Originally aired March 15, 1996
Written by Tony Blake & Paul Jackson
Directed by Paris Barclay
An accident renders Quinn invisible to the rest of the Sliders as they arrive on a world where advanced technology has been outlawed by the government. Wade, Rembrandt, and Arturo must rely on a troubled young woman with a history of hearing voices in order to reunite with Quinn.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Alternate History: In this world, the devastation of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki lead the United States government to conclude that technology could only lead to suffering and misery so technology was essentially banned. However, some piecemeal technological progress was made and technology in the mid 1990s resembles that of the early to mid 1950s on Earth Prime. The Bureau of Anti-Technology enforces the relevant laws.
- Arbitrary Skepticism: Arturo is initially dubious of Gillian being able to see and hear Quinn on the astral plane, going as far as to claim that the story she cites (him walking in on Quinn and Wade kissing) happened to their doubles on this world. He's gotten over his skepticism by the next time he sees Gillian, though, and takes everything at face value.
- Armor-Piercing Response: After Gillian asserts herself and explains the situation.Mrs. Mitchell: This is insane.
Gillian: But it's true. I'm not crazy and, if you love me, you'll give me a chance to prove it. - Because You Were Nice to Me: Gillian is very reluctant to help Quinn, but while she's distracted at work, another girl steals money from the open cash register and leaves her to get chewed out by her boss. Quinn wins Gillian over by telling her where the stolen money is.
- Big "OMG!": Quinn after Wade walks right through him.
- Big "WHAT?!": Wade when told that the agents that confiscated the timer actually work for Bayside Power and Electric and that Michael's in on it.
- Confessional: Rembrandt uses this to talk to Father Jerry about the group's travels and need for technology to repair the timer. Father Jerry concedes this is quite a legal dilemma (if not outright blasphemous), but he keeps Rembrandt's confidence and provides the address of someone who can help the group.
- Continuity Nod: To prove to the others that she can hear Quinn, Gillian mentions the time Arturo walked in on Quinn and Wade making out.
- Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Averted. Bayside Power and Electric has developed all sorts of technology in private. Once the company's lobbyists convince Congress to repeal the anti-technology laws, the top executive says they will unveil their new goods to the public and make a fortune.
- Cutting the Knot: During their break-in to retrieve the timer, Rembrandt and Arturo get stopped by a locked door. Rembrandt asks if he can pick it, but Arturo opts for a different kind of "precision made key": taking a wrench to the door's window.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Gillian was hospitalized for her claims of talking to ghosts.
- Dead Alternate Counterpart: In this world, Quinn's double died of polio, which still kills millions of people every year as Jonas Salk never developed the vaccine due to the anti-technology laws. This trope is inverted with Quinn's father Michael Mallory, who is still alive when the sliders visit.
- Friendless Background:Gillian: I know being stuck on the astral plane isn't all that great, but at least you have friends who care about you. Take that from someone who has no friends.
- Funny Background Event: As Gillian talks to the invisible Quinn on the sidewalk, a man walks by and looks over his shoulder at her in confusion.
- The Gadfly: Rembrandt needles Wade about making out with Quinn in a basement some months back.
- Ghostly Chill: Rembrandt feels a chill when Quinn brushes his face.
- Government Agency of Fiction: The Bureau of Anti-Technology (otherwise known as simply "Anti-Tech.")
- Hearing Voices: Gillian has a history of this happening to her, which has made her an outcast...and also makes her important to the plot of the episode.
- Heroic Vow: When it looks like Quinn is going to be left behind, Arturo promises to find a way to master control of sliding and come back for him.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: Gillian after years of being thought crazy by her peers and constantly made fun of. Quinn helps her become more confident about her gift.
- Intangibility: The lightning also renders Quinn able to past through solid objects.
- Irony:
- Arturo is admittedly amused about being stuck in the technological Stone Age with a broken timer from the Space Age.
- Gillian observes that Quinn is the first friend she ever had and that she can't even give him a hug.
- Bayside Power and Electric has developed all sorts of new technology in secret that they considered highly advanced, but their tech guy is completely flabbergasted by the timer and admits he has no idea what it's even made of.
- When Gillian relays Quinn's instructions to repair the timer, Arturo says none of the tools are fine enough to do such precise work. He laments the irony of getting stopped by the lack of something as simple as a pin or paperclip.
- Lightning Can Do Anything: The lightning hitting the vortex just as Quinn entered sent him to the astral plane.
- My Beloved Smother: Gillian's mother is overly protective of her.
- My God, What Have I Done?: According to the Father Jerry, the aftermath of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki prompted a society-wide version of this trope.
- Naked People Are Funny: After the slide, the group wonder if they've made it home this time, but Quinn notices a mailman and a homeowner aren't wearing any clothes.
- No One Left Behind: Double subverted. It looks like the others will have to leave Quinn behind, but after they're gone, the vortex passes through the astral plane.
- Oh, Crap!: After the owner of the house answers the door.Wade: Oh my God.
Quinn: Dad. - Race Against the Clock: Part of the Sliders' problem is that the timer was fried during their arrival. As such, they have no idea if they've missed the window or not. When the timer is finally repaired, they find there was very little time to spare.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Father Jerry is a beloved figure in the community and gives Rembrandt a fair shake.
- Scare the Dog: A police horse can't see Quinn but is clearly aware of his presence and starts panicking over it. When the cop threatens to arrest Arturo for possessing advanced technology (his watch), Quinn plays to this so the horse will break free and run off, allowing the others to flee in all the confusion.
- Shout-Out: In the taxi, Gillian briefly talks to Quinn, prompting the driver to ask, "Are you talking to me?"
- Skepticism Failure: Mrs. Mitchell is openly doubtful of her daughter's gift, until Gillian rattles off complex terminology. She's so won over that she gives Arturo her broach's pin to make the final bit of precise repairs.
- Suddenly Shouting: "ASTRAL PLANE?!"
- Teens Are Monsters: Gillian gets grief about her history from one such girl at work and later alludes to this being quite a common occurrence.
- Tragic Intangibility: Quinn over being unable to directly reassure the others that he's fine, help Arturo fix the timer, and warn the group of the danger they're in.
- Visible Invisibility: Quinn is rendered invisible to the other Sliders, but he appears just fine to the viewer.
- Wham Shot: Father Jerry gives Rembrandt the address of someone who can help the Sliders. Later, Rembrandt knocks on the door and Michael Mallory answers.
- Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Michael has no reservations about betraying the Sliders, but he was broken by his Quinn's death and later hardened by five years in prison. Arturo and later Quinn consider him a figure deserving of sympathy.
- Woobie of the Week: Gillian starts out with very little self-confidence after years of being considered crazy and made fun of.Quinn: Gillian, those people... they only do that because they're just afraid of what they don't understand.
Gillian: I know, but it still hurts. - You Can See Me?: At the church, Quinn notices when Gillian looks directly at him. When he sees that no one is standing behind him, he has this reaction.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Quinn assures Gillian that she has a gift and tells her to never forget how amazing she is.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The villains' plan is to pump the Sliders for information about advanced technology and then kill them afterwards.
