Into the Mystic

Season 2
Airdate: 3/1/96
Rating: 4/5

“I can get those demons off your back. I mean off your back. I’m Ross J. Kelly and I’ll fight for you.” – Ross J. Kelly

The Sliders arrive on a world where mysticism and superstition reign.

Creator Tracy Tormé’s battle to keep continuity from the first season to the second paid off. The premiere episode of season two picks up where “Luck of the Draw” ended, with a bullet to Quinn’s shoulder. The opening scene to the next world they slide to says it all. Period architecture lies in a night scene with a red lit building, while lighting and rain pour. The perfect horror movie looks in order. Rembrandt races to the nearest phone booth to find a doctor for Quinn’s bullet wound. I really like that the show took the time to create a phony looking phone book, or at least part of one. Rembrandt barely finds a doctor among all the sorcerer ads.

As soon as the Sliders get to the doctor’s office the nurse eludes, seriously I might add, to wishing she was outside enjoying the storm. That’s one thing I do find nice from time to time. A rain storm or cloudy day every now and then is nice. Everyone wants sunshine every day of the week. The Sliders are riddled with healthcare paperwork to fill out for Quinn. The size of a short book I might add. You gotta love Rembrandt and Arturo’s reaction to the situation. “There’s one constant about every America we visit.” – Arturo. “Yeah, the healthcare system always sucks.” – Rembrandt. Sadly I’m afraid it’s always going to be like that, there’s nothing greed won’t penetrate in today’s society.  Quinn and Rembrandt go up to see the doc and sure enough it looks like he came from your next door haunted house.

In some instances I feel this episode uses too many old fashioned “scare tactics”. As soon as we see the doctor’s face– thunder strikes, and unusual lighting marks the city. It’s the typical eerie approach to a sci-fi show. Why not mix it up and do something more creative? It turns out the doctor instantly knows Quinn’s problem without a word spoken and it’s his headaches. Well I guess you would have a headache with a gunshot wound to your shoulder. Wade and the Professor see an eye chart and discover they’ve delivered Quinn to a witchdoctor. He deals with anacraphonic healing, spells, formulas, and divinations. He goes into an outburst when he hears the nurse mention “The Sorcerer” may be able to help them.

Turns out this “witch doctor” can do absolutely nothing for Quinn’s shoulder yet charges them a $266.00 bill. Sounds like the typical fraud in America doesn’t it? The doctor talks to you for less than five minutes and you have to pay up. Unable to pay, the Sliders make a run for it and shack up in the Dominion Hotel. It turns out this entire world revolves around the occult and mysticism. Ross J. Kelly the infamous lawyer, and Pavel the cab driver are reoccurring characters that appear in this episode. Reoccurring doubles are a staple of the first season and I’m glad to see its being used in the second season as well. Down the road, the lack thereof becomes one of the pitfalls of Sliders. When you have a good strategy going keep at it, don’t just abandon it.

The Sliders are soon approached by a “Grim Reaper” like character who gives Quinn a subpoena. He’s in deep trouble for not paying the witch doctor his dues. They go from person to person seeking advice in getting Quinn out of trouble, or else the witch doctor gets Quinn’s brain. A brain transplant to put into his body of ex-President, Ed Wood, Jr. Born in 1924, Wood was a campy filmmaker and pulp author who took part in several scifi flicks. I’m glad they didn’t get too in-depth with brain surgery as I do get queasy. They meet up with Pavel the cab driver. In this day and age people talk about separation of church and state. Well Pavel talks about the how Ouija boards in the classroom are a violation of coven and state. It’s fascinating how each parallel world differs from the next.

Pavel drives the Sliders to the only one they feel can help them… the Sorcerer. They have to walk across the Golden Gargoyle Gate Bridge to get there. I will admit the scene where they walk through the woods is a bit scary and of gloom in comparison to the cliche lightning and screams we heard earlier. The only problem is that half of the bridge is gone. Some poor special effects are used and I feel that it really hinders what could have been an excellent scene. Several fans elude to this episode as The Wizard of Oz. It does have similarities especially in the end but I think the episode stands out rightfully on it’s own. You don’t get intricate details of a world in the Wizard of Oz like you do in this episode. The difference is daylight from dark. Pun intended. The Sliders learn that the Sorcerer has the ability to slide from world to world. They contemplate if the Sorcerer can keep Quinn safe from the witch doctor, and most of all… get them home.

This is a decent episode that has a sinister feel to it, which we didn’t see in the first season. One thing that is missing and is a little disappointing is the small amount of humor you get in this. By comparison, season one was full of laughs. I think you’ll like the beginning of the episode that connects back to finale. Most of all the ending is bittersweet and it’ll have you talking for quite sometime. Maybe forever.