The Prince of Slides
- Written By // Eleah Horwitz
- Director // Richard Compton
- Music // Danny Lux
Reviews
// Earth Prime
// External Reviews
Worlds Visited
Monarchy World
(not to be confused with British World) Rembrandt’s double has married into the American royal family, and his son-to-be is fourth in line for the throne.
Angel World
Where little girls have wings and can fly — with a little help from their moms.
Details
- Wade’s (essentially nonsensical) diary passage reads:The music on this world is coming
from the Sliders of another world.
With Rembrandt, Quinn and Arturo comes
the skills of sliding [obscured]
sliding in our uni[verse] [obscured]
the sliding [obscured]
double is [obscured]
love the way [obscured] - The sign on the candy machine reads: “Please insert 6p for all candy.”
- Danielle is brought into the hospital at 11:40 a.m.
- One of the news crews on television during George Stellos’ statement is channel 20.
- King Thomas has two sons, Benjamin and Tyler.
- Rembrandt is the Duke of Hemmingshire.
- The Royal ‘Camp David’ is called Camp Muir.
Character Information
- Wade is right-handed.
- Rembrandt knew, and loved, a woman named Danielle on Earth Prime. They were living together when they had a big fight—it seemed that Rembrandt used to walk out on her quite a bit. Danielle, in defiance, left Rembrandt and though extremely upset, took the car. She got into a serious accident. Rembrandt then had a moment of clarity and waited for her to get well again, but while she was recovering, Danielle wanted nothing to do with him. He never got over it.
- Arturo says that he is sensitive to goose down pillows, he prefers eiderdown.
- Alt-Rembrandt is tone-deaf.
Notable Quotes
- “I think he’ll get a purple something.”—Quinn’s response to Wade who wonders if the Professor will get a purple heart for his massive amount of bee stings.
- “I’m so glad I met you, man. This is the best slide ever.”—a doped-up Rembrandt to Quinn.
- “I’m pregnant?! I’m not even married!”—a distraught Rembrandt.
- “It’s a good thing I’m not six inches taller.”—Quinn after getting kicked in the stomach.
- “This time you can fall on me if you like.”—Arturo to a recovering Rembrandt.
Arturoisms
- “You blistering idiot…”—to Stellos.
- “I’m a theoretical mathematician, not a butcher.”
Money Matters
- Rembrandt wants to buy some candy from the hospital vending machine, but it seems the machine only takes pence—and Rembrandt only has a handful of American change.
- Other than that, the four don’t really need money on Monarchy World because everything seems to be complimentary at the palace. Still, the Sliders did seem perfectly willing to pay for the Professor’s medical bill at the start, unless he’s got health insurance.
Nitpicks and Errors
- The clock on Danielle’s hospital room wall reads 11:40 a.m. when she’s brought in, seconds later the nurse leads Rembrandt to a bed because he thinks he’s going to give blood. The clock on that wall reads 2:30 p.m.
- As Arturo is laying into Stellos in the hospital lobby, he motions to Quinn who’s being smashed against a window. The camera cuts to a shot of Quinn, but it’s the exact same camera shot seen earlier—only slowed down considerably. Notice the man in the background, he’s walking very slowly.
- The cabin used for the exteriors of Camp Muir in no way resembles the cabin used for the close ups. The exterior, waterside cabin looks newer with light wood while the close-up cabin is run down with dark wood. Also, when flying over the exterior cabin, it is visible on a lake peninsula with water on either side, but just before Lady Mary gives the order to torch the close up cabin, there’s a tall hill visible in the background.
- On Angel World, the little girl has wings—but her mother does not. Maybe they fall off at a certain age?
Neatpicks
- When the news reporter reads the grave news about King Thomas’ death, she does so exactly like Walter Cronkite did while reading the news of JFK’s death in 1963. Key similar phrases include “The news flash, apparently official…” and “Some [38] minutes ago.” It’s also interesting to note that this episode aired on Friday, November 22, 1996—33 years to the day that JFK was killed.
- More of Jerry O’Connell’s expert swordsmanship is shown during the duel with the corrupt royal guards. O’Connell was an NCAA fencer at NYU.
Rewind That!
- While Arturo is laying into Stellos, the scene cuts to Stellos, who appears to be wiping some of Arturo’s spit from his face!
- When the guard charges Stellos beside the limo at Camp Muir, a camera technician’s hand can be seen in the upper right corner.
Parallel History
It’s a good guess that the American monarchy on this world was born out of the Founding Father’s request that George Washington take his place as king of the new American republic. On Earth Prime, he denounced the suggestion, saying that the United States didn’t need a king like the one they had just fought to declare their independence. Apparently, someone on this world disagreed, as Thomas Jefferson and his second wife, slave Sally Hemmings, took to the throne. Danielle is a direct descendent of that union.
This United States is ruled by King Thomas, but this time things have turned out rather well. Wade says that everyone is kind and courteous. The American flag is the same as on Earth Prime with the exception of a red crown that sits in the background of the blue square in the corner. The currency, like Britain, relies on pence and pounds.
The only real difference—and it’s a major difference—is that on this world, men carry their pregnant wives’ children to term. In other words, they’re the ones that have to actually give birth. Why? Well, It seems that about 20 years ago a viral epidemic (where have we heard that before?) destroyed the capacity of the female population to carry a child beyond the second trimester. Scientists, advanced beyond those of Earth Prime, overcame this dilemma by coming up with a way for men to “share” the pregnancy. They created an artificial womb in the man, allowing them to carry the baby for the third trimester.
On Monarchy World, a group called the American Revolutionary Party (sound familiar?) has been very militant in opposing the crown.
Guest Starring
- Hallie Foote as Lady Mary
- Victoria Mahoney as Duchess Danielle
- Clinton Derricks-Carroll1 as Rembrandt No. 2
- Dan Gauthier as George Stellos
Co-Starring
- Collin Bernsen as Captain of the Guards [Lance]
- Tom Astor as Guard
- Paul Goodman as Guard #2
- Terry Markwell2 as The Anchor Woman
- Gabrielle Beimford as Nurse
- Kristopher Logan as The Assassin
- Marian E. Green as Mother
- Brooke Elizabeth Crocker as 1st Winged Girl
- Kahlee Elizabeth Barrio as 2nd Winged Girl3
- Clinton Derricks-Carroll is Cleavant’s brother and has appeared in The King is Back and Greatfellas.
- Terry Markwell also portrays the TV Reporter in The Fire Within and Slide Like an Egyptian.
- While a second winged girl is credited, there is only one seen on screen.
Script Archive
Click on the links below to download rare scripts, outlines, and memos associated with this episode.
"Once and Future King" Writer's Draft
October 3, 1996
Production Draft
October 17, 1996
1st Yellow Revisions
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The Inside Slide
The working title for this episode in pre-production was “The Once and Future King.”
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With regard to the two credited winged girls, there was a scene filmed where the girl flies off the balcony, meets with her winged girlfriend and the two fly off into the sunset together. Unfortunately for time consideration, the scene had to be cut—though both girls had to be given screen credit.