The Java Jive

// E0807 · Originally aired August 6, 1999

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
Director // Jeff Woolnough
Music // Danny Lux

Reviews

// Earth Prime

“The Java Jive” has strong fundamentals. It has style. It has one of the best musical numbers of the series. And yet… something isn’t working.

// Think of a Roulette Wheel

I’ve got a killer caffeine headache and all this dancing is definitely NOT helping.

// External Reviews

Martin Izsak

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?

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.

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.

Neatpicks

Rembrandt hasn’t flexed his card-playing abilities since second season’s The Good, The Bad and the Wealthy.

Guest Starring

Jennifer Leigh Warren as Angie Morgan
Dwayne Adway as Dropper Daddy
Sandahl Bergman as Lead Female Dancer
Shane Stevens¹ as Harrell
Carlos Alvarado as Gangster #1
Michael Warren as Detective Wells

Co-Starring

Paul Richards as Bartender
Dean Wein as Gangster #2

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

Script Archive

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