Murder Most Foul

Episode number: 36
First Aired: 01/03/97
Production number: SL-313
Previous Episode: Season's Greedings
Following Episode: Slide Like An Egyptian

Summaries

The Sliders visit a world where people are over-worked and stressed out. To get them back to full working capacity, they are sent to fantasy camps. -Fox

Arturo is kidnapped and brainwashed into thinking he's a great 19th-century detective investigating real murders in a world where assuming different identities is the norm. -TV Guide

Alternate Earths

77. Sherlock Holmes' Earth

When the stress of one hundred hour work weeks causes a person to have a mental breakdown on this Earth, they are refered to as "fractures." Important individuals who become fractures are sent to theme parks where their minds are temporarily wiped and they play out roles while their minds rest up. Arturo, with his "tramp" clothing and tales of alternate worlds, is mistaken for a fracture and is sent to a park where he plays out the part of Reginald Doyle, this Earth's equivalent of Sherlock Holmes.

Trevor, a young boy genius who is in the park as part of his annual playtime, steals the Sliders' timer for a while and is able to figure out it is a sliding device. He tells Quinn he may try to constuct his own such device. Quinn cautions him to be sure of his home coordinates before sliding.

Notes

• Early drafts of this episode were called "The Game's Afoot."

• It sounds like Universal and/or Fox had trouble licensing the Sherlock Holmes name from the Doyle estate for this episode. A late draft of the script has the following note:

  Please Note:
  Inspector Lestrade is now Inspector Reed
  Sherlock Holmes is now Reginald Doyle
  Mrs. Hudson is now Mrs. Taylor

Credits

Written by:   David Peckinpah
Directed by:  Jeff Woolnough
Music by:     Stephen Graziano
               
Guest Stars:
  Brian McNamara      as Inspector Reed
  Brigid Brannagh     as Erin
  David Purdham       as Dr. Bolivar
  Adam Wylie          as Trevor
  Lester Barrie       as Diggs
  Suzanne Mara        as Dr. Punch

Co-Starring:
  Taylor Leigh        as Mrs. Taylor
  Holly R. Claman     as Anne
  Frank Castina       as Wonk
  Derik Van Derbeken  as Security Man
  Carmen Nogales      as Young Woman
  Brandon Michael     as Boy

Earth Prime -- The Fans' Guide to SLIDERS is maintained by Ed Hall (edhall@brillig.com).