Originally aired May 24, 1996
Teleplay by Jon Povill
Story by Steve Brown & Jon Povill
Directed by Colin Bucksey
The Sliders land on a parallel world where 10% of the population possesses psychic abilities. Rembrandt and Arturo are arrested for a murder that hasn't happened yet, while Wade meets Derek Bond, a powerful seer who may have loved her in a different lifetime.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Alternate History: Lincoln was saved from assassination by a psychic. He then created the position of Prime Oracle to help prevent future disasters. Because of this JFK lived to the present day, dying of natural causes. His brother RFK and Martin Luther King Jr are also alive.
- Arbitrary Skepticism: Upon meeting the group, Derek notes how Arturo will be quite skeptical of claims of seers and seeing the future. Arturo goes on to do just that, though he tempers his tone as the episode goes on.
- Armor-Piercing Question: "Love? She had to kill herself to get away from you, and you call that love?"
- Batman Gambit: The Prime Oracle initiates one to ensure that Derek will be a worthy successor. He has his driver nearly run Wade down in the street, causing Rembrandt to push her out of the way and injure his foot. Because of this, the group has to go to the hospital, where Rembrandt meets a nurse that ultimately gets the pills Wade uses to fake her suicide. In the end, Derek realizes the point of this was to teach him to not abuse his powers.
- Big "NO!": During the final flashback, Richard does this combined with a Skyward Scream after Kate dies in his arms.
- Big "OMG!": Wade when she sees someone who looks exactly like the guy from her dream.
- Both Sides Have a Point: When deciding his successor, the Prime Oracle notes that Melanie is right about having more discipline and that Derek is right about having more power. The tie-breaker is the simple fact that Derek can achieve better discipline, but Melanie can't achieve greater power.
- Comes Great Responsibility: Derek has powerful psychic abilities, but he has a great deal of anger. The point of this story is for him to learn better control.
- The End... Or Is It?: The group slides out peacefully, but then Derek appears frightened—saying he's seeing where they're about to land.note
- Faking the Dead: Wade downs some medicine in an apparent act of suicide, but the pills just knocked her out.
- Flashback Nightmare: Wade has multiple dreams that fill in the romance of Richard and Kate, and how it came to a tragic end.
- Foil: The other finalist for replacing the current Prime Oracle is a woman named Melanie. She has less power than Derek, but she has more control and a greater personal regard for the old man.
- Fourth-Date Marriage: Derek proposes to Wade after their first date. Wade took the ring because he insisted, but she didn't formally accept the proposal and is a bit torn over what to do. Quinn and Rembrandt think that settles it, though Arturo argues she's more rational than they're giving her credit for.Wade: Derek's everything I could possibly ask for.
Quinn: You know this after one date? - Green-Eyed Monster: Quinn really can't help himself, as Wade and Derek become closer.
- Hero of Another Story: The various Prime Oracles over the years have prevented multiple wars and alerted people to various natural disasters. This record of success has ensured a great deal of faith in whoever holds the office. Arturo notes the current Prime Oracle has a particularly lofty reputation.
- Meaningful Name: Rembrandt intimates that part of the reason he's called the "Crying Man" is because he's had his share of lost loves.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Derek after Wade's supposed suicide.
- The Name Is Bond, James Bond: "The name's Bond, Derek Bond. It's kind of hard to resist saying it that way."
- Parental Substitute: The Prime Oracle took Derek and Melanie in and raised them as part of their training. Melanie takes his impending death hard, but Derek is far colder about it.
- Pre Crime Arrest: Rembrandt and Arturo are arrested for a murder that hasn't occurred yet. After read their rights, they're immediately released and warned not to actually commit the crime.
- Prophecy Twist: It's Wade that the Police Oracles say Rembrandt and Arturo are predicted to kill. Later, Rembrandt and Arturo reveal they were behind the faked suicide plan, with Rembrandt saying they partly got the idea from the arrest. So, they did sort of kill her.
- Psychic Powers: Ten percent of the human population on the latest parallel world our heroes visit possess them.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Quinn gives one to Derek after Wade apparently commits suicide in order to get away from him.
- Reincarnation: Derek claims he and Wade are reincarnations of Star-Crossed Lovers, Richard and Kate.
- Running Gag: The rough landing comes with an extra bit of irritation, as they land on a beat up path next to some cushy grass.Arturo: Soft landing there, hard part here. And where do we land unfailingly?!
- Ship Tease: Derek romancing and proposing to Wade really gets under Quinn's skin.
- Shout-Out to Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet crops up a bit, specifically the fake suicide plan (which Arturo notes has a happier ending here than in the play).
- Undying Loyalty: The position of Prime Oracle is so highly regarded that the person holding it has everyone's complete trust. When Rembrandt complains about being nearly run over by the gun's car, the officers insist the Prime Oracle surely had a good reason for that (which, as it turns out, he did).
- We Would Have Told You, But...: Quinn is kept in the dark about the phony suicide plan so that Derek won't be able to learn the truth from reading his mind.
- You Are Too Late: Richard arrives on the scene mere moments after Kate is shot. He says his father boasted of his plan knowing he'd never make it in time to save her.
- You Can't Fight Fate: Zig Zagged. Every prediction comes true, but the characters' actions can cause a Prophecy Twist.
