Sliders Season 1 Episode 5: Prince of Wails

In this episode written by Lee Goldberg and William Rabkin we see another example of just how little Fox cares about their shows or the art of television. Now this was aired as episode 5 of the series and yet it starts off with the sliders on the top of a roof in a world over run with water while wearing hippie clothes. The ending of episode 6, you know the one that airs the week after this one, ends with them on a world that is about to be drowned out while wearing hippie clothes. This is clearly taking place right after that one so why air it first? It makes no sense. But Fox does that a lot so it's to be expected.

They arrive on a new world where we quickly learn that the Americans never won their freedom and it is still a colony of the British. We also see very quickly that Arturo is something special on this world. Everyone keeps bowing to him. In fact when Wade is almost run over the man starts yelling at her until he sees Arturo and he backs down and gives them a free hotel room.

Once in the room we find out that Arturo is the Sheriff on this world and that since the King is lost at war he is second in line for the throne. The gang decides that they need to get out of the city fast so that no finds out that Arturo isn't the real sheriff. It isn't long before the car they get breaks down on the back roads and everyone but for Arturo is pushing it along. It seems on this world after America failed their revolution everyone else did too. A few Kingdoms own pretty much everything. It isn't long before they are stopped by the military and it seems the sheriff has ordered the Prince killed and for it to look like an accident. The Sliders get involved and save the Prince.

Not long after they are captured by the Oakland Raiders who are what is left of the resistance movement. Quinn hands over the Prince and Arturo so that he and the others can get in good with this group and they can all stay together till the slide that is 5 days away. He even works hard to keep them alive because the raiders just want them dead. \

The Arturo of this world is an evil man who has anyone who questions him arrested and maybe even put to death. He finds out that raiders have the Prince and someone pretending to be him as hostages and he is not happy. He wants them all dead. The resistance responds by wanting to kill the Prince and Arturo but Quinn just starts saying famous lines and somehow these people fall for it. He starts leading attacks on people to steal from the rich and give to the poor like some kind of Robin Hood.  

The raiders are now known as Quinn and the raiders and the Sheriff is making it out as if they are the ones who are going to kill the Prince. Our Arturo is now walking free among the resistance. Quinn has enough pull in the movement to have the Prince at least untied. The Prince asks Wade out on a date but she is leaving. She lets him down gently. He asks if she is in love with Quinn, getting right to the heart of the matter. She gets into it with Quinn about everything.

The Prince escapes and Wade is in trouble for leaving him untied. With one day left before the Slide Quinn goes looking for him. The Prince sees how little his people have, changing his views on everything. He sees Quinn gets arrested and he goes back to the resistance. Arturo comes up with an idea to save Quinn without starting a war.

The raiders take over the sheriff's station, they put the Prince on the air, he is to pardon Quinn expose he sheriff and give people Democracy. Arturo gives the Prince the bill of rights and Remy tries to cut out the 2nd amendment, which is an important one, one that people don't seem to understand anymore. It isn't about protecting your home from common crimiles it is to protect yourself from the government something that this world needs more than anything else. Arturo forces it to stay.

The sheriff is about to have Quinn killed when the Prince cuts into his video feed and has the sheriff arrested and Quinn set free. Quinn rushes out of the building he only has minutes left to get out before the slide is set to go. He makes it just in time for them to open the vortex and get out of there. The sliders are gone from this world but they will never forget them. They changed this world forever.

The Prince asks Wade to be his queen she kisses him and then follows Quinn into the vortex. I guess that's a no. Such a great episode!