Sliders FAQ: Alternate Earths
Ed Hall
Archive-name: tv/sliders/alternate-earths
Posting-Frequency: monthly or after each revision
Last-modified: 8 June 1996
URL: http://www.brillig.com/sliders/
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SLIDERS FAQ: ALTERNATE EARTHS
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This List of Alternate Earths is Part 3 of the three part SLIDERS Frequently
Asked Questions posting. All three parts can be found on the Usenet
newsgroups alt.tv.sliders, alt.tv.sliders.creative, rec.arts.sf.tv,
alt.answers, rec.answers, and news.answers.
The latest version of this FAQ is available via FTP from:
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu//pub/usenet-by-group/alt.tv.sliders/
A version of this document also exists on the World Wide Web at
the URL: http://www.brillig.com/sliders/
Please send additions, questions, comments, and corrections to this FAQ to
Ed Hall at edh...@brillig.com. Thanks!
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LIST OF ALTERNATE EARTHS
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This list contains a short description of each alternate Earth the Sliders
have visited. Other Earths which have been mentioned, but not visited by
"our" Sliders, appear at the end of the first list.
The name of the episode appears in [brackets] following each entry. Consult
Part 2 of this FAQ, "Sliders FAQ: Episode Guide" for more information about
each episode.
1. Earth Prime
The Sliders' Earth of origin. [Pilot]
This Earth has been briefly visited by the Sliders once since their adventure
began. [Into The Mystic]
2. Elvis' Earth
Elvis is alive, JFK is president and everthing you ever knew about traffic
lights is wrong. Quinn's mom has married the gardener and is expecting a
baby. [Pilot]
3. Winter Earth
Generally a bad place to be--watch out for ice tornadoes. Based on a photo
found in the ruins of alternate Quinn's house, his family on this Earth
includes a sister he never had and a dog that ran away when Quinn was young.
It's never established if this world's frigid climate is due to Nuclear
Winter or to an Ice Age; since the Sliders never show symptoms of radiation
poisoning and many buildings in San Francisco are still standing, I have to
assume this is an Earth caught in the midst of an Ice Age. Cool! [Pilot]
4. Red Dawn Earth
A world where the Domino theory became fact and the Soviets took over the
world. This Earth's alternate Wade is a leader in the American underground.
Alternate Rembrandt was killed twelve years ago in the Detroit Uprisings.
Alternate Arturo is Citizen General (i.e. the warden) of a political prisoner
camp in the local university. ("Alway a leader among men!") [Pilot]
5. Dad's Earth (a.k.a. Earth Prime + Dad)
An alternate Earth very similar to Earth Prime in every detail but one: in
this world, Quinn's father never died. [Pilot]
6. Oil Boom Earth
Oil is discovered under the streets of San Francisco and in Quinn's own
backyard. Unfortunately, the Sliders only have twenty minutes to enjoy their
newfound wealth. [Fever]
7. Fever Earth
An alternate world where penicillin was never discovered is a dangerous place
to kiss a stranger. Alternate Quinn is Patient Zero, the first carrier of the
"Q" disease and a $1,000,000 reward is offered for his capture. [Fever]
8. Cannibal Earth
Exercise caution if invited over to a friend's house for dinner on this
alternate Earth. This arid world might be a good place to become a
vegetarian. [Fever]
9. Asteroid Earth
A huge asteroid is is due to hit the west coast of this Earth's United States
in two days; too bad the Sliders' timer is set for three days. This world's
Quinn had tried to tinker together a time machine; it's unclear if his
research was successful or not. [Last Days]
10. Water Earth
The oceans of this world have risen several hundred feet, probably due to the
melting of the polar ice caps. San Francisco is covered by so much water that
only the upper twenty feet or so of San Francisco's Transamerican Pyramid is
projecting out of the water. [Prince of Wails]
Note: When the Sliders arrive on Water Earth they are wearing the
clothes they were wearing when they slid out of Hippie Earth in Summer of
Love. This makes sense since Prince of Wails (episode SL-104) was filmed
after Summer of Love (episode SL-103). I assume that the tidal wave we see at
the end of SOL causes the flooding we see here on Water Earth.)
11. British Earth
Here the American Colonies lost their Revolutionary War against the British
and George Washinton is just a footnote in the history of the British States
of America. Harold the third, Prince of the Americas and heir to the British
throne has a private game preserve where Oakland is on Earth Prime. Alternate
Arturo is the Sheriff of San Francisco. God save the King! [Prince of Wails]
12. Spiderwasp Earth
On this world a potential form of pest control, the South American
Spiderwasp, escaped from the lab where it was genetically engineered in 1987.
A hybrid with the worse attributes of spiders and wasps, its swarms have
spread to cover all of South America and it is now invading North America.
The first swarms reach San Francisco about the same time as the Sliders...
[Summer of Love]
13. Hippie Earth
The peace movement of the 1960s lives on here--right down to the communes and
war protesters in San Francisco. These protestors however, are protesting a
protracted war against Soviet controlled North Australia. Ollie North is
President. Alternate Rembrandt is a henpecked Sergeant First Class in the
Army who never had a musical career. [Summer of Love]
14. Egghead Earth
A world where the super-intelligent have fans the way athletes do on our
Earth, gangsters speak Latin, and public libraries have longer hours due to
popular demand. Nikke (our Nike) uses the slogan: "Just think it."
Alternate Quinn is the captain of the University of California's MINDGAME
team (the Eggheads) but he's also $1,000,000 in debt to a gangster. Alternate
Arturo is a Chairman at the University when he isn't on the lecture circuit
at such places as the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. In addition, alternate
Arturo's wife has filed for divorce. (Arturo's wife on Earth Prime, the same
woman, died when they were in their twenties and he's still very much in love
with her.) Both alternate Quinn and alternate Arturo disappeared several
months ago, supposedly on a slide, but our Sliders were never able to confirm
that fact or locate their equipment. [Eggheads]
15. Women's Earth
Women wear the pants on this world. Women here fly planes, hold public
office, play professional sports, and are the captains of industry. They can
even become Pope, just ask Jane Pauley! Men stay home and take care of the
kids or, maybe, get a job as a receptionist. Hillary Clinton is president.
One wonders if Elizabeth Dole will run against her in '96? [The Weaker Sex]
Don't confuse Women's Earth with Love Gods' "X Chromosome Earth."
16. Tahiti Earth
A nice place to spend nine days, sipping Singapore Slings beachside. [The
Weaker Sex]
17. Law and Order Earth
On this world, the crime of spray painting a freeway overpass carries the
death penalty. Not only that but, due to Proposition 199, the "Instant
Justice Initiative", the appeal process only takes a moment--long enough for
the judge to say "Request denied." Sliders visiting this world are advised to
keep off the grass.
Since Quinn is convicted of this crime based on eyewitness and fingerprint
evidence, I think it's safe to assume that this world's Quinn is a bit of a
criminal, or at least a rebel. It's also worth mentioning that the judge who
sentences Quinn bears an uncanny resemblance to Judge Lance Ito. [The King Is
Back]
18. Crying Man's Earth
Rembrandt "Crying Man" Brown was the King of Rock and Roll on this Earth
until a tragic sponge fishing accident in the Gulf apparently ended his life
at the peak of his career. Now, years later, there are Crying Man
impersonators and a shrine to his memory in Memphis. Imagine this world's
surprise when the Sliders arrive. [The King Is Back]
19. Ice Cream Earth
All we know of this world is that Quinn and Rembrandt got jobs as street
venders selling ice cream (King brand ice cream of course!) [The King Is
Back]
20. Lottery Earth
Society on this world keeps the population down to a mere 500 million through
a variety of means including birth control drugs in cola and a lottery system
which usually proves fatal to the winners. The president of this world's
United States is Jocelyn Elders.
The Sliders are joined by two others from this world: Ryan and a dog named
Henry. [Luck Of The Draw]
21. Cliffhanger Earth
Quinn was shot in the back by the Lottery Police when escaping Lottery Earth.
The sliders spent their three days on this world here taking care of Quinn;
Ryan helped by digging the bullet out of Quinn's shoulder.
Ryan, and presumably Henry the dog, stayed behind on this world. [Luck Of The
Draw; Into The Mystic]
22. Halloween Earth
A world where interaction with the paranormal is very normal and the CEO of
the world's most successful corporation is known as "the Sorcerer." When
visiting this world, be sure to see the Golden Gargoyle Gate Bridge -- from
a safe distance of course. One other piece of advice: never *ever* skip out
on a bill owed to a licenced shaman, not ever the great lawyer Ross J.
Kelley could help you if you did! [Into The Mystic]
23. X Chromosome Earth
During a conflict in this world's Middle East, the Iraqis released some kind
of viral agent which attacked the Y chromosome and caused the death of most
of the male population. Australia, with less than 2,000 surviving men,
was one of the countries least affected by this weapon. Now, years later, the
industrial countries of the world are in a race to repopulate the planet.
Although this might seem an attractive world for a male slider to visit, be
warned that all men are kept in what amounts to sexual slave labor camps. Any
man who escapes from these camps will be shot on sight if he is believed to
be trying to defect to another country. [Love Gods]
Don't confuse X Chromosome Earth with The Weaker Sex's "Women's Earth."
24. Monsoon Earth
The San Francisco of this Earth is subject to very violent rain storms. There
must be some sort of civilization since the Sliders were able to find rain
gear to wear before they slid off this world. Rembrandt later refered to this
world as "Rain World." [Gillian of the Spirits]
25. Technophobe Earth
Following the destruction of Hiroshima at the close of World War II, this
world turned away from science and technology, fearing their uncontrolled
spread as something evil. The Bureau of Anti-Technology, the local equivalent
of the F.B.I., hunts down people who secretly use technology or advocate its
use. Nonetheless, in the fifty years since the end of the war, technology and
culture has slowly progressed on this world until it has reached what would
seem to us to be the mid-1950s.
Quinn's alternate father, Michael Mallory, keeps a stash of technology in a
basement workshop. Alternate Quinn died some time ago from Polio--this world
has no Polio vaccine. [Gillian of the Spirits]
26. Nudist Earth
On this world, everyone from mail carriers to housewives shuns the use of
clothing. [Gillian of the Spirits]
27. Sand Earth
We never see this world, all we know of it comes from Arturo's disgusted
comment as the Sliders arrive in a Livery Stable on Gunslinger Earth: "From a
world of sand to a world of horse dung -- Thank you so much for inventing
sliding!" [The Good, the Bad, and the Wealthy]
28. Gunslinger Earth
Lawyers are literally the hired guns of this world; using their six-shooters
while staging hostle takeovers of rival corporations is not unusual.
This world seems to have diverged from ours in the 1800s when the nation of
Texas decided not to join the United States. Later, while the Civil War raged
in the early 1860s, Texas expanded westward to the Pacific. San Francisco is
a city in Texas. [The Good, the Bad, and the Wealthy]
29. War Zone Earth
A catastrophic war occurred on this world about ten years before the Sliders'
arrival. It appears that all forms of government have been totally destroyed
and armed gangs now fight perpetual turf wars in the rubble. [El Sid]
30. Prison Earth
Although the San Francisco of this Earth appears to be a clean, well run
city, it is actually part of the San Francisco National Penitentiary. The
guards are known as custodians and look more like janitors than jailers. Each
inmate is paired off with another and, if either one commits a crime, both
are killed.
Just in case that wasn't enough, seismologists on this world have predicted
that the entire San Francisco peninsula is going to drop off into the ocean
in a massive earthquake due "any time now."
A commonly seen sign in this oppressive San Francisco is: "WE APPRECIATE THAT
YOU CHOOSE NOT TO STAND IN THE SAME PLACE FOR LONG PERIODS."
While on this Earth, Arturo remarks that they've been to "twenty or thirty
different earths." Since this is the thirtieth Earth we've seen, it's likely
we've seen almost every Earth the Sliders have visited. [El Sid]
31. Bearded Women Earth
This world seems to be very similar to the Skirted Cops Earth described
below. The most obvious differences are that women have facial hair and
policemen don't wear skirts. It also appears that the U.S. Constitution was
abridged on this Earth as well. [Time Again And World]
32. Skirted Cops Earth
Following the assassination of President Kennedy by the Rosenbergs, J. Edgar
Hoover became President of this world's United States. The U.S. Constitution,
including the Bill of Rights, was abridged in 1962 or 1963 when martial law
was declared. Now, possession of a copy of the full, unabridged version of
the Constitution is an offense punishable by death.
Rock and Roll music has been largely suppressed on this Earth. Acceptable
music includes: "Liberace Unplugged," "Jim Morrison Sing Irving Berlin," and
Kurt Cobain's new "The Christmas Album."
The J. Edgar Hoover of this world was a cross dresser and, due to this
influence, male police officers wear skirts when they are on duty. (It's
worth noting that the J. Edgar Hoover of our own Earth is believed by many to
have been a cross dresser as well.) [Time Again And World]
33. Truth Tellers Earth
The people of this world are required by law to wear devices around their
necks which administer electric shocks whenever they tell a lie. The bigger
the lie, the bigger the shock; a huge lie can actually cause you to be
electrocuted.
Visitors to this Earth are encouraged to bring along a pair of wirecutters;
although they should keep in mind that removing a truth collar is illegal and
is punishable by death. [In Dino Veritas]
34. Dinosaur Earth
Dinosaurs never went extinct on this Earth although they are now all
endangered species. Dinosaurs such as allosaurus and packs of velocirators
wander through the San Francisco National Forest. Holographic projections of
forest rangers, working out of the San Jose Ranger Station, police the forest
looking for poachers. [In Dino Veritas]
35. Paleontology Earth
Well preserved, if unusually fragile, dinosaur fossils have been found in
this Earth's San Francisco. [In Dino Veritas]
36. Arrowhead Earth
An Earth which was never colonized by the Europeans and whose geology is
substantially different to that of either Earth Double Prime or Earth Prime.
[Post Traumatic Slide Syndrome]
Note: We never see this world, we only hear about it briefly during one of
the press conferences given by Earth Double Prime's Alternate Arturo. In this
press conference he shows off a "remarkable arrowhead, ... a 500 year old
artifact made of a space age titanium alloy" as part of his proof of
interdimensional travel. Since neither Quinn nor Wade made any comment to the
effect of "what is he talking about?," I assume this is an Earth the Sliders
visited which we never saw.
37. Earth Double Prime
An almost exact duplicate of the Sliders' world of origin: Earth Prime. The
most obvious difference is that Golden Gate Bridge is blue and is know as the
Azure Gate Bridge. This Earth's Quinn, Wade and Rembrandt became lost while
sliding just as our four Sliders did; the only difference is that this
Earth's Arturo backed out at the last moment and did not accompany them.
Other differences are subtle and could only be noticed after a few days of
carefully looking for them.
While on this Earth, it is mentioned that the Sliders have been sliding for
eighteen months. This indicates that their travels began in 1994. From
Quinn's video diary in the Pilot episode, we know they left Earth Prime in
late September of that year. [Post Traumatic Slide Syndrome]
Note: It's unclear when the Sliders leave this world whether our Arturo or
this Earth's Alternate Arturo made the slide with them. The other Arturo,
whoever he is, was left behind.
38. Psychiatrist Earth
All we see of this Earth is the inside of a psychiatrist's office while
Rembrandt recounts the events which transpired on Earth Double Prime. [Post
Traumatic Slide Syndrome]
39. New India Earth
It appears that the India of this Earth colonized the western hemisphere
before the Europeans did. The men we see in New India wear turbans and cows
are free to wander the streets without fear of being turned into hamburgers.
[Obsession]
40. Psychic Earth
A full ten percent of this Earth's population show some degree of psychic
ability. After a psychic prevented the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in
1865, the President set up the post of Prime Oracle. This post has since
become one of the most powerful in the United States, second only to that of
the President. Psychics, also known as seers, have prevented the
assassination of other leaders as well: John F. Kennedy died in 1996 of
complications from Addison's disease rather than being assassinated in 1963.
Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., themselves assassinated in the
1960s on our Earth, both attended JFK's funeral.
Medical Oracles of this Earth can diagnose patients merely by touch, although
it's unclear whether or not they have any healing abilities. The X-Ray
machine is both unknown and unnecessary here.
Psychic Earth is more advanced technologically than ours in some ways; a
billboard the Sliders see announces: "Predicted Gold Deposits Found on Moon."
Travellers to this world should be warned that the police can make a
"preventative arrest" if a seer determines that you will commit a crime at
some point in the future. [Obsession]
41. Litigation Earth
Eighty-four percent of this Earth's population has attended law school which
makes fear of litigation the primary motivator of every action here. Movie
critics don't even dare take a stand on whether or not Pauly Shore is this
world's greatest actor or not.
Pack a bag lunch if you want to eat here. Before ordering a hamburger, fries
and a cola on this Earth, you will need to present some salmonella insurance,
a carbonated beverage release form, a picture ID and a note from your doctor
indicating that your cholesterol count is below 200. [Greatfellas]
42. Prohibition Earth
The eighteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited the sale
of "intoxicating liquors," was never repealed on this Earth. This resulted in
Al Capone and other members of organized crime continuing to gain money and
power by bootlegging alcohol and setting up casino gambling empires. The
San Francisco skyline of this Earth looks somewhat similar to that of our Las
Vegas--neon everywhere.
The power of the federal government on this world has been on the decline for
years, even as the regional power of various crime families grows. Nevada is
controlled by the Dabelle family while the Greenfeld family controls
California.
The Rembrandt Brown of this Earth is the Deputy Director of the FBI and is
the head of a group of agents known simply as "The Incorruptables."
On this Earth, Mel Torme is a country western singer(!) who is currently
touring with Wynonna Judd. He's also a government informant, passing along
information to Deputy Director Brown. [Greatfellas]
43. Howard Stern's Earth
On this Earth, the youth of the United States took over in 1980 when it was
determined that the Social Security System stood to bankrupt the economy, the
environment was a mess, and the nuclear arms race threatened the entire
planet. Jimmy Carter lost the election in 1980 to Howard Stern, a talk radio
host.
The first thing President Stern did was lower the voting age to nine. Because
baby boomers had glutted the job market, workers are now required to retire
and "get out of the way" by the age of thirty. Citizens over the age of
thirty are, for all intents and purposes, second class citizens.
The Quinn Mallory and Wade Wells of this Earth work for Advanced Software
Industries and have been promoting a questionable product called EduLearn as
a replacement for the public school system. Alternate Quinn (who went by the
initials Q.R.) was, until his recent death, married to alternate Wade Wells.
[The Young and the Relentless]
Note: People who think the idea of a "shock" talk radio personality taking
over the White House should remember that Jimmy Carter lost the 1980 election
to a former movie star by the name of Ronald Reagan.
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OTHER ALTERNATE EARTHS
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Other worlds which have been mentioned but never visited by "our" Sliders
include:
* "Smarter" Quinn's Earth
The Quinn of this world was able to figure out the final equation which made
sliding practical. He also invented the term 'Slider' and was married
(perhaps to an alternate Wade?). "Oh yes, and one more thing about the timer,
whatever you do, don't ever..." *whoosh* [Pilot]
* Utopia Earth
Visited by "Smarter" Quinn during one of his previous slides. [Pilot]
In the December 1995 issue of "Sci-Fi Entertainment", there is an interview
with Robert Weiss (Co-Creator of SLIDERS) where he indicates that Utopia
Earth may be the same as the Lottery Earth seen in the episode "Luck Of The
Draw." Since then, Tracy Torme (SLIDERS Executive Producer) has said that in
a future episode, the Sliders may visit a world which fits "Smarter" Quinn's
description of Utopia a bit better:
"I once stepped onto an Earth just this side of paradise. Where there
was no pollution, no crime or hate. People were happy and a stranger
was welcomed with love. No one was afraid there Quinn--think about
that. No one was afraid.
I had set the timer for twenty hours before I left home that day. Not
nearly enough time in a world like that. I hope I find it again; I'll
always keep looking." -- "Smarter" Quinn
* Cubs Earth
A world where the Cubs have won the World Series for the last three years.
Visited by "Smarter" Quinn during one of his previous slides. [Pilot]
Note: The Cubs of our Earth haven't won the World Series since 1908.
* five other earths
"Smarter" Quinn mentions that his visit to Earth Prime is his eighth slide so
there must be five other worlds he's visited which we know nothing about.
[Pilot]
* Sorcerer's Home Earth
The alternate Quinn seen on Halloween Earth was not a native of that
particular dimension but had instead slid there from his own world some time
in the past. This alternate Quinn seems to know more about sliding than
either our Quinn or "Smarter" Quinn since he can control the destination of a
slide. [Into The Mystic]
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COLOPHON
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The Sliders FAQ consists of three postings:
1. Sliders FAQ: General Questions
2. Sliders FAQ: Episode Guide
3. Sliders FAQ: Alternate Earths (this one!)
These are posted on a regular basis to the alt.tv.sliders,
alt.tv.sliders.creative, rec.arts.sf.tv, alt.answers, rec.answers, and
news.answers newsgroups.
The latest version of this FAQ is available via FTP from:
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu//pub/usenet-by-group/alt.tv.sliders/
The HTML version of these documents can be found at:
http://www.brillig.com/sliders/
Comments, suggestions, and contributions are always welcomed by the
maintainer of this FAQ:
Ed Hall (edh...@brillig.com)
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Copyright (c) 1995,1996 by Ed Hall. All rights reserved.
This FAQ may be posted to any USENET newsgroup, on-line service, or BBS as
long as it is posted in its entirety and includes this copyright statement.
This FAQ may not be distributed for financial gain. This FAQ may not be
included in commercial collections or compilations without the express
written permission of the author.
Ed Hall (edh...@brillig.com)
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