These are scenes from the December 24, 1996 production draft of the script for the episode The Exodus Part 1 written by Tony Blake and Paul Jackson with story by John Rhys-Davies. These scenes did not make it into the final episode due to time and story considerations.
The first change comes when the Sliders initially meet Maggie...
[Quinn] spots something odd about [Jariabek's] blood-soaked chest. Quinn unhooks one of the man's shirt buttons and pulls back the fabric.
WADE
He's been shot.
REMBRANDT
By one damn big gun.
The Sliders react to the ROAR of an approaching vehicle. An AIR FORCE SEDAN pulls up.
A female OFFICER jumps out, followed by two AIRMEN with "damn big guns".
MAGGIE
Step away from the suspect.
They do. The officer, CAPT. MAGGIE BECKETT, approaches. Twenty-five and athletic, Maggie's piercing eyes only hint at the passion and intelligence she possesses. The two airmen keep a wary eye on the Sliders as Maggie kneels, checks the dead man.
MAGGIE
Was he alive when you got here?
QUINN
Barely.
REMBRANDT
Who is he?
AIRMAN
An escaped serial killer.
Maggie shoots the Airman an annoyed look. She's obviously unhappy with him. The Airman looks down, knows he's on her list.
MAGGIE
It doesn't matter who he is. It's
a military matter.
(then)
Did he say anything before he died?
WADE
Well, he...
ARTURO
(pre-emptive)
No.
Maggie's eyes narrow. She focuses on Wade.
MAGGIE
That right?
WADE
(beat, then)
Not a word.
Maggie's eyes bore into her. Wade stares right back, unflinching. Maggie turns to Quinn.
MAGGIE
How about you? Did you hear him
say anything?
Quinn shakes his head. Maggie's look at Remmy gets the same response. The air raid siren continues to WAIL.
MAGGIE
I'm going to need you people to
come with us.
WADE
Why? We told you we don't know
anything.
QUINN
(surprisingly agreeable)
Let's just go with them, guys.
We'll give our statements and
that'll be the end of it.
Quinn steps up to Maggie, glances over at her sedan.
QUINN
Think we can all fit in your car?
Her eyes follow Quinn's. It's all the opening Quinn needs. He grabs Maggie and spins her around, enveloping her in a bear hug.
Remmy and Arturo go for the surprised airmen. An uppercut from Remmy and one airmen's out; a forearm to the nose and Arturo's opponent joins him.
Maggie jams her heel down onto Quinn's instep. He BELLOWS and releases her. She pulls away, whips her sidearm out. She's about to level it when she hears a CLICK from behind. She freezes, glances over her shoulder.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Wade points a rifle from one of the unconscious airmen at Maggie.
WADE
My friend called this a damn big
gun. And I know how to use it.
Reluctantly, Maggie lowers her sidearm. Remmy takes it from her, ejects the bullet cartridge.
REMBRANDT
I never did like the Air Force.
You people always think you're such
hot stuff.
ARTURO
Are you all right, Mr. Mallory?
QUINN
(rubbing his foot)
I guess. But I don't think I'll
ever dance the Macarena again.
MAGGIE
(tightly)
You're welcome.
QUINN
Now it's my turn to ask questions.
MAGGIE
And my turn not to answer them.
REMBRANDT
No time for this, Q-Ball.
(re: siren)
We've got to get out of here before
they signal the all clear.
Quinn nods, grabs by Maggie by the arm. He pulls her towards the rear of the sedan.
QUINN
Remmy... pop the trunk.
As Rembrandt opens the driver's door and reaches for the release latch...
MAGGIE
You're really screwing up, pal.
QUINN
Then how come you're the one being
locked in a trunk?
And it continues on as we saw it from there...
After leaving Maggie behind, Arturo gives us a different explanation for pulsars...
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY - LATER
CLOSE ON A THEATER MARQUEE
advertising a rerelease of ROCKY IV. The advertisement reads "HELD OVER! GO ROCKY! BEAT THE RUSSIANS!" CAMERA PANS DOWN AND FINDS the Sliders as they hustle around the corner. The street's deserted. As they jam the weapons they took into a dumpster..
WADE
You knew that guy back there,
Professor?
ARTURO
Not personally. On our world, he's
Doctor Vladimir Jariabek, a highly
respected Cosmologist.
QUINN
On our world. Who knows what he is
here.
ARTURO
He referenced the trajectory of a
pulsar. Hardly the language of a
serial killer.
WADE
Pulsar. Isn't that like a meteor?
ARTURO
In theory, they're rotating neutron
stars. They careen through the
galaxies emitting short discharges
of electromagnetic radiation.
Pulses, in the vernacular.
REMBRANDT
Must not be a theory on this world
if we're supposed to warn someone
about them.
WADE
Yeah, but who?
And using the ring to go on, they head to Cal Tech just as we saw...
Did you ever wonder how the Sliders got into Jariabek's office...they didn't just waltz in...
EXT. CAL TECH OFFICE SCIENCE BUILDING - NIGHT (NIGHT 2)
A SECURITY GUARD lets two academics out through the front glass doors, waves good night. Sticking a cigarette in his mouth, he searches for a match, lights it. But the evening breeze blows it out. Annoyed, he pulls another match, turns his back to the breeze and huddles over, trying to protect the flame.
Thunk. A clenched pair of hands smack him on the back of the head. The guard sags to his knees, revealing Quinn and Remmy behind him. As they catch him...
QUINN
Wade. Get his keys.
They cradle the guard between them as Wade and Arturo appear and open the door. As they drag the unconscious man inside...
CUT TO
INT. JARIABEK'S OFFICE - NIGHT - MINUTES LATER
A single lamp illuminates the cluttered scientist's office, filled with cosmological charts, maps, etc. Arturo and Quinn hover over Wade's shoulder as she hacks into the scientist's desk top computer. Remmy listens for trouble at the door.
WADE
(eyeing screen)
These file names mean something to
you, Professor? Cause it's all
Greek to me.
ARTURO
Literally. He's used the Greek
names of the planets to label his
files.
(taps screen)
What's this icon here stand for?
WADE
Looks like he's hooked up to some
kind of satellite feed.
ARTURO
Can you get in?
Wade taps three keys, smiles.
WADE
Can you say "done"?
CUT TO
EXT. CAL TECH OFFICE BUILDING - NIGHT - SAME TIME
Maggie leads three soldiers towards the glass doors. A military vehicle's parked at the curb behind them. She reaches the entrance, stops.
HER POV
No movement inside the lobby. The guard station is empty.
RESUME MAGGIE
She tries the doors. Locked. She turns to a soldier.
MAGGIE
There must be a guard around here
somewhere.
As the soldier starts off...
CUT TO
INT. JARIABEK'S OFFICE - NIGHT - SAME TIME
Arturo and Quinn study a computer graph as it's spit from Jariabek's computer. Wade's back behind the computer and Remmy's still at the door.
ARTURO
Well, he's definitely been tracking
a pulsar. These readings indicate
it's actually going to pass through
the outer plane of the solar
system.
And that's where we came in the final episode...
The beginning of Act Two had a many slight differences as well...especially the interrogation scene which included all 4 Sliders in room in the original script. The final version had only Quinn in the room. Also there is a missing scene which was supposed to begin the building of a romantic interest between Wade and Rickman...
ACT TWO
FADE IN
INT. MILITARY MEDICAL WARD - NIGHT
MAJOR ADRIENNE LOWRY, black, late 30's, a medical doctor, leads a SUBJECTIVE POV down the center aisle between two rows of beds in a coma ward. Her mood is grim.
DR. LOWRY
We still have no idea what's
causing our people to fall into
these comas. And now the frequency
at which we're seeing victims has
increased dramatically.
She stops at the bed of the Lieutenant we saw in the teaser who fell victim to the needle in the back of her skull. Her eyes are open but vacant, like all the coma patients in this ward.
DR. LOWRY
It was one a week at first. now
it's one every other day.
She moves to the head of her bed. The subjective POV follows.
DR. LOWRY
Until now, we couldn't find
anything that linked all these
cases. But this morning, I
discovered something.
She tilts the Lieutenant's head away to reveal the base of her skull.
DR. LOWRY
Every victim has a puncture wound
at the base of their skull. As if
some type of needle has been
inserted.
She leans down to look more closely at the base of the patient's skull. From behind her, a HAND HOLDING A NEEDLE ENTERS FRAME. It moves for the base of her skull.
DR. LOWRY
We're going to do a brain tap on
Lieutenant Eastman later today.
The last words she utters. The hand quickly buries the needle into the base of her skull. Her body stiffens.
A beat as the needle drains fluid. Then the hand pulls the needle out. Doctor Lowry collapses to the floor. The figure jams the needle into his own neck. CAMERA SLOWLY PANS around as the attacker morphs into Dr. Lowry.
CUT TO
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
Four concerned Sliders sit at a long table. Two armed MP's stand sentry near the door. An agitated Captain Maggie Beckett runs the interrogation.
MAGGIE
You don't seem to understand how
serious this is. This country is
on full military alert. And you're
facing espionage charges.
QUINN
(tense, irritable)
We're told you everything.
MAGGIE
Stonewalling's not going to help.
QUINN
We are not stonewalling!
WADE
You wouldn't recognize the truth if
you heard it.
Maggie and Wade pin each other with a hard stare, then...
MAGGIE
(to Arturo)
Why'd you lie to us when we asked
if Jariabek said anything to you?
ARTURO
Because your airman lied to us
first.
QUINN
Not too many Cal Tech graduates
become serial killers.
Caught, Maggie won't give them the satisfaction of seeing her react.
MAGGIE
(to Quinn)
What's the purpose of that
electronic device you were
carrying?
The Sliders exchange a glance.
QUINN
It's my TV's remote control.
MAGGIE
I'd reconsider that answer if I
were you.
QUINN
Yeah, well, you're not me.
MAGGIE
You know what penalty for
espionage is at a time like this?
Death by firing squad.
The Sliders react.
MAGGIE
*Now* would you like to re-think
that answer?
Rickman enters followed by DR. STEVEN BECKETT (not a typo), mid 30's. He's in a wheelchair. Wears a lab coat.
RICKMAN
Well, Captain?
MAGGIE
They're covering something up.
WADE
(to Rickman)
She's a little confused. *You're*
the ones covering up.
QUINN
You've got a pulsar passing through
your solar system that's about to
nuke millions of innocent people,
and you're not doing a damn thing
about it.
REMBRANDT
It's perfect deniability, isn't it?
Decimate your enemy without firing
a single missile.
RICKMAN
(honestly)
I applaud your intellect.
ARTURO
This goes far beyond neutralizing
your enemy. Have you no
conscience, man?
WADE
Of course not. He's just a drone
following orders.
(to Rickman)
What are you going to do now? Put
us in front of a firing squad?
That gonna make you feel like a big
man?
Rickman eyes her. He's unruffled. Something about her intrigues him. Beckett breaks the moment. Pulls out Quinn's timer.
DR. BECKETT
People, this device we confiscated.
Does it have something to do with
accessing parallel dimensions?
The Sliders exchange a surprised glance. Rickman looks to Steven Beckett. It's clear that was a yes.
DR. BECKETT
I'm doctor Steven Beckett. I've
been developing a device to access
wormholes leading to parallel
worlds myself. Where are you
people from?
The Sliders exhale. Relief.
QUINN
Another world. We slid here
earlier today, just before we ran
into that incident in the park.
WADE
Which is why we couldn't possibly
be spies.
DR. BECKETT
(excited by the
revelation)
That's incredible. Did you design
this?
QUINN
Yeah.
DR. BECKETT
Colonel, it's possible he could
help us break the logjam with our
transport equipment.
WADE
You treat us like criminals and now
you expect us to help you?
RICKMAN
Would an apology help?
WADE
It would be a start.
RICKMAN
My apologies.
QUINN
Look, we slide again in three days.
DR. BECKETT
(to Rickman)
Then we should get started right
away.
(to Sliders)
That is, if you agree.
The Sliders look to each other, then...
QUINN
Do we have a choice?
RICKMAN
Good. While you work with Doctor
Beckett, you'll have to be confined
to the base for obvious security
reasons. But you'll have the
freedom to move about at will.
Just don't do anything foolish.
Rickman leads his people out. Arturo and Wade follow. Remmy and Quinn trail. Remmy whispers to Quinn.
REMBRANDT
I've been on enough military bases
to know there's usually a way to
sneak off. I'll try to get the
word out about the pulsar.
CUT TO
INT. LIVING QUARTERS - DAY (DAY 3)
Spartan but tasteful. The door opens and Wade enters followed by Rickman. She looks around.'
RICKMAN
If you need a change of clothes,
food, whatever...the PX has your
name. It's on Uncle Sam.
WADE
(suspicious)
You treat all your prisoners this
good?
Rickman's attracted to her. He has no axe to grind.
RICKMAN
(charming)
You're not a prisoner. I'd like to
think of you as a unique guest.
WADE
You'll forgive me if I don't sound
appreciative. It's hard to take
gifts from a mass murderer.
RICKMAN
Ma'am, we all have a job to do.
Believe me, I'm not happy about
watching innocent people die.
WADE
Then why don't you stop it? Why
don't you make a phone call so
those people could have a chance?
RICKMAN
I have to weigh the benefits
against the dangers. There are
over three hundred million people
in Russia. Let's say we did let
them know. In the panic that would
follow, how many would get out?
WADE
We're talking about human life.
Even if it's only one, it's worth
it.
RICKMAN
We'd also be revealing our Star
Wars technology to the Chinese,
which, in the bigger picture, would
put American lives at risk.
(a beat, then)
I guess you could say it's a
Hobson's choice.
Wade softens. Senses this guy isn't so bad. He moves to the door.
RICKMAN
If you need anything, call Captain
Beckett. She'll take care of it.
WADE
Is she related to Doctor Beckett?
RICKMAN
His wife.
(beat)
What's your relationship to
Mallory?
Wade realizes he's interested. She's intrigued.
WADE
We're friends.
Rickman nods, then exits, leaving Wade with a million thought swimming in her head.
CUT TO
INT. TRACKING STATION/LABORATOR - DAY
Maggie Beckett stands over Arturo, who sits next to several computers that print out data. In front of him is a large, futuristic TV monitor.
On the screen is what looks like a live shot of the Milky Way Galaxy. Our SOLAR SYSTEM is clearly delineated in one area, as are numerous CONSTELLATIONS, a few COMETS, and ASTEROID SHOWER, a second SOLAR SYSTEM... and the PULSAR, which is extremely close to our solar system, blinking like a flashing beacon. Arturo inspects the computer readouts.
ARTURO
Your husband designed this satellite
system?
MAGGIE
Yes. He struck a deal that if this
was successful, Congress would fund
his sliding experiments.
ARTURO
Not only a scientific genius, but a
smart negotiator.
MAGGIE
He's an amazing guy. He also has
the ability to inspire people to
perform far beyond their potential.
I'm living proof.
We then cut over to the Quinn/Dr. Beckett conversation where they strike a deal to share technology...just as we saw in the final ep. Though in the original script, this was to take place in the same room Maggie and Arturo were in...not outside on the walkway as we saw.
Our next altered bit isn't enough to fully quote. It has to do with Remmy's first meeting with Malcolm. Everything is practically the same, except in the original version...Remmy meets Malcolm top side and art is never even brought up. Instead, Remmy and Malcolm talk about Basketball. Remmy tells Malcolm he is on a "secret mission" and offers to play some one on one with him when it's over. Another tiny bit, Malcolm asks Remmy if comas are contagious...and this leads into the revelation that the victim at the beginning of the episode was his step-mother. Then Remmy heads for the gate per Malcolm's direction, and gets quite a shock...just like we saw in the final version.
A short but startling difference is also found when Rickman asks Wade to compile the list of travelers...I believe I know why this was changed. It was totally out of character for Wade the way it was originally written...
RICKMAN
Compile a priority list of the top
five hundred people on this base,
weighting it by their performance
evaluations over the past two
years. Those people have earned
it.
WADE
Wait a minute. What about the
President and all those people in
Washington?
Rickman eyes her a beat. Should he tell her?
RICKMAN
I never spoke to the President.
WADE
(astonishment)
What?
RICKMAN
All we'd end up taking would be his
friends. The morally questionable
rich and famous. Politicians who
have no usable skills. I don't
believe that's right. This is the
most egalitarian method I could
think of.
A small smile crosses Wade's lips. Then...
WADE
Well... my opinion of you has just
jumped a few notches, Colonel.
Rickman steps close to her. Wade's intrigued.
RICKMAN
I'm glad to know that, ma'am.
WADE
You can drop the ma'am stuff,
Colonel.
RICKMAN
And you can drop the Colonel stuff,
ma'am.
Their eyes lock. Then Wade thinks better of it.
WADE
I'd better get to work.
He nods.
RICKMAN
I'll check on you later.
He turns and exits. Wade watches him go. Then exhales. It's hot in here.
Directly after that is a missing Malcolm/Remmy scene which includes a shameless plug...
CUT TO
EXT. MILITARY GROUNDS - DAY
A downcast Remmy sits on a bench, sipping coffee. He watches a mom with her young child. An enlisted couple holding hands. The knowledge that this will all end soon weigns heavy. He hears a BALL BOUNCING. Looks up. Malcolm comes up, excited.
MALCOLM
Hey Remmy. You okay now?
REMBRANDT
(forced smile)
Yeah. I'm okay. Heck, I've been
up against worse stuff than an
electric fence.
MALCOLM
I just talked to my dad. He'll be
home in an hour. He said he's
going to take me to Universal
Studios this weekend and then to a
Laker game next week. He's got box
seats.
The pain of knowing Malcolm will never do any of those things is almost too much for Remmy to bear. He just forces a smile.
REMBRANDT
You dad sounds like a great guy.
MALCOLM
He's the best. Hey, you want to
come over later and meet him?
REMBRANDT
(simply)
Sure.
MALCOLM
You still bummed about the fence?
REMBRANDT
Yeah. Yeah, that's it. It'll
pass.
(and then)
Hey Malcolm. You said it was your
stepmom who's in that coma.
Where's your real mom?
MALCOLM
She lives in San Francisco. But
she's coming down on business soon,
so I'll get to spend some time with
her.
Some kids off screen call for Malcolm.
MALCOLM
I gotta go.
(runs off)
Come over later!
A solemn Remmy waves an okay.
CUT TO
INT. RABBIT HOLE - CAVE - DAY (NEW WORLD)
Quinn and Maggie lean against a wall. Above them, a shaft of light from the hole they jumped in. It's hot down here. They're both tense and irritable.
MAGGIE
(re: tunnel)
I wonder what this is.
QUINN
Let's hope it's not an ant tunnel.
(wry)
So. How do you like sliding so
far?
And the rest plays out as we saw it from there...
With one small exception...Maggie originally had a bit more to say about physicists...
QUINN
No. Good friends. I'm just your
basic physicist.
MAGGIE
Yeah, right. There's nothing basic
about you guys.
QUINN
How would you know?
MAGGIE
I'm married to one. You're
brilliant, complex, spontaneous
risk takers. And sometimes a big
pain in the ass.
Quinn smiles. Maggie spots something O.S. Her eyes widen in fear. Quinn jerks his head around to look.
And we all know what they saw in that rabbit hole...
And some differences and new information for the scene in which Quinn and Maggie return from seeing how far down the rabbit hole goes...
He aims the timer UPWARD. Activates the VORTEX. Offers her a hand. She ignores it. Gets to her feet on her own.
QUINN
Jump.
She jumps up and into the vortex. Quinn follows.
CUT TO
INT. TRACKING STATION/LABORATORY - DAY
Rickman confers with Dr. Beckett and Arturo, who work at a table with microchip programming equipment.
ARTURO
That's about as far as we can go
with increasing the band width.
RICKMAN
What's your target payload?
DR. BECKETT
From what we now know, about a
hundred and fifty people each trip.
ARTURO
(checks his watch)
They should be back any second.
He turns to the spot where they slid. A beat, then the vortex materializes. Maggie slides into the lab. A beat later, Quinn slides in, stumbles into Maggie who catches him. For an awkward moment, they embrace. Arturo and Beckett hurry over. Quinn and Maggie disengage. She kneels down and hugs her husband.
ARTURO
How was it?
QUINN
(shoots an annoyed look at
Maggie)
Well, at least the timer works.
MAGGIE
(to Beckett)
It was incredible, Steve. I can't
wait for you to try it.
RICKMAN
Any luck?
QUINN
Sure. If you like the land of the
giants and man eating rabbits.
Rickman looks to Maggie.
MAGGIE
It was inhospitable, sir.
RICKMAN
How fast can you get back out
there?
QUINN
Right away. But we'll cover more
worlds if we slide from place to
place without having to come back
here after each one.
DR. BECKETT
Whatever it takes.
QUINN
Any progress with the new power
chip?
ARTURO
We've maximized the increase in
band width. It's shrinking the die
size that will be the big
challenge.
QUINN
Don't go any smaller than point two
five. You'll need as many
execution pipelines as you can get.
MAGGIE
Mallory. Let's go.
He shoots a look to Maggie. Then...
QUINN
(to Arturo)
Like sliding with General Patton.
Then we cut over to Remmy as he's off to visit Malcolm's apartment to meet his Dad...the light shatters...Rickman strikes. Just as we saw...
Our next missing scene was a nice bit of continuity that was left out. This missing scene explains that Rickman needed a specific bloodtype...the same bloodtype the Professor was revealed to have in "Dream Masters" - hence, why Rickman would attack him...
WADE
Sorry. He's just feeling pretty
bad about Malcolm.
RICKMAN
We're all under a lot of pressure.
(opens another file)
I've been looking over the
preliminary list you've prepared.
We have too many people. It's time
to raise the bar.
(hands file to Wade)
Eliminate anyone who's not O
negative.
WADE
(unsure)
Why take only people with O
negative blood?
RICKMAN
They're universal donors. As cold
as it sounds, it makes the most
sense.
Off Wade --
Then we continue on with the next scene just as in the final version...Quinn and Maggie landing in an almost identical air force base. There is one small revelation though...the name of Maggie and Rickman's air force base was Blake Air Force Base.
Our final missing scene in part one has to do with Maggie and Quinn's arrival on "Earth Prime". Originally, we were supposed to get a nice and needed continuity mention...plus some explanation on timer mechanics...
EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - DAY (DAY 4) (NEW WORLD)
A residential street. Regular viewers will recognize the Mallory house with its white picket fence. A beat, then the VORTEX opens and Quinn slides out into the street, followed by Maggie.
MAGGIE
(eyes her watch)
We're running out of time to find a
new world, Mallory.
QUINN
Thanks for the news flash.
He spots his house.
QUINN
Hey... that's my house.
MAGGIE
We're in San Francisco? I thought
you said we'd always land in the
same geographical spot.
QUINN
Your husband's timer must have the
wrong kind of gyroscope. His
stablizer's got too wide a band.
MAGGIE
(coughs)
So this is your home world?
He walks up to the gate.
QUINN
I don't know. I've been down this
road before and it's always been a
disappointment.
He opens the gate. Swings it back and forth. It SQUEAKS.
QUINN
This gate's squeaked since I was a
kid. But worlds can be so similar,
it's no guarantee.
Maggie COUGHS again as they make their way up the walk.
MAGGIE
Even if it's not your home world,
it looks like it could fit what we
need.
QUINN
(sniffs)
Mrs. Randall's making her chicken
soup.
Maggie COUGHS again.
QUINN
You okay?
MAGGIE
Yeah, fine.
Spots an old car in the driveway on the other side of his house. His hopes rise in spite of himself.
QUINN
There's Bernie Massey's Pontiac
that got rear ended. He never
fixed it.
They reach the front door. Quinn knocks. Maggie hangs back. COUGHS again.
MAGGIE
So how could this not be your home?
QUINN
Last time all this was the same
too. But the Golden Gate Bridge
was blue.
The door opens revealing MRS. MALLORY. Shock as she looks at Quinn. Then she throws open the screen door.
And the rest is as we saw it in the final version from there...
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