The King is Back

Season 1
Airdate: 5/10/95
Rating: 5/5

“She forgot to mention I can cry out of each eye individually.” – Rembrandt Brown

The Sliders arrive on a world where Rembrandt’s double is as famous as Elvis Presley. We start off in a bad situation with Quinn sitting in a prison cell. With his defendant trying to get him to come to grips with reality. “Look, I don’t mean to be offensive. I know you honestly believe you’re some sort of alien.” Our Quinn has been mistaken for his double’s crime for painting a freeway overpass.

The judge he stands before is akin to Lance Ito; former judge of the O.J. Simpson trial. Coincidence? I think not. The rest of the Sliders are anxiously awaiting the slide in the courtroom while the sentence is passed. His sentence? None other than the death penalty. This certainly illustrates the idea and premise of parallel dimensions to the viewer. Before we know it they’ve made one of the “coolest jailbreaks of all-time”, as Quinn likes to call it.

One neat thing is that they visit three different worlds in this episode. I really enjoy it when they can thrown in multiple worlds in one episode. This really gets your imagination and sense of adventure going. While the Sliders try to figure out where they are, they notice that everyone is staring at them. This is where the fun begins. Arturo realizes he’s left his “fly” down and Rembrandt is mistaken as a “Rembrandt impersonator”. The singing sensation Rembrandt Brown of this world supposedly died in a boating accident. I will admit that Rembrandt’s continually bragging that he’s a big singer of this world is a tad annoying but humorous at the same time. Sliders is clearly a versatile series.  Who wouldn’t brag about being a big superstar? It means he’s popular there, meaning they can’t be on our earth, as Arturo explains.

Far from a heart break hotel, we’re left in a humor hotel. The comical genius and actor Will Sasso stars again in Sliders as the hotel clerk. He sings a acapella version of Tears in My Fro before them. He’s one of the reasons why this episode is probably the funniest of them all. The heavy comic approach is a great strength, which I feel should have been used more in previous episodes. Only until an interruption of “Skipper’s Island”, does Rembrandt realize he and the Sliders have been videotaped and appear on the news. The announcer proclaims the bystander who filmed them may be placed in the history books along side videographer Zapruder who filmed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I guess this is what it’s like to be a superstar, having the paparazzi running around to find you for the perfect photo. It can be hard to find peace but at the same time you love all the attention and luxuries that come with it. But like all things the happiness of material possessions won’t last forever.

Captain Jack Brim, the famous manager of this world’s Rembrandt Brown is also comical, but in essence a pest to the Sliders. He’s greedy to the core and wants his glory back from the good ol’ days. Unbelievably, the news media sees our Rembrandt as this worlds sensational Rembrandt, Quinn as Jim Morrison of the Doors and even Arturo as the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti!! The Professor explains he only sings in the shower. Ironically Arturo does look a little too similar to the opera singer. There are so many ties to pop culture in this episode.

Since it appears the King, (Rembrandt Brown) has returned from behind the spotlight, large waves of fans convene upon the hotel. It’s like the Elvis Presley drama on our world. People think he faked his death. On this world it’s the same thing but it’s with The Crying Man and he’s returned. He gets a little too anxious and goes out to greet his fans. Before we know it Arturo is pulled down to his underpants, and Rembrandt’s clothing is shredded. Realizing the motel clerk tipped everyone off of their whereabouts, Arturo wreaks havoc on him. Quinn (Jerry O’Connell) nearly destroys the take, by almost laughing out loud while the Professor is mistaken again as Mr. Pavarotti. This is undoubtedly one of the most hilarious scenes in sci-fi history. Perhaps the best of all time.

Again, you won’t be disappointed by the comedy of the episode as well as the dramatic ending and punch line. It’s almost as if the storyline is directed at a ‘what if’ Elvis Presley came out of hiding. Apart from the comedy we’re given some action as well as one of the most iconic Rembrandt songs, “Tears in My Fro”. You’ll see Crying Man impersonators as well. The whole gamut.

Rembrandt is soon captured and held hostage by his former band mate Maurice Fish. Angered by the outcry of support and a new live performance by our Rembrandt, this world’s Rembrandt eventually comes out of hiding. Catching up with the Sliders, Rembrandt’s double eventually saves him from the crazed, Maurice. This world’s Remmy bows out and gives our Rembrandt all the glory, fame and life. Rembrandt realizes he has the opportunity to live the life he’s always wanted. I truly feel Rembrandt is going to leave us forever. He and his double have to sing it out among themselves to see who rightfully deserves the gig. This episode may be my all time favorite of the series. It’s certainly required viewing if you’re a Sliders fan. Let us take the time to Cry Like a Man.