the Sliders commandeer is in fine condition.
Why would a Kromagg soldier, under any condition, help a human? Please give me an explanation.
The Kromagg information on Christina is in the Kromagg language. How does Quinn interpret this to enter her home earth coordinates?
The plasma blasts that hit the Slider’s Humvee do not damage it.
Colin says that there is ten seconds on the timer before the slide. 14 seconds later, the gateway opens.
I’m not even going to get into the Sliders driving the Humvee through the vortex.
What are the odds that the coordinates of Christina’s Earth Prime would dump the Sliders a block from her house? About as great as them returning to the Oracle compound in Prophets and Loss.
Why does Rembrandt stash a plasma rifle while Maggie keeps her gun? This is a plasma rifle that almost killed Rembrandt in The Dying Fields. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to keep something like that?
For a war ravaged world, Christina’s hometown is in pretty good shape.
Small world! Jonathan Griffin lives in the same house used in Just Say Yes.
Is Quinn lying to Jonathan that he doesn’t have the last world’s coordinates? It’s been established since The Exodus, part II that the timer can store the coordinates of parallel worlds.
I thought the Kromagg commander said it was considered high crime to travel to Christina’s Earth Prime? Then how did the subcommander acquire a translocation device and the equipment to keep him alive on that world?
How can the Kromagg’s piece of paper fool the computer into thinking it’s an O-level security card?
Isn’t it amazing that it was light out during the entire time the Sliders were on both worlds? 10 hours of non-sunrise, non-sunset light? Nope.

Neatpicks

There were a couple of references to Humagg soldiers that we saw in The Dying Fields.

Guest Starring

Natalie Radford as Christina Griffin
Brian Cousins as Korindos/Kaplan
Steve Rankin as Kreeshax
Jim Metzler as Jonathan Griffin
Brian Perry as Soldier One
Angelo Spizzirri as Guard
Akrosia Dimetros as Townsend

Script Archive

Click on the links below to download rare scripts, outlines, and memos associated with this episode.