episode #13 - El Sid

Air Date: 3/29/96 writer: Jon Povill Directed by Paris Barclay

Begin with a dash of Mad Max (79), continue the story with a version of Escape From New York/L.A., add in elements from disaster pics like Earthquake (74), and you have the episode El Sid (the title a riff on El Cid, the big epic Heston film from 1961). The prologue takes place in some post-WWIII scenario Earth dominated by roving outlaw gangs; no real details are offered. The Sliders are on the verge of sliding when Quinn decides to rescue a damsel in distress from the titular character (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a brutal & resourceful sociopath of this dystopia. They all end up sliding into a San Francisco which is eventually revealed to be a huge penitentiary, converted a few years back when it was determined that the whole area was going to drop into the sea during 'The Big One' (the biggest earthquake). Apparently, on this Earth, they can predict such quakes with certainty - it's a question of 'very soon,' not 'if.' The Sliders acquire bracelets which pairs them with buddies; in this system, if a buddy breaks some rule or law, both get executed. Quinn gets paired with this Sid, who wastes no time trying to break some laws. Sid also has a grudge against Quinn. All problems will become moot as the increasing jolts to the Earth make it apparent that The Big One will happen in the next day or so, about the time they are scheduled to slide.

Most of this episode's appeal has to do with the charismatic performance of Morgan as Sid, a violent dirt-bag but someone you can't take your eyes of off, waiting to see what he does next. This was an early role for Morgan, who would only attain some measure of fame nearly a decade later, on episodes of Grey's Anatomy and then in the Watchmen film. The story doesn't really go anywhere, having to do with watching your back, getting betrayed and dealing with a very repressive culture. There is also some similarity to Demolition Man (93), about throwing a very violent, uncontrollable criminal (Sid in this case) into a rigid society, but nothing is done with this concept. There was also a missed opportunity (as had happened before) with Sid's girlfriend, who slides with the Sliders, perhaps to become a 5th Slider for an episode or two, but she vanishes by the next episode. BoG's Score: 6 out of 10


Earths Depicted:
---------------- #25: post-World War III Earth, seen only in a prologue
---------------- #26: San Francisco as a state penitentiary, about to be hit by huge earthquake