Total Recall: Sliders “The Weaker Sex”
This week for our Sliders recap we take a look at an episode that, for one reason or another, is only available on DVD. After surviving two horrific Earths in “Fever” and “Last Days”, the gang gets a slight break by landing on an Earth that is controlled by women.
The gang lands in the park and heads to a news stand to get some information and, according to Arturo, the best soft pretzels in the world. The group starts arguing about what they should spend their money on and how to distribute the pretzel, which the stand owner asks them to quiet down about because the President is going to be talking in a moment. The Sliders are excited to hear that it’s President Clinton but when it’s Hilary and not Bill, the Sliders realize they struck out again. Buying an almanac, Quinn finds out that Congress and pretty much all the major corporations are run by women and men are relegated to jobs such as nannies, teachers, secretaries, etc. In the past there seemed to be a certain time period where women swooped in and took over everything because they got fed up with all the wars and killing that was going on. Apparently now there’s no war or violent crime.
Short on funds, the group decides to get jobs as they are going to be on this Earth for about a month and a half. Rembrandt tries to raise money by singing on a street corner while Wade manages to get a job overseeing the installation of a new computer system at the office of Mayor Anita Ross. Wade arranges to get interviews for the guys but only Quinn gets a job as he has typing skills and catches the eye of Wade’s boss. Arturo starts complaining about the efficency of an Earth ruled by women and laments the lack of equality and is overheard by a local reporter, who invites him to a meeting of like minded men. The group has been looking for a male candidate for mayor and Arturo is their choice. Arturo decides to at least make a run for the office so that maybe he can inspire future men after the group slides out.
Arturo starts campaigning with vigor, handing out fliers at the mall, making impassioned speeches on the street and all the other usual things a candidate has to do. Slowly but surely the campaign manages to gain traction, starting out with 7% of voters and going up from there. Unfortunately this causes some violent responses from some of the populace with a brick getting thrown through the campaign HQ and an attempted assassination. Quinn quits the Ross campaign to try and talk some sense into Arturo, but he’s too determined to win the election and bring about the Men’s Rights Movement.
Meanwhile, Rembrandt has another of his crazy side plots, this time he gets picked up by a maninizer named Serena who promises to introduce Rembrandt to some of her record executive friend but really only wants him for sex. Rembrandt finds out about this when one of Serena’s exes shows up and reveals that Rembrandt is the latest in a long line of guys and then breaks down, telling Rembrandt, “Don’t let her break your heart boyfriend” and then running away. Rembrandt confronts Serena about it and gets to feel what it’s like to be the typical under appreciated girlfriend, dropping such cliches as “what about my needs?” and “I slaved for hours to make dinner!”. Serena, of course, dumps him and Rembrandt heads over to the local TV studio to support Arturo in the big election night eve debate with Mayor Ross along with Quinn. Quinn reveals that Arturo is going to take a dive and make himself look weak in front of the audience by crying and thus, lose the election but still give men a chance to run in the future. Their plan backfires however when the voters see him as human and sensitive, bringing the numbers to almost even.
Election night arrives and the numbers are neck and neck, leaving Arturo with the choice of whether to stay or slide. Wade arrives and says that Ross is up 3 points but Arturo is still confident he can win. He and Wade make a bet that if Arturo wins the election, she’ll give him an awesome neck rub but if he loses, he has to be her slave on the next world. CNN reports that Arturo has lost and so the Sliders head out. However, right after they slide, the other networks report that Arturo actually won the election. I wonder how they’re going to explain that one at Arturo HQ.
The gang gets to take a well deserved vacation on an Earth that’s seemingly tropical everywhere and Quinn, Wade and Rembrandt have nine days of sitting on the beach, getting waited on by Arturo.
Next week’s episode is easily in my top 3 for favorite episodes when the Sliders end up on intellectual Earth of “Eggheads”.