Working title:
State of the A.R.T.
(A.R.T. = Aldohn Robotic Technologies)
These are scenes from the October 16, 1996 production draft of the script for State of the A.R.T. (a story conceived by Schuyler Kent and teleplay written by Nan Hagan). These scenes did not make it into the final episode due to time or budget concerns and story considerations.
The first interesting note takes place during the opening chase as we find out that military Humvee vehicles were not originally going to be the Pauls' form of transportation as they hunted...
The group has just found the remains of a robot on the street after arriving, and they hear footsteps in the distance which are getting closer...
ARTURO
Footsteps...
Now, all the Sliders hear running feet drawing near, punctuated by an occasional Sci-Fi laser blast sound. They move back a few feet and peer down the street, where they just came from. Three people run toward them at an amazing speed. A dark hovercraft dips over a building and drops down behind the runners, firing blue lasers (CGI).
There was also a sub-plot arising from Quinn getting shot with the laser near the beginning in the original script which was later thrown out...
We hear the hover take off and zoom away. The Sliders cross --
EXT. ALLEY
Remmy is the first to reach Quinn. He takes his wrist.
REMBRANDT
He's got a pulse.
ARTURO
Thank Heaven.
REMBRANDT
Hey, buddy... Can you hear me?
(Quinn's eyes open)
How're you feeling?
QUINN
(weakly)
Surprised. I thought my time
was up on that one.
They help him sit up. Clearly he's aching from the hit.
ARTURO
You should take it easy.
QUINN
I'm okay. I just feel like the
wind was seriously kicked out of
me. What happened?
WADE
You took a hit from one of those
lasers.
Quinn pulls the timer out.
QUINN
Totally fried.
Looks between the Sliders.
REMBRANDT
We had three days, right?
QUINN
And a few hours.
REMBRANDT
Plenty of time to fix her.
(helps Quinn up)
C'mon, let's book before the man
in black makes a return engagement.
QUINN
What about them?
They turn and look towards the three runners. They see wires and the occasional spark (CGI). There's a thin layer of skin and green hydraulic fluid around the wires.
WADE
Wild. They're robots too.
ARTURO
No wonder his thing didn't register
any of us. He was looking for
signs of electronic life.
Arturo reaches to touch Eric. As he does, Eric's eyes open. Arturo pulls back.
ERIC
Hel...help me.
The Sliders gather round Eric warily, looking down on him.
QUINN
He's still alive.
The Sliders exchange fascinated looks.
INT. ABANDONED GAS STATION - SERVICE BAY
Arturo and Quinn peer into Eric, who's laid out on a "table" across the car-lift. His back panel is "open", revealing his innerworkings. Remmy uses a hot tool to melt his leg skin back together. Quinn touches something adn is ZAPPED.
QUINN
At least we know he has power.
REMBRANDT
(re: the meling thing)
This is weird, it's like fixing
a vinyl sofa.
ARTURO
Just make sure the system's no
longer exposed.
REMBRANDT
Don't worry, Professor. He's all
patched.
Remmy pats the fixed leg, puts the tool down, crosses to join Quinn and Arturo and picks up the fried timer.
REMBRANDT
For my money, we should be working
on this.
ARTURO
We'll get to it. Right now, this is
far more fascinating.
Remmy peers down into the --
INSERT - POV INTO ERIC'S BACK
The scene finishes out as we saw it with the discussion on "improvising."
Here's something you're probably wondering about...wasn't the android's name Deric in the final version? It was...but in this version he was called Eric and there was a reason...
ERIC
I'm an Aldohn E point oh six three,
but I'm usually called Eric, which
is an acronym for Emtional
Response Intelligence Chip.
Ever wonder how the patrol almost immediately found Eric again after he was reactivated? This scene picks up just they find what's left of Eric's friend back at the original scene of the shooting...
QUINN
We can put them back together.
ERIC
No. Usable parts are rare outside
the factory. There is nothing we
can do for them now.
Eric looks up, a Hover is moving in their direction. He moves to the wall, ducking out of sight.
WADE
Those hover guys don't seem to
give up very easily.
ERIC
They must be tracking me. I'm
equipped with a locating beacon,
which had been disabled.
(looks to Quinn)
Did you reactivate it?
QUINN
I'm not sure. I activated every
system I came across.
Eric accepts this stoically.
QUINN
Maybe I can turn it off.
Quinn turns Eric around, opening the panel.
ERIC
It's a self contained transmitting
system in quadrant five-seven,
six-two.
QUINN
Be less specific...
ERIC
Look for a blinking yellow light
below my shoulder plate.
QUINN
Got it. It's off.
REMBRANDT
Too late, Q-Ball...
They all turn to see two Hovers coming directly at them (CGI).
On a sad note, a classic Arturo line was cut from the final episode...
Eric has just taken Arturo and Wade to where his female android friend is located so they can fix her...
WADE
What's wrong with her?
ERIC
A direct hit from an E-E-B
destabilized the electron transfer
in her cadmium core.
Wade's not quite following.
ARTURO
I believe he's describing the
effect of hover fire. The lasers
must destroy the cadmium's ability
to create energy.
ERIC
Lasers?
ARTURO
What you refer to as E-E-B is what
we call a laser -- Light
Amplification by Stimulated
Emission of Radiation.
WADE
I never knew that actually stood
for something.
ARTURO
Most people don't. They think it's
something some science fiction
writer made up.
Eric turns Erica on her back, opening her panel.
ERIC
Here is the power pack. I was
unable to re-stimulate the device.
ARTURO
Once cadmium's deactivated, it no
longer can hold a charge. She'll
need a new unit.
ERIC
I was attempting to procure one
when the Pauls appeared.
ARTURO
Without a new pack to insert, I
can't help her.
(to Wade)
We'll have to find another way into
the factory.
WADE
Wait, Professor --
(turns to Eric)
You said you have auxiliary power.
Is it dependent or independent of
your primary system?
ERIC
Independent.
WADE
There's your power pack, Professor.
He nods to her in admiration. Eric takes off his shirt. Arturo and opens his panel.
ARTURO
Very smart, Miss Welles. Very
smart indeed.
(to Eric)
Now, hold still. This won't hurt a
bit... I don't think --
Wade smiles to Eric. Her hand gives Eric's a supportive squeeze. He looks down, intrigued by this holding of hands.
The next scene with Arturo, Wade and Eric is identical to the first scene we get in the final version with the three of them working on the female robot Erica...except for one minor difference in the talk between Wade and Arturo. Arturo's rebuttal to Wade's argument on Eric's humanity was as follows:
WADE
And if you consider how you've
behaved, you'd realize that the
machine upstairs has acted a whole
lot more human today than you have.
She turns to go... He turns and crosses to her.
ARTURO
Not so fast, Miss Welles.
You think he's human do you?
Then answer me this:
(he moves closer)
Would he feel pain when a lover
walks out the door on him? And
I'm not talking about a sensation
of sadness. I'm talking about the
dull, aching, utter hollowness that
haunts you for years -- here..?
He points to his heart. He and Wade share a look. If we were playing cards, Wade was just trumped.
ARTURO
Can he create a masterpiece of
color, form and texture, something
that did not previously exist
anywhere except from in here?
(he points to his head)
Will he ever feel the profound joy
and love that we can when we hold
our newborn children in our hands..?
(trump, trump)
Pain. Creativity. Joy and Love.
These are things that define us
as humans. And until he can
experience life, in all its
dimensions, he is not a man.
A look. Arturo softens, placing his hand on hers.
ARTURO
Man has a soul, an essence to his
very being. That is simply not a
"thing" that can be manufactured.
Another look between them.
The scene shifts to Eric on the porch...and plays out as we saw it. Well, exept for an explantion of why the sunset looked different that wasn't in the final version...
ERIC
(after explaining the lilac sky)
(smiles; then)
When the sun is near the horizon
like now, the light must travel a
longer distance. The short waves
scatter further out, but the long
ones reach us undisturbed. That is
why we see red and orange at sunset
and sunrise.
Wade looks at him bemused. He is indeed a robot.
WADE
Well, that sort of takes all the
mystery out of it, doesn't it?
A few intesting side notes...the script calls for MATT to stand for Me At Thirty Three instead of what made the final version. Also, Aldohn's wife was called Maggie in the script instead of her name in the final version, Shauna.
Following the missing timer subplot...we have the slightly different scene just after the dinner with Aldohn when Remmy and Quinn are placed in their "accomodations"...
INT. GUEST QUARTERS
Quinn and Remmy are pushed in. Paul follows, taking the timer from Quinn and exiting. The door closes.
REMBRANDT
You just let him take that?
QUINN
What I am supposed to do? Fight
him? I think we both know who'd
end up thrown agaisnt the wall.
The door's indicator light goes out.
QUINN
Great. They cut the power to the
door. What about the window?
It's the kind that doesn't open.
REMBRANDT
It needs a little help opening.
Remmy picks up the chair and throws it against the window. The chair bounces back. The window intact.
REMBRANDT
Whatever happened to good old-
fashioned glass?
QUINN
Gone. Like the milkman and
eight-tracks.
Quinn looks around searching for another way out --
The scene then plays out as we saw it...with one noticeable missing element. The conversation where Remmy expresses he didn't feel he was pulling his weight was not present.
Back to Wade and Arturo...they have reactivated Erica and are about to storm the factory...
ARTURO
We should split up, mazimizing our
attack. Wade you go with Eric.
Erica will stay with me. We'll
take the south end.
Wade and Eric move across the street. Erica watches them as she and Arturo cross to the south end.
ERICA
Do you like her?
ARTURO
Miss Welles? Yes, very much.
ERICA
Does Eric?
ARTURO
I rather think he's got a crush on
her -- if that's possible.
ERICA
A crush?
ARTURO
Is there something you're fond of?
Something you like - alot?
ERICA
I like Eric.
ARTURO
Well, how you feel about Eric,
that's probably how he feels about
Miss Welles.
Aturo smiles, having no idea how inflammatory his words are. Erica looks angry, turns to stare at Wade and Eric.
EXT. ACROSS THE STREET
Wade and Eric take cover inside an arched doorway. They exchange a look. Eric decides to break the tension --
ERIC
I thought human's enjoyed kissing.
WADE
We do, when it's with the right
person. But you and I, we're not
really meant to be together.
ERIC
Because I'm different.
More a statement fo fact that a question. Wade looks guilty. He lifts her chin, gently, giving her a smile. Then, with an edge of humor --
ERIC
If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh?
WADE
You know Shakespeare?
ERIC
In addition to my other features,
I'm programmed with world
literature through the 1980's. I'm
especially fond of sonnets.
WADE
Just my luck, I find someone who'll
hold my hand in public AND quote
poetry. And he's a robot.
ERIC
Just my luck, I find someone who
understands my power circuitry
AND will steal a hovercraft with
me. And she's a human.
They share a laugh. Wade turns serious again --
WADE
If I did anything to give you the
wrong impression, I'm sorry.
ERIC
The only impression you gave me was
that you liked me. As a friend.
WADE
I do.
BACK ON ERICA AND ARTURO
Erica watches as Wade and Eric hug. She looks like an angry, spoiled child (O, beware, my Lord... It is the green-ey'd monster that doth mock the meat it feed on).
Back to Quinn and Remmy...they escape their "cell" notice something not long after walking down the corridor...
Remmy and Quinn sneak down the hall, entering through an open door into the --
INT. TASK ROOMS - CONTINUOUS
We track as they move through the rooms until they get to where the timer is.
REMBRANDT
I don't suppose they fixed it?
QUINN
I'm glad they didn't. I'd hate to
think of that guy having a doorway
to other worlds.
They grab the device and cautiously exit.
Another alteration was Quinn and Remmy's encounter with a robot as they go outside...
EXT. A.I. - COMPOUND - ANOTHER AREA
Quinn and Remmy exit the door rushing into: A Paul model. H grabs Quinn, pressing him against the wall, crushing his ribs. Remmy picks up a board and whacks his head, hard.
It rolls off, but the Paul does not release Quinn.
QUINN
Do something!
REMBRANDT
I just knocked off his head.
What more can a man do?
QUINN
... his arms ...
Remmy whacks the right arm. It disengages from the main body. He then whacks the left arm. It too disengages. Both arms, however, continue to squash Quinn. The body moves aimlessly. Remmy grabs the weapon, from the Paul's holster and fires (CGI). The torso goes down. Finally, the arms let go. Quinn breaths a big gulp of air.
REMBRANDT
These things are hard to kill.
QUINN
Just keep the laser. Odds are,
we'll need it to get out of here.
They head out. Unnoticed, behind them, the Quinnbot and Rembot have seen them and follow curiously.
After Remmy, Wade and Arturo are put back in the same room from before...a slightly altered conversation takes place...
REMBRANDT
You can say one thing for the bots,
they pick up quick. This time they
cut the power to the entire room.
Remmy looks around, frustrated.
REMBRANDT
We've got to get to Quinn before
they do this downloading thing.
ARTURO
Is this downloading a transferring
of a human mind into a mechanical
body?
REMBRANDT
Yeah. That's exactly how Aldohn
explained it.
ARTURO
I was afraid of that. Scientists on
our world have been working the
notion for several years, but
haven't been able to crack it.
I've always thought that was a good
thing. Better that man has some
sort of natural limits.
REMBRANDT
Well this nut doesn't seem to have
any. He's thrilled with the idea
of the mind living forever in some
kind of robotic immortality.
WADE
Who's want to live like that?
ARTURO
An arrogant, egotistical scientist
who believed his mind was so great,
it'd be a waste to let it die.
REMBRANDT
That's Aldohn, to a tee.
(sighs; then)
I know I shouldn't ask this but,
what do you think happens to the old
brain when the transfer takes place?
ARTURO
My understanding is after a
transfer occurs, there remains
only one functional brain -- and
it's not in the human.
Arturo and Remmy exchange a look.
REMBRANDT
This is bad. We're stuck in this
room... no way out.
ARTURO
I always fear fire when I'm in a
situation like this. Suppose one
would strike up, we'd be suffocated
before anybody even saw the smoke.
WADE
(a realization)
I know how we can get out of here.
And so we go into the "stud" explanation as we saw on the final version...
Did you ever think that the Sliders made it to the control room too easily? In the original version, they didn't...
INT. A.I. HALLWAY
Rembrandt leads Arturo and Wade caustiously through the hall. He draws back when a robot passes further down.
REMBRANDT
There was this room we were in when
we first got here. I'll bet that's
where they are.
They peer around the corner... A Paul stands guard.
WADE
Maybe we can disable him.
REMBRANDT
You say that like it's easy.
ARTURO
Actually, we found that it's
somewhat a snap. Allow Miss Welles
to demonstrate.
(off her look)
Just get him down here. We'll do
the rest.
Wade steps out into the hall. The robot looks down at her, alarmed. She waves cutely.
WADE
Hey, how's it going?
SECOND PAUL
How did you get out?
WADE
Wasn't really that hard. You guys
are kind of lax about security.
SECOND PAUL
I'll return you to your quarters.
He moves towards her. She takes a step back. And now, Arturo and Rembrandt jump the guy. They struggle. Remmy is thrown off. Paul forces Arturo to the ground, his hand gripping his throat, closing on the windpipe.
ARTURO
His panel...
Remmy is pulling the panel open, but --
REMBRANDT
It's stuck!
He's not sure what to do. Arturo needs air. Wade steps up, pulling the robot's laser from his holster.
WADE
Let go, Remmy.
The Robot turns, releasing Arturo. Wade fires (CGI). He's engulfed in that eerie blue-green and falls to the ground, wires sparking...
The scene then continues with the Sliders going down the hall...and as they walk, Wade notices the limp bodies of Eric and Erica in the room where they were deactivated which goes into the scene of the final version.
Probably the most interesting difference from the original script and final version is that of Aldohn himself. It is not made apparent until the end of the script, but the Aldohn of the original script is not wheel chair bound and a different explanation is given...
ALDOHN'S QUARTERS - DEN - NEXT DAY [After Aldohn is shot]
Remmy and Quinn are here with Maggie. She looks very upset.
MAGGIE
He was suffering from Alzheimer's,
having trouble with his mind, so
Paul finished the calculations and
downloaded James, everything accept
for the damaged areas.
(beat; then)
Almost everything transferred
except for the memories of the last
few years and maybe some of his
compassion.
QUINN
So he wasn't always like that?
MAGGIE
He was a kind man. He was very
hurt when the robot began to
destroy everyone.
The scene then plays out as we saw it...even the part with Remmy holding up the now working timer. No explanation for repair is given beyond that...apparently it miraculously happened between scenes (the lack of explanation and crucial place likely led to the reason the timer sub-plot was dropped).
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