Sliders s01e09 Episode Script

Whoa! Here, puppy! Ugh! (groaning) Wade: I've decided to keep a journal of our experiences.
We've seen so many amazing things, I just want to have some kind of record of them.
On this world, San Francisco feels like a small town.
We've been here almost 18 hours and we haven't seen a single person who didn't look content.
Take a look at these prices.
They're amazing, aren't they? Reminds me of when I was a boy in England.
Of course, the prices were in sterling then.
What is this, "1950s World"? I don't think so.
I got a feeling I'm really going to like this place.
- Anybody got a buck? - Sure.
Wait a minute, I've lost my wallet.
Excuse me, sir.
I think you dropped that.
What a world.
Amazing.
There you are, my good man.
Wade: No crime.
No pollution or poverty.
No racial strife.
Maybe it's because there's a lottery here that simply gives out money whenever you want it.
The sad thing is, we only have three days here.
I'm starting to wish we could stay forever.
Excuse me, sir, is there a limit on this lottery? - Are you folks from out of state? - In a manner of speaking.
The sky's the limit.
The more you take, the more chances you have to win.
Thank you.
The more you take, the better your chances? These odds I like.
Professor: Be very careful.
We know nothing of this world.
I suggest we take no more than we see other people taking.
He's right.
"When in Rome" I played Rome in '83.
Rome's expensive as hell.
It would be good not to worry about money anymore.
Rembrandt Brown.
Room 12 at the Motel 12.
I'd like $5,000.
There's no such thing as something for nothing, Mr.
Brown.
That's what I always thought until now.
Excuse me.
Professor Maximillian Arturo.
Motel 12, Room 12.
Five dollars, please.
Thank you.
Wade Wells.
Room 12 at the Motel 12.
I'd like $1,000.
Get down, you loathsome creature.
Rembrandt: Henry's just trying to be friendly, Professor.
At least he's not biting you.
Mmm.
(giggles) His affections are not appreciated.
I love animals.
I miss my kitty at home.
And because you miss your kitty at home, we have to be subject to dog hair and saliva at every turn? Frankly, yes.
Come on, Henry.
- Professor: Come along, you miserable hound.
- Quinn: Let's eat.
You got to admire those high rollers, may they rest in peace.
Quinn: What if you could find brand new worlds right here on Earth, where anything is possible? Same planet, different dimension.
I found the gateway.
(theme music plays) Quinn: This guy loves the picnic basket.
(laughing) Professor: Excuse me, sir, could you tell us how to get a taxi? Just take one of the public cars, son.
There are three of them right over there.
You mean we just take them? Sure, that's what they're there for.
Thank you.
Well, madam, you have a choice of color.
The blue one.
- Blue it shall be.
- Shotgun! "Golden Bay Rapid Transit.
" (laughs) Come on, Henry.
Wade: It doesn't even need a key! (engine starts) Professor: Say what you will, this languid pace certainly allows one to enjoy life's simple pleasures.
Listen to this according to this magazine, there's only on this world.
Less than half a billion people in the entire world? Why, that's 10%/% of the population of our Earth.
Yeah, and the population of San Francisco is less than 100,000.
A smaller population is probably one of the antidotes to the ills of civilization.
Fewer people, less pressure on resources, less stress.
Who's up for a horseback ride? I'm game.
I'll try anything once.
I'm going to pass on that.
I'd go for some fishing.
That is a truly splendid idea.
Nothing more satisfying than coaxing one's supper from the depths.
You fish? I'm English.
We invented fishing.
(laughing) Come on.
- Rembrandt: Come on.
- A spinning reel, Mr.
Brown? That's hardly sporting, is it? We'll see who the sport is when I pull in the granddaddy.
Fishing is not about mere tonnage, Mr.
Brown.
It's about the competition that exists between the skill of the sportsman and the cunning of the actual fish.
Observe.
(Rembrandt chuckles) We're not trying to catch blue jays, Professor.
Let a real angler show you how it's done.
(reel whirrs) Isn't this place great? Sort of.
That's it, you're doing great.
Just keep the weight on the balls of your feet.
(laughs) Look out! (groaning) Whoo, what a rush.
Let me see.
Ouch.
What are you looking at? You.
I thought we weren't going to do this.
When did we decide that? It looks okay.
Let's just rest here a little while.
Oh-hh.
It's so quiet and peaceful.
It's hard to believe this is San Francisco, huh? Don't you just feel incredibly at home here? Not really.
Are you kidding? Look around.
Beautiful countryside, people are so nice.
It'd be a great place to raise kids.
Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? Why? Because I'm tired of sliding? Because I'm starting to think we're never going to get home? Wouldn't it be better to stay someplace we know is good rather than get stuck somewhere terrible if the timer gives out? Come on, Wade, don't talk like that.
Why not? We've been avoiding this issue for months.
"Issue"? What are you talking about? Us.
Face it, Quinn we are one another's world, along with Rembrandt and the Professor.
Maybe it's time we faced facts.
This is a great place.
We should at least think about staying here.
After one day? We can't throw everything away we've been working for on the basis of pretty scenery.
It's not just that.
(sighs) Forget it.
Let's just go, okay? Despite protests from right-to-life extremists, President Jocelyn Elders attended the dedication of the newly reopened Thomas Malthus Center for Sexual Ethics and Education today.
Congressional response was swift Who's Thomas Malthus? The Reverend Thomas Malthus was an English economist of the 19th century.
He said that mankind would be forever condemned to live in misery because the population would always increase at a faster rate than the food supply.
Evidently, in this world they took it to heart.
Trout Almondine.
Get it while it's hot.
Oh, wow! You guys really caught all those? See if you can guess which one is the Professor's.
(both laugh) It takes a sophisticated fly fisherman to haul in a monster like that.
"Ha, ha, ha," very funny indeed.
Yes, we get the joke.
- Q-Ball, you going to eat? - "The Lottery Show," with your host, Geoff Edwards.
Thank you, thank you very much.
Welcome to tonight's drawing, brought to you by The Lottery Commission.
Ooh, the Lottery.
Edwards: Tonight, 12 lucky entrants will share prize money valued at more than $5 million each and receive unlimited white card privileges.
The card that only Lottery winners can get.
And the card that gives you everything everything your heart desires.
Wish me luck, Henry.
Let's get over there and get our first selection going.
And here it comes our first selection.
Julianne Murphy, Wow, as beautiful as she is, and $5 million, too.
There's still 11 lucky Lottery winners left.
Wade Wells, room 12 at the Motel 12.
- I won? - Congratulations.
Ms.
Wells your every wish has just come true.
I won! (laughs) I won the Lottery! Oh, how good does this world look now? I haven't been in a limo this size since the "Topps" broke up.
Ms.
Wells will be riding in limos for the rest of her life.
Not the way I spend money.
What if I wanted to give my money to the poor? Unfortunately, the last poor person won the Lottery herself about six months ago.
What's the deal with this white card? Very simple show it to any merchant, he gives you whatever you wish.
You cannot be turned down.
It's society's way of saying thanks.
Damn, girl, some people have all the luck.
Thanks for what? Thanks for playing the Lottery.
What else? (laughs) (laughing) Welcome, sir.
(soft orchestral music playing) (groans) That would look really sharp on you.
Yeah.
I like the blue.
I don't know.
That red one's pretty nice.
Well buy them both.
It's not like they're gonna charge you for it.
(laughing) I hope you don't mind, but Ms.
Murphy, one of the other winners, was very excited to hear that you had arranged to show the Paris Fall Collection.
- Wade: Not at all.
- Sure.
I mean, the more the merrier.
Uh I'll just get you a chair.
I mean it would be a privilege to get a chair for a lady as beautiful as yourself.
- That's so sweet.
Thank you.
- It's okay.
Sit here.
- Where are you going? - For a walk.
Excuse me a second.
Quinn? Please.
Quinn? What's eating you? Shopping for designer gowns isn't my idea of a good time.
I have to find something to wear to the Lottery Winners' Ball tonight.
This whole thing doesn't add up, Wade.
You can't walk up to a machine, collect thousands of dollars, and if you're really lucky, hit the big jackpot.
Will you chill out? We landed in Utopia.
I'm a multi-millionaire.
You're afraid I'm going to stay here aren't you? Maybe.
Quinn, this is a great world.
I don't know what I want to do yet.
Whatever I decide, can't we just try and enjoy ourselves? It's not that easy.
Are you gonna take me to this thing tonight, or not? I'll be there.
(jazz music plays) Neisser: Ms.
Wells! Welcome.
This is for you so that we can identify the winners.
Thank you.
The men all get boutonnieres.
I thought you weren't going to make it.
Rembrandt: Where's Q-Ball? He's not back yet.
Security seems awfully tight for a gala like this.
In case the right-to-lifers cause a disturbance.
Well, we'll see you out on the dance floor.
- Shall we? - Why not? A moment, Ms.
Wells.
I need you to fill out some forms.
I'll wait for you at the buffet.
Okay.
What is this? A beneficiary form.
Next of kin.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Okay.
I left mine to the Sierra Club.
I'm Ryan.
This is for you.
Thank you.
You're Wade Wells, aren't you? How do you know my name? I saw you on television the night they announced the winners.
If you hurry and sign that, I can ask you to dance.
Let's go.
Okay.
(sighs) Are you all right? Sweetheart, I told you I was "The Crying Man.
" I really feel happy.
I feel as if I'm the one who won the Lottery.
No one's ever cried over me before.
Oh, get ready, sweetheart, because I'm gonna be shedding lots of tears over you.
(sighs) You know what I want? What's that? I'd like to spend the rest of my life with you.
Priest: We don't want zero population growth.
The Lottery must be stopped.
What's happening in there is wrong! We must stop the bloodshed.
Read it.
It'll change your life.
Rembrandt: I used to write songs about love at first sight, but nothing like this.
(Julianne laughs) What kind of song would you write about us? Sweetheart, for you, I'd write a symphony.
Take me, Rembrandt.
Right here.
Right now.
- Right here? - Um-hmm.
I'm a white card holder.
I can have anything I want.
And I want you.
I want you too, Julianne but shouldn't we go to your room or something? The winners have to be here for the midnight toast.
And I don't think I can wait that long.
(laughs) That's basically it.
I was a Romantic lit major in school.
Ryan: "Wine goes in at the mouth Love goes in at the eye That's all we shall know for truth Till we grow old and we die.
" Wade: That's "A Drinking Song" by Yeats.
- Ryan: Um-hm.
- I wrote a paper on him.
I am so in awe of poets the way they express themselves it's a gift I wish that I had.
I think you express yourself just fine.
What else do you like besides poetry? Well, I love traveling.
My goal was to climb Everest, swim the English Channel, and paddle the Amazon before I was 30.
- Wow, did you really do all that? - Yeah.
And I thought I liked adventure.
All that was left was winning the Lottery.
And you are the best part of that.
(laughs) (uptempo music continues) Do you realize what a wonderful world this is? I mean, don't you wake up in the morning and feel grateful that you weren't born on some other godforsaken piece of rock? Frankly, I don't think about it.
Hmm well, you should.
Trust me.
I'm a physicist.
I know.
There are far worse places than this.
The truth is, I'm a hypocrite.
Every day I work with Lottery winners.
Good, decent men and women making honorable sacrifices for society.
I don't see how that makes you a hypocrite.
(whispers) I'm afraid of death.
I'm sorry, I don't follow your reasoning.
Excuse me, is your name on the list? Professor! - Security: Hold it there, sir! - Excuse me.
I'm a guest of Wade Wells.
- She's one of the winners.
- Check the list.
I'm afraid she already brought her escort.
(laughs) I've got to get inside.
Uh, sir? I'm glad you came.
There's something wrong here.
Professor, we've got to get her out of here.
Listen this lottery, it's population control.
What? That's what "winning" means.
Tomorrow morning, they're gonna kill Wade.
(laughs) This can't be true.
My, God it says the Lottery has killed nationwide.
They don't call it death.
Everybody's in a rush to the afterlife.
They call it "making way.
" Maybe these right-to-lifers are some kind of crackpots.
These right-to-lifers are Nobel prizewinning philosophers and scientists.
Believe it.
Still think this is paradise? This is no time for acrimony.
Find a way of getting her out of here.
I'll tell you how we get her out of here.
The same way we came in.
Through the front door.
Then hightail it for the woods and hide overnight, till we slide.
- I can't.
- Didn't you hear what I just said? Quinn, there is no way to hide.
Every move I make is chaperoned until this party is over.
Wade? Everything okay? I'll be with you in a minute, Ryan.
Who's he? Another lucky winner.
Look, I've got to go, okay? I'll see you guys back at the room.
Listen, I've got a question.
Since we're sliding out of here in the morning could we maybe bring somebody with us? - Rembrandt! - Look, I mean it, man.
She's good people.
We just can't leave her here.
Mr.
Brown, we understand the extent of your personal involvement, but the risk is too great.
Explain.
I'm not saying it's impossible, Rembrandt.
But the more people we take in the wormhole, the more energy it drains from the system.
There's no guarantee we'd make it to the next world safely.
I just can't let her die, man.
All right.
Let me see what we can do.
It's barbaric.
On the contrary, my boy in some ways it's more humane than our society.
Professor, they kill people to limit the population.
In our world, millions of people die every year through war, famine, disease, caused in part by the fact that we refuse to accept limits on our population.
Here, they kill volunteers painlessly, and generously reward their beneficiaries.
Now you may abhor their methods as indeed do l but as a man of science, you cannot dismiss the result.
Neisser: Society owes all of you a great debt, it's true.
As much as we envy you, we are appreciative of this sacrifice.
Now that you all have your departure times, we'd appreciate your cooperation in making this as efficient and pleasant a making way as possible.
Could I speak to you for a second? Efficiency is as important to us What? We're missing the speech.
Julianne, there's something I need to say.
I have real feelings for you, and the thought of going on without you is almost too painful to contemplate.
What are you saying, Rembrandt? I see a future with you, and I want us to go on together.
(laughs) You mean it? You want to die with me? Die with you? Julianne, there is something I need to explain.
(ringing) - Wade? - No, man, it's me.
Listen, I've explained everything to Julianne, and she's cool.
She understands about the slide? I told her to keep an open mind.
She's upstairs packing.
I'm gonna go up and collect her in a couple of minutes.
Q-Ball, I really appreciate this.
Let's just hope it works.
Is Wade with you? No.
Last time I saw her she was with Ryan.
Take care, Rembrandt, see you in a bit.
Later.
Ryan: So who was that guy? The guy that showed up late.
He's a friend.
I'm not getting in the middle of something, am I? It's sort of a long story.
Ryan, I can't.
What's the matter? This is just happening way too fast.
Ordinarily I would say let's take it slow, but we're scheduled to make way in the morning.
Can I trust you? To my grave.
What I'm about to say is going to sound pretty shocking.
I'm from a parallel world.
What? It's not going to make a whole lot of sense.
The point is I entered this lottery under false pretenses.
I don't want to die.
Wait a minute you're not a right-to-lifer, are you? No I don't understand the way this society works, okay? Right-to-lifers and everything.
The point is I've got to get out of here.
My friends those guys you saw me with we're scheduled to leave in a couple of hours.
You realize what you're saying? In the first place, they're not going to let you leave.
You'll get the process.
The "process"? The penalty for subverting the Lottery system.
They'll make you pay in pain before they kill you.
(sirens blare) What are those sirens? The Lottery police.
You didn't say anything about this to anybody, did you? No.
It must be the demonstrators.
Ryan, listen to me.
If you help me, then neither one of us has to die tomorrow.
You can come with us.
No, see, I shouldn't even be listening to this.
You have no idea what these people are capable of.
Ryan, wait.
No.
For your own good, okay? Don't even think about it.
(police radio chatter) Julianne? Come in, Rembrandt.
So now, are we ready? Rembrandt Brown? Lottery Police.
You're under arrest.
- You have the right to remain silent - Rembrandt: Wait a minute.
if you choose to do so, it can and will be used against you in a court of law.
Mr.
Brown, are you now or have you ever been, a member of The Right- To-Life movement? I don't know anything about any "right-to-life movement.
" Julianne, what's going on? I'm sorry, Rembrandt.
I couldn't let you do it.
- You turned me in? - I had to.
I wouldn't let you jeopardize my family's inheritance.
Wait a minute, what is this? I thought you loved me.
I do.
But obviously, you were delusional and in need of help, How could I turn my back on that? This is your idea of help? Yes.
We're about to be bonded eternally.
We'll always be together.
Together? (siren wails, angry voices) What the hell's going on out there? The police.
- Professor: What time is it? - Quinn: Almost 4:00.
Where the hell are they? I don't know.
I'm gonna find out.
(knocking) - (door opens) - Man: Yes? Lottery agent: Lt'll just be a few minutes.
Hello, Rembrandt.
I'm so glad you're here.
It's not like I had a choice.
I really misjudged you, Rembrandt.
Yeah? Well, it looks like I misjudged you, too.
You're so misguided so afraid of death.
That's why you're here To be liberated from your fears.
Thanks, but I think I do just fine on my own.
You must see that there's nothing to be afraid of, my dear Rembrandt.
Fear is what kills.
Love lives forever.
Here you are, Julianne.
Mmmm.
Tastes so good, Rembrandt.
Like ambrosia.
Julianne I'm gonna lie back a little.
I already feel like I'm floating.
(laughs) Ooh.
I see a white light.
It's all around me.
It's through me.
(laughs) There's nothing to fear.
Take my hand.
I'm going with the light now.
She's made way.
She can't protect you anymore.
Wait a minute.
What are you guys doing? We're taking you to the Municipal Processing Center.
Municipal Processing Center? Where's that? That's where you're gonna die, Mr.
Brown.
Most uncomfortably.
Where the hell have you been? Where's Quinn? He's out looking for you and the lovesick Mr.
Brown.
- We need to walk the dog.
- We don't need to walk the dog.
The dog is perfectly fine.
We need to walk the dog now! (silent) Ah well, since you put it that way, yes, of course, I think we need to walk the dog.
Come on, Henry.
Come on, old boy.
- (dog barks) - Come on, you old woofer! - I couldn't talk in the room because it's probably bugged.
- So I gathered.
Tampering with the Lottery is the worst crime you can commit on this world.
This whole thing is being monitored.
If we don't find Quinn and Rembrandt soon, - we're all gonna die here.
- (siren wails, stops) - (voices murmuring) - Something's happening.
Excuse me, what's going on? Some guy was trying to kidnap one of the Lottery winners.
Wade: Oh, my God.
Rembrandt: Hey, guys you gotta help me.
- What are they going to do with him? - Redcap: The process, sir.
He's gonna regret the day he screwed with the Lottery.
(siren howls) Wade! Professor! They've got Rembrandt.
I know.
What the hell did you tell Ryan? - You think Ryan turned him in? - Who else could have done it? - I can't believe that.
- They're taking Rembrandt to Geary Street.
- A place called Municipal Processing Center.
- We've got to go get him.
No, you're staying here.
Otherwise they'll think you're trying to escape.
If you miss the slide, they'll kill you.
Wait for us in the ballroom.
If we're not back in time slide without us.
Let's go, Professor.
(siren blares) So you're about to die.
Now you wait a minute.
I'm sure you have many questions.
Yeah, like how the hell do I get out of here?! Rest easy, friend.
You are about to experience the ultimate adventure.
The magical journey from our world to the great beyond.
I'm too young to die! I'm too famous! When you first pass over you will find yourself in a long, dark tunnel headed for a brilliant patch of light.
A loved one, perhaps a relative who passed years back, will appear to guide you into the light.
My dead relatives were a pain in the butt! I don't care to deal with any of 'em! Now get me out of here! This has gone too far! Come on, now! Priest on megaphone: All life is precious.
The Lottery is sacrilege! Yeah! Zero population growth must be achieved through birth control only! (cheering) We must stop the Lottery before it's too late.
(siren howls) Priest: We must stop the Lottery now! Stop the Lottery! Stand clear of the van, please.
What's going on? Failure to disperse will result in immediate physical response.
(crowd yells) He's still in the van.
Failure to disperse will result in immediate physical response! Our friend's in there! His only crime is wanting to live.
Our friend's in there! His only crime is wanting to live! Stand fast there, believers! He tried to help a Lottery winner stay alive! He's a hero! Not a criminal! Stop the slaughter! All: Stop the slaughter! Stop the slaughter! Priest: Stop the slaughter! Stop the slaughter! All: Stop the slaughter! Stop the slaughter! Priest: Stop the slaughter! Stop the slaughter! (chanting continues) What? Priest: Stop the slaughter! Stop the slaughter! - Rembrandt! - Man, am I glad to see you.
Never criticize my fishing again! Come on.
We've got a real situation here! Where the hell's the backup? Quinn: Come on, let's get out of here.
How much time? Not much.
Let's move! Pedal to the metal, Q-Ball! I can't wait to get off this Earth.
Hey! Where are you going? Move out! Secure the area! Rembrandt: It's no use! We're gonna have to run for it! - You almost killed me! - Sorry, man.
Gotta go.
Next time, I get to drive! Come on, you guys.
(barks) Shhh.
Quiet.
Neisser: I thought I heard something.
Ms.
Wells? - (dog barks) - Shhh.
Hit the lights.
(dog barks) Neisser: There she is.
Oh-hh! Let me go! Get your hands off of me! (groans) - Ryan? - Neisser: What's going on out there? Ugh! - Do you know what you just did? - Oh, yeah.
So you better be telling the truth about "parallel worlds.
" (sighs) We've got less than a minute.
My friends aren't here yet.
Quinn: We are now! Run! Go! (beeping) It's time! - Slide! - I'm out of here! Go, Professor! Go! (yelling) Go! Jump, go! (screams) Police: It's clear.
Oh! Ow-ww! - We made it.
- Everybody okay? - Whew! Unbelievable! - What did I tell you? Quinn? - Oh, my God.
- Quinn? No!