Originally aired October 18, 1996
Teleplay by Melinda M. Snodgrass
Story by Scott Smith Miller & Melinda M. Snodgrass
Directed by Jefery Levy
In a San Francisco where a group of misfits possesses the ability to enter people's dreams and manipulate them for their own twisted amusement, Wade is targeted by the group's leader, and Quinn, Rembrandt, and Arturo must enter the dream realm to save her.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Disproportionate Retribution: Gerald targets Wade for spurning him (although it should be pointed out that she did so by punching him in the groin). We also see Gerald and his buddy cause the death of a bike rider for an accident. Other vengeful acts are referred to throughout the episode.
- Dressing as the Enemy: Quinn sneaks around the nerds' headquarters by ambushing one of them and putting on the guy's glasses and jacket.
- Evil Redhead: Gerald, as played by Zach Ward.
- Four Eyes, Zero Soul: Gerald wears a pair of glasses.
- Friendship Moment:
- Thinking Wade's condition is his fault, Rembrandt vows to stay on this world and tend to her comatose body.
- Arturo has to eat crow when explaining to Rembrandt how the situation isn't his fault. Rembrandt gladly milks the moment for all it's worth, prompting a frustrated Arturo to eventually yell at him. The two then share a good laugh.
- Journey to the Center of the Mind: Quinn, Rembrandt, and Arturo do this in order to save Wade.
- The Man Behind the Man: Dr. Cardoza, to Gerald and his friends.
- Oddball in the Series: A more minor example for this trope, but still, this episode has the distinction of being the only one in the entire series to not feature a single sliding scene. It opens with the group having already arrived and ends with them turning in for some well-deserved sleep.
- Police Are Useless: Justified. The cops investigating the bike rider's death immediately brush off the whole thing, upon seeing Gerald and his buddy on the scene. It takes some time for the Sliders to realize the nerds have the power to keep the cops in line, with the lead cop on the scene having personally experienced the nightmare abuse.
- Villain of the Week: Gerald Thomas, with Dr. Cardoza as The Man Behind the Man.
- What the Hell, Hero?: After Rembrandt falls asleep while keeping an eye on Wade and she ends up trapped in the dream realm, Arturo gives him hell for it, but he's later forced to eat his words after learning that someone slipped a tranquilizer in Remmy's coffee.
- Whole-Plot Reference: To the Nightmare On Elm Street films. This episode even bears a close similarity to the title of the fourth Elm Street film, The Dream Master.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?:
- Wade was once mugged by a guy with a knife, which left her with a deep fear of both knives and getting cut.
- During the nightmare sequences, Wade and Rembrandt are confronted by a shared fear: snakes.
