Originally aired October 4, 1996
Written by Scott Smith Miller
Directed by Oscar L. Costo
The Sliders arrive on a world where powerful electromagnetic tornadoes have almost completely wiped out the population; to make matters worse, the tornadoes cause the timer to malfunction. They seek refuge in an Amish-like village ruled by a despotic farmer who confiscates the timer and keeps Wade prisoner while exiling Quinn, Rembrandt, and Arturo to the desert.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Accidental Murder: When talking about the fallout between his father and Thomas Malone, Reed remarks that there was an argument and "Mr. Malone fell and hit his head."
- Amish: Michener's community has shades of this, though they never identify themselves as such. Notably, they practice the concept of "Shunning" (specifically Jenny's punishment for helping the exiles).
- Arbitrary Skepticism: One of the locals openly doubts Quinn's claims of sliding despite living in a world where electric tornadoes ravaged the world.
- Evil Luddite: Michener turned into this. He used to be a scientist, but he embraced this after the tornadoes destroyed the world. Ranting about technology being a tool of the Devil, he dismantles the timer and exiles the three male Sliders for bringing harm to his community.
- The Exile: Michener does this to those who disobey his rules. His son, Reed, was also exiled because he learned the truth behind the tornadoes. Reed went on to lead the various exiles and work towards finding them shelter and food.
- Harmful to Minors: Parodied. Wade says she considered The Wizard of Oz horrific when she saw it as a kid.Wade: My folks used to make me watch The Wizard of Oz every year on TV like it was a special event. Flying monkeys, poison poppies, tornadoes, witches—good family fun. I couldn't sleep for a week.
- He Knows Too Much: Reed explains that he confronted his father with the truth. Soon afterwards, he was taken out into the desert by six mooks, beaten, and left for dead.
- Hypocrite: For all of Michener's lecturing, he was the one who ruined the world and is implied to have killed his partner.
- I Want You to Meet an Old Friend of Mine: Guest star Corey Feldman (Reed Michener) previously co-starred with Jerry O'Connell (Quinn) in Stand by Me. They even do the handshake from said movie.
- Irony: Wade's father was always busy working, but by the time he finally retired and had time to spend with her, her sliding adventure began.
- Ludd Was Right: The community lives the simple farming life, with Michener often pontificating on appeal to tradition and living a pure life. Crosses into a Technically advanced society as Dystopia, as we learn the tornadoes are the result of Michener's experiments and that this world was originally more advanced. Also, the trope is somewhat justified as modern technology (or at least the timer) disrupts the community's natural protection against the tornadoes.
- Mundane Utility: Thomas Malone (Michener's partner) originally developed these electric tornadoes as this, such as for architectural projects. Then the government got involved and priorities changed.
- Noodle Incident:
- Arturo recalls working with Thomas Malone years ago.
- Rembrandt references an unpleasant concert in Texas.Rembrandt: Those cowboys just didn't get Motown.
- Properly Paranoid: In the desert, the group was ready to drink from a pool of water, but then Quinn noticed the dead animals with burn marks littered around it. The group discovers that the water is electrified.
- Villain of the Week: Franklin Michener
- Water Torture: Wade is subjected to the dunking version of this. It's certainly not so viewers could see Sabrina Lloyd in a wet t-shirt.
- Whole-Plot Reference: To Twister, though according to Tracy Tormé, the writers were skittish about being too similar.
