Fever

Season 1
Airdate: 3/29/95
Rating: 4/5

“Now the ones who are really accountable are the ones who make the policy– the quarantines, protection zones. The rich live in sanitary conditions while the poor get sick and die.” – Quinn Mallory’s double

The Sliders arrive on an epidemic world where penicillin was never invented. During the opening scene we discover the Sliders have landed on a world where oil is underneath all of San Francisco. Everybody’s rich, it’s the Black Gold Rush! Just when the party gets started the Sliders notice they only have a minute till the next slide. They manage to stash some cash from a downpour of money and slide out. I’m sure many of us would have been tempted to stay on this wealthy San Francisco. But can we truly place a value on our own home, family and friends? I wish we had more to see of this world but time is of essence.

As the Sliders land on the next world they are nearly run over by a garbage truck or body truck. Whichever you prefer. Wade is so thankful a stranger saved her life that she kisses him. Oddly enough the pale yellow man was incredibly outraged that she kissed him. One of the gems of this episode is after arriving in a state approved hygienic restaurant, Rembrandt has to barf out his disgusting hamburger. Everything is packaged in a vacuum sealed plastic for safe sterilized food. They discover that Quinn’s double’s flyer is on the wall and realized he’s wanted by the government. A one million dollar reward is placed on his head. This long haired Quinn is the ‘patient zero’ or original carrier of the disease called the Q. Wanted for his crime, our Quinn is mistaken for his double and is on the run.  Everything is hygienically approved by the CHC (California Health Commission), from your local fast food restaurant to the motel across the street. I like how the atmosphere of this episode is shot. It’s setting is mostly in the dark of night and sets the mood for the story. Cloudy, rainy, dark, and small sleeping quarters.

The comedic gem arrives when Rembrandt and Wade check into a motel. Gomez Calhoun is the attendant and immediately sprays down their face as a precaution against germs. This world isn’t far fetched from our own by the way. In fact it’s understated and quite tame. Given the flu outbreaks and pandemics on our own world this world is taking it pretty well. The difference in this world is that penicillin was never invented. It can really get us to think, what if our world had never had such medical advances? Where would we be? How healthy would we be? Would we even be alive? Imagine the chaos. That’s what this episode illustrates and it delivers quite well. Alternative pharmacies are shown and quite frankly I’m surprised it’s open because of its natural remedies. However it’s government run and approved by the CHC (California Health Commission).

Quinn is quickly snatched up by the CHC, and the rest of the team discovers that behind the weak silver lining is a dark world of quarantine zones spread over San Francisco. Wade becomes infected with the deadly Q and they discover Quinn’s double is the head of the quarantine zone. Quinn is stretched out and prodded as the worst criminal ever to face the earth. He keeps trying to claim he’s not from this earth. Obviously that’ll never work, because even a double’s fingerprints are the same. Quinn being strung up in a dark room like a rag doll is one of the best choreographed scenes of the episode. The blue lighting, black background and mist of disinfectants give this scene its glory.

I absolutely love the infomercials shown on the TV in their motel room. They were shot exactly like this, in fact I think one or two of the guys actually were in real infomercials. Products like this are sold today, who would of thought this would of happened? This episode has effective cosmetic make-up too. As Rembrandt would say, they all look like the color of a wax candle back home. The muddy yellow on all the faces, the coughs and well; it can get you to tense up, if you’re afraid of illnesses. Wade, Arturo and Rembrandt eventually make way to the quarantine zone. They finally meet their leader of the quarantine zone and it’s Quinn’s double. Jerry O’Connell pulls off Quinn and his double so well. In fact, I think it may be Jerry’s best acting of the series. There are even ‘protection camps’ designed to protect the people but they’re even worse than the quarantine zones. Quinn’s double declares them “worse and a living death.” The use of dark lighting and the dingy look of the quarantine area is quite effective in engaging one with the story.

It turns out that Quinn’s double was a medical student and willing lab subject. Dr. Darren Morton deliberately infected him with the Q, swore he was alright and released him back into the population. A reluctant Rembrandt is surprised that the government infected him. In fact it’s common knowledge the government has done medical testing beyond a patients will, such as the Tuskegee Experiments and MKUltra. Don’t be too quick to trust the government, and don’t be quick to condemn. Weigh the facts and think for yourself.

Escape from the CHC is questionable, his double struggles to prove his own innocence and the Professor is running out of time to find an ailing Wade a cure. To end on a good note you’ll find a touch of comedy and hope, after all the dramatic mayhem. Don’t be too quick to judge others and weigh the options before you. Your life may depend on it.