Sliders (1995–2000): Season 4, Episode 20 - The Chasm - full transcript

Ow!

Look, I'm all for nature walks,

but these mosquitoes
are like stealth bombers.

Hang tough. We've
got three hours here.

I'll be a few
quarts low by then.

This way.

Grandpa, I'm scared.

You must be brave, Amy.

Especially now.

No.

This is
my destiny and duty.



And soon it will be yours.

Look, are you all right?

I'm okay.

Daddy was right.

It didn't really hurt.

My elbow stings
from falling down.

That's all.

Who was that man?

My grandpa.

He was chosen.

Just like me.

What if you found a
portal to a parallel universe?

What if you could slide into
a thousand different worlds

where it's the same year
and you're the same person,



but everything
else is different?

And what if you can't
find your way home?

Sliders.

Are you sure you're all right?

Come on.

Listen,
what were you chosen for?

For the good of all the others.

Everyone knows that.

I'm Rembrandt. What's your name?

Rembrandt? Yeah.

I like that name.

I'm Amy.

Nice to meet you, Amy.

This is Maggie.

Hi, Amy.

What is it?

I don't know. Some kind
of natural phenomenon.

Can you feel that
static discharge?

We have to help him. How?

Hello? Hello?

Hello?

Oh, come on.

It's way too dangerous.

Hey, what's in this pit?

It's not a pit.

It's the Chasm.

Are you sad about what happened
to your grandfather, sweetheart?

It's not that.

All right, come on.

We'll take good care of you,
all right?

Uh-huh.

Don't worry,
Rembrandt. She'll be fine.

Why do you say that?

I don't know.

I feel very strange. I know I
should be upset, concerned,

but for some reason,
I'm not at all.

There's a kind of peace here.

In spite of the way things look.

I just have this feeling
everything's going to be all right.

Get your balloons.

It's nice, isn't it?

I don't know, Q-Ball, I'm expecting
to see Donna Reed or the Beaver.

The Beaver is some kind of
cultural icon on some worlds.

Well, he had his own show.

What they mean is,
it seems a little too perfect.

Afternoon, folks. Lovely day.

Sheriff,
it's a good thing that we ran into you.

Look, there's been an accident.

Well, Amy. How are you?

Everything go all right?

Yes, Sheriff Hardy.

Sheriff,
did you hear me?

Her grandfather,
he fell into some kind of bottomless pit.

So, you folks new in town?

What does that
have to do with it?

Enjoy your stay.

What's going on here?

I don't know, but you'd think
that the man would care more.

Oh.

Hello, Amy.

How nice to see you.

And who are these
attractive people?

This is Rembrandt.

Hello,
Rembrandt. Nice to meet you.

I haven't seen you
folks around town before.

Well,
we're just passing through.

Well,
I hope that you'll stay a while.

We don't get so many visitors
here in Middletown anymore.

Why?

Gosh, I really don't know.

It used to be that Middletown
was a real vacation destination,

but now it's just
mostly us locals.

Oh well, anyway,
my name is Mrs. Meadows.

And I run a malt shop
right around the corner

called the Sweet Shack,

because "All we speak is sweet,
sweet, sweet."

If you need anything just anything at all,
just call on me.

Thank you very
much. We'll do that.

It was very nice meeting you.

Listen, can you tell us where
we can find Amy's parents?

Well, I suppose her father is
most likely where he usually is

at the Temple tending his flock.

Drop in and see me, Amy,
and I'll fix you up with a chocolate malt.

Now,

bye, now.

Ooh, what a lovely day.

Hello, sweetie, how did it go?

Okay, I guess.

There is no power greater than sacrifice,
dear heart.

The offering fuels the calm. You know that,
don't you?

Yes.

Did the transference take place?

Ah, yes.

To be among the chosen is to
answer the highest calling there is.

Well, hello.

I've not seen you before.
Who might you be?

I'd be one of the people who found
your daughter here at the edge of a ravine,

crying her eyes out.

She was hit by what looked to
be an electrical force of some kind.

She seems okay, physically.

But it left her pretty upset.

Usually the chosen experiences
the transference alone.

Why did you break the tradition?

We didn't know
there was a tradition.

We were just hiking in the woods,
didn't mean any harm.

It's unusual, but I suppose if everything
went all right, there's no need to worry.

Well, I'm sorry to have to tell you this,
but, uh,

Amy's grandfather fell
into that chasm thing.

Dad was a good man.

Fortunate to be called.

Shouldn't we go looking for
him? Form a search party?

The Chasm requires souls.

This is how it's been
and always will be.

Look,

your dad could be terribly hurt,
even dead.

You don't care about that?

He was called. He was chosen.

As was my wife. Don't you know
the power of sacrifice and redemption?

Not into a pit, I don't.

I'm afraid I must
ask you to leave.

No.

You've upset my
daughter. Please go.

Now.

Come on, Remmy.

Folks here sure are nice.

Yeah. Why?

What are you so paranoid of?

We finally find a pleasant
and peaceful world.

That should be
enough. MAN: Popsicles.

Yeah, well,
it doesn't look like Amy feels that way.

You know,
I don't get you, Q-Ball.

We just saw this
old man kill himself.

His son thinks it's just great,

and you seem to
be okay with that.

I have this feeling that
Amy's gonna be fine.

That everything
will work out for her.

Quinn Mallory, scientist,

objective realist,

turned mindless optimist? Now
that's a picture I never thought I'd see.

Well, just let me know if you're
gonna break into a chorus of Let It Be.

There's that feeling again.

I should be totally
on edge right now,

wondering when all this is
going to blow up in our faces.

But you're not.

I saw a man die,
but I don't sense any danger. Why?

I don't know, but to be honest,

I'm beginning to
feel the same thing.

Me, too.

Yeah, it's, uh,
not happiness exactly, but...

Content.

I don't remember the
last time I felt like this.

Maybe when I was a
kid back in San Francisco.

Well,
I'm happy that everybody is so mellow,

but if you don't mind...

I'm gonna nose around and see what
I can come up about this chasm thing.

I think that's a good idea.

But frankly,

I think everything's a
good idea right about now.

Why don't you and Colin
hang here while Maggie and I go

on a little
reconnaissance mission?

Hi.

Oh, oh,
I knew you couldn't resist it.

Two chocolate malts?

Specialty of the house.

Absolutely.

We can diet on the next world.

How are you folks
enjoying Middletown?

Fine.

We're just a little thrown by something,
though.

What's that?

Well, everyone seems so content.

And that throws you?

Well, I know, that it's a
strange thing to complain about,

but we're rather new here.

Praise be unto the Chasm.

It fills our hearts with
peace and contentment.

So you're saying that
the Chasm is responsible

for everyone feeling so
good about themselves?

Yes, dear,

if we do right by the Chasm,

then It does right by us.

We give it a soul,

and it gives us
back contentment.

You give it a soul when
someone jumps into the Chasm?

That's correct.

And then when one goes,

another who is standing by receives
the force through a transference.

Yeah, that's the electrical zap?

The force.

And when the melancholy
gets too overwhelming,

then that person has
to make a sacrifice.

Then that little
girl Amy is next?

Well, you can't just take,
take, take.

In order to have peace,
you have to pay for it.

And I should know.

I gave my son, Adam,
unto the Chasm.

It's for the common good.

You think Amy sees it that way?

It seems as though we ought
to try and get inside that chasm.

And see if we can
find the grandfather.

If you want.

You have a better idea?

To be honest, Colin,
I really don't have any ideas right now.

All I know is
that I like it here.

Me too.

But we have to
think of what's next.

I'm tired of thinking
about what's next.

Always on the move,

always trying to acclimate to some strange,
new world.

No home, no friends.

A different bed every few days,
that's if there even is a bed.

We slide soon.

First, I think,
we should try to help that little girl.

You know, Colin, I'm not really
sure I'm ever gonna slide again.

What?

I'm burned out, man.

I finally find a place
that I like. Why leave it?

You don't mean that, Quinn.

Maybe, I do.

What about finding our parents?

How do we know
they're even still alive?

Do you want to waste the rest
of your life chasing some dream?

Here's the timer.

As for me,

I am going to catch a nap.

When the time comes,
go if you want to go.

I think I've found a new home.

Hey.

You find anything?

Yeah,
that everybody's as happy as a clam,

and the Chasm seems to
have everything to do with it.

How much
time till we slide?

Two hours and 17 minutes.

Where's Q-Ball?

Taking a nap.

A nap?

He said he's home
now. He's through sliding.

What?

There's something
seductive about this world.

There's no doubt about it.

I can feel the peace myself,
but something is wrong.

It's like a drug or
something. It's not real.

Whatever it is,
Quinn's more affected by it than we are.

Maybe the people with
greater stress are more prone

to the calming
affects of this place.

Yeah and it's getting stronger.

By the time the timer counts down to zero,
none of us are gonna want to leave.

No!

Somebody's not content.

No!

No!

What are you doing here?

You defile this holy place.

Do you think a child can
accept the burden of the Chasm?

Your mother knew what
it meant to give herself.

Daddy!

You'll never be like her.

No!

No, Daddy, please!

You will never be the chosen one. No,
no, Daddy, don't!

Amy?

No!

Amy, it's okay.

Amy, Amy.

No!

Amy,
it's okay, calm down.

Amy, I'm here.

No!

What are you doing here?

I'm trying to help
your daughter.

Something's
scaring her to death.

Her life is in the hands of something
much more powerful than you.

Come here, sweetie.

Amy, come to Daddy.

Come to Daddy, Amy.

No!

Amy.

No!

Amy!

Amy!

Amy, wait!

Amy!

Amy!

Wait,
it's Rembrandt! Your friend. Wait!

Amy!

Amy!

Amy!

Amy, no!

Amy!

I am chosen.

Listen to me, Remmy.

A poisonous
force is driving you.

I don't know anymore.

I don't know!

Please, Rembrandt, play it back.

It all started with that girl.

The girl.

Amy.

Right, Amy.

She was consumed by
the same force that has you.

I tried to save her.

I couldn't stand to see her so down,
so blue.

Rembrandt,
think back to when you last saw Amy.

What's the use?

Stop it, Remmy!

Now come on, think back.

Amy, no!

Get back!

Go ahead, jump.

You'll always be a
disappointment to your father.

Amy, step back.

I am chosen.

No!

Amy.

Amy. Where is she?

I tried to stop her.

My head.

She can't have
gone. It's too soon.

I tried to save her.

The chosen must serve for
years before they are taken.

You did this. You
and your friends.

You don't know the
serenity of our people.

Your pain has
driven her to this.

I told you that I
tried to stop her!

A lightning bolt hit
me. I couldn't move.

You have taken the transference?

You are chosen?

I don't want anything to do
with this weird cult of death

you people have here.

It's too late. You have the sadness,
now.

It will only deepen,
getting darker and darker.

Then reverse it!

You don't understand.

You are the chosen.

You are to give
yourself unto the Chasm.

That others shall know peace.

Forget it.

I'm not part of this. I'm not
jumping into some black pit.

No one can withstand
the enveloping sorrow.

You will welcome your
sacrifice when the time comes.

Admit it,
you like it here.

We've been through hell and high
water looking for our home world.

We can't stop now.

Hell, high water,
Kromaggs, evil doubles.

Thank you, but I think I'll take all the
popcorn and cotton candy I can eat.

And the best sleep
I've had in years.

Okay,
but someone has to suffer and die

in order for you to get
a good night's sleep.

The way this world works.

Remmy.

Hey, Rem, what is it?

What happened to you?

Amy? Is it Amy, did she...

This, too, will pass.

You're not fooling me with your grief,
Rembrandt.

I know what's really going on.

You spent three months
in a Kromagg prison.

No one could resist that
much mind manipulation.

What is it?

He's just feeling
a little stressed.

I told you. It'll pass.

Stress like that is too
much for any human.

That's why you abandoned Wade.

You were working
with the Kromaggs.

It wasn't my fault!

Now I didn't abandon
Wade. They took her!

Wade?

What are you talking about?

What happened to Wade,
I live with that every day.

You. Remmy?

And stop
trying to kill me!

You tried to stab me once,
and you'll do it again.

That wasn't me!

That was hypnotic suggestion!

The Kromaggs own you.

They control you. Admit it!

No! Admit it!

You're one of them. No!

Rem, wait!

Rembrandt!

I've always carried
an aching fear deep inside.

A fear that haunts
me to the bone.

Depression,

it can work your
soul like a vice-grip,

squeezing out happiness,

and replacing it with
mind-numbing sadness.

Until we landed on this world

I never knew how
lethal that could be.

I am chosen!

Don't do it!

I'm doing this
for everyone else,

for their peace of mind.

No, think it through.

Maybe it's your time,
Rembrandt.

Go ahead,

take the plunge.

You'll feel better.

I'll decide that for myself,
Mallory.

You no longer
have the free will.

You're a pawn for the
Kromagg Dynasties.

They're inside your body,

control your every move.

That's why you
tried to kill me.

That wasn't the real me.

You're kidding yourself.

It's the only you
that exists now.

Release yourself from the torment,
Remmy.

Go ahead. Jump.

Jump.

It's the honorable
thing to do.

Remmy, you'll die.

Don't do it.

I am chosen!

Listen to me. Remmy.

Whatever you're seeing,
it isn't real.

It's this place. This
force. It's infected you.

Your head's spinning
with hallucinations.

You don't know,

it's like I can't
catch my breath.

Rembrandt,
we slide in less than an hour.

You have to get it
out of you before then,

or it could carry
with you forever.

Slide?

That's over with now.

It is not.

No, no, it won't work.

We're on your side.

Then let me do what I must do.

Let me give myself to the Chasm.

That you might know peace!

No.

I am chosen!

He's dead.

Remmy's dead.

I can't believe that.

I won't. Not until
we know for sure.

Just face it,

there's only the
three of us left.

And who knows
how long that will last.

You have to use all your
resources against this thing, Maggie.

Every last ounce of your will.

Oh, Colin,

you don't know,
you can't feel it.

I do know.
You have to focus.

I feel so dizzy.

Sit down.

Try to gather your strength.

Remmy was a good friend.

I'll miss him.

Is that all you have to say?

To be honest, Colin,

I really don't feel that bad.

It's not that I'm
happy about it,

but it really doesn't bother me,
either.

It just happened.

Rem was the best
friend you ever had.

And you still want to stay here?

Don't you get it?

You're so calm because
someone else is suffering.

First Amy, then Remmy,

now Maggie.

Where is she?

Maggie?

Get your balloons.

Sheriff,

Sheriff,

we have to talk about
something. It's important.

What could
possibly be important?

Life is simple.

Life is relaxed.

Life is good, Reverend,
and you help to make it that way.

Sheriff,
the strangers have been chosen.

That's kind of interesting,
isn't it?

When Amy was taken,
the force went into one of them.

And now a second
one has been chosen.

I've been Sheriff for 23 years.

I never once heard
of anything like this.

You have to do something!

Are they doing anything unusual?

They've been chosen!
Isn't that unusual enough?

They're resistant to
the ways of the Chasm.

There's no sense in that. No
one can go against the Chasm.

What do you plan to do?

We watch them. Close.

If they have been chosen,
like you say,

the Chasm will deal with them.

If not, I will.

I often feel
completely alone in the universe.

My husband taken from me,

my world and everything
in it wiped from existence,

it's like I'm locked in
solitary confinement,

serving a life's sentence
behind the walls of my own skin.

Quinn doesn't care about me.

I'm not from his
Earth. I'm not Wade.

I'm just excess baggage he
has to drag through the vortex.

And Colin's so busy trying
to figure out his new life,

he barely even notices me.

I'm all alone.

Maggie, wait!

Where's Colin?

He went back to town.

Why are you looking
at me like that?

Colin was right.

You're like a magnet

for my fear and pains.

And as you take on my sorrow,

I feel more content.

Happier.

See,

when I move back,

your tears stop.

And you're not smiling.

Oh, Quinn,

I can't do this alone.

You have to help me. You have to

figure something out, please.

We'll find a way, Maggie.

We'll get this force out of you.

How?

Remmy!

Remmy.

I can't
handle it. Let me go.

Let me go.

Let me go.

Okay, okay, look,
let's breathe.

You're not really alone. You
have your thoughts. Memories.

Remember what Dad used to say, "Courage
is 50% of a fighter pilot's arsenal."

Not alone, not alone.

It's worse since
Steven was killed.

Knowing him was
the best thing in my life.

And now that he's
gone and I'm so alone...

You're not alone, Maggie.

Quinn, you scared me.

I'm here for you.
Always have been.

Where are we? Who cares?

We're here,

and again, maybe we're not.

Quinn, stop doing that,
you're scaring me.

Come on, where's the fun-loving,
wisecracking girl

I used to know?

Where's the girl I
could have loved?

Almost did. Almost
made her mine.

Too late.

Sorry,
I guess you didn't want to hear that.

Quinn, please stop.

You are really looking down,
Maggie.

But I can help.

You don't have to feel so
lonely. There is a way out.

There is? How?

Go back to the Chasm.

Don't be afraid.

When you feel the wind pick up,
spread your arms and dive.

It'll take care of
the loneliness.

It'll take care of everything.

No, Quinn. Stop.

Stop, Quinn.

Quinn, stop. No.

Maggie, you're hallucinating!

This is not real.

Quinn?

...ropes, spikes, you know.

Andy says one of the strangers
took a bunch of rope, spikes and such.

It's like they were
going mountain climbing.

There are no
mountains around here.

Yes, but there's a Chasm.

They can't do that.

It's against the natural order.

There will be terrible
consequences.

Andy, we're borrowing some guns.

I'm deputizing you boys.

We must maintain
the peaceful calm.

At all cost.

You wanted me to
jump into the Chasm.

You said it would
end my loneliness.

That wasn't me.

How do I know
this isn't really you?

Maggie, how can I convince you?

It was awful,
you just kept leaving me.

I won't leave you. I promise.

I can't get close to you.

We have to stay focused.

You don't care about me.

No, you know that's not
true. I can't get close to you

because I give
you my depression.

I can't stand this anymore.

Maggie, get back here. Please.

Rembrandt left,

and then Colin left.

Rembrandt is in the pit.

Colin has not left you.

He's not here.

He'll be back.

There's only one way
to end this loneliness.

Maggie!

You came back. Why
did you come back?

So we can all go inside the
Chasm and find Rembrandt.

But I need your help.

Will you help me?

Why?

Because we are all
a part of each other.

Wherever you go, I go.

I won't abandon you.

You won't abandon Rembrandt.

Search your heart, Maggie.

That's the way it is with us.

Thank you.

Let's go see what's inside.

Now remember, we ain't looking to
make friends or take any prisoners.

You almost
done over there?

One more loop, a turn and there.

Where did you
learn how to do that?

Brother, necessity is the mother
of all fancy knots and harnesses.

Only one place to go.

You get one?

No.

Keep shooting, boys.

Take my hand.

We go together.

That was almost
better than sliding.

Once you get past the
take-off. How much time?

Now you're going with us?

This place is
wearing a little thin.

Twelve minutes.

Here, why don't you take it?

Are you all right?

Where are we?

Fairly industrial
for holy ground.

Come on,
let's go find Rembrandt.

Hello.

Hello. We're looking for our friend,
Rembrandt.

Oh, don't worry about him.

What are
you doing down here?

You might say
that I am the Keeper of the Flame.

You jumped into this thing?

Oh no, no, no,
dear. I use the service entrance.

Is our friend down here?

In a manner of speaking,
he's crossed over.

To what?

To suspended animation.

It's, uh,

it's in the brochure.

Middletown's an amusement park?

One of the happiest places ever.

That's why there's popcorn
and cotton candy everywhere.

Exactly.

Middletown is the home
of the world's happiest ride.

And you are near the end of it.

"World's happiest ride?"

Why does it look
like a bottomless pit?

All great leaps of faith
look forbidding at first.

The faint of heart
get discouraged.

But the chosen
one presses ahead.

The chosen one.

So the chosen one takes
on the weight of the world.

Not the world.

Just those that live here

and benefit from the
transmigration of bio-energy.

So this transference
of emotion is real?

Oh, yeah.

All the pain literally
goes to the chosen one?

How?

It's all very scientific.

It was invented by my great,
great grandfather,

a long, long time ago.

You see,
there is a real transfer

through some kind
of parallel energy field.

We know about transfers
of parallel energy fields.

What makes it a ride?

That's how it started a long,
long time ago.

You see,
wealthy people used to come to Middletown

and pay dearly

to channel their problems
through a trained facilitator.

And then he was placed
into suspended animation,

along with the woes
and worries of the visitor.

And then when the visitor left,

their cares were
returned to them.

But, uh, no one leaves anymore.

So this person, this chosen one,

he just takes on more and
more until no more can be taken?

That's when they
leap into the Chasm.

And then they are placed
into suspended animation

so that the troubles
never come back.

And then another must be chosen.

Nobody ever resists?

They welcome it.

It is now your time, dear.

She's not going.

I'm afraid it's our way.

You folks have
pushed this thing too far.

You and your friend should
never have been chosen.

But since you were...

Why don't you take me instead?

I'm afraid I'm not at
liberty to change... Or me?

I'm ready to go.
I...

Now take us to our friends.

We slide in five minutes, Colin.

This it? Yeah.

The chosen ones.

How do we get in there?

Only the chosen may enter.

Can we turn off the
machine? Release them?

Of course not.

I mean, what would we do without
the chosen ones to cleanse our souls?

Anyway,
the machinery is fully automated.

The controls are inside.

I'll go.

Only the chosen.

It has to be me.

You don't have to do this.

I do.

I have to get rid
of these feelings.

Will she freeze right away?

The process takes a few moments.

I can turn off the
machine from the inside.

Here,

you better take this.

Good luck.

Your
suspension is about to begin.

You will see nothing,
feel nothing, know nothing.

Remember,
your sacrifice brings

peace and contentment.

Middletown park wishes to say,
"Thank you." MAGGIE: Quinn.

Quinn, it's so cold.

Hang on, Maggie.

The transfer is complete.

Now, Maggie!

How are you feeling?

Freezing.

Better.

How about you?

Worse.

Nervous,
afraid we're going to miss the slide,

wondering if we
did the right thing.

The usual.

Well, then it worked.

Where are we?

On our way out of here.

Are you all right?

Yeah.

Just cold as hell.

A little stiff.

I'm alive.

Is this the Chasm?

Yeah. I think so.

Pretty weird, huh?

Yeah.

Mom!

What did you do?

The people won't be
able to control themselves

they'll be overwhelmed
with the highs and lows,

with pain, and sorrow.

How dare you? I mean,

who are you to come
and destroy our lives?

They'll learn to live
with it. Like we all do.

Mom?

Adam.

Adam.

I did what you told me to.

I leapt into the Chasm.

I didn't know you'd be here,
too.

Were you chosen?

No, Son. I wasn't chosen.

I just came here to be with you.

It's cold in here.
Can we go home?

Come on, guys, we gotta go.

This is one of those emotional
highs she was talking about.

We got a minute fifty.

Emotion
is what makes us human.

Yeah, you have to take the
bad with the good, the whole package.

Well,
maybe she has a point.

Who are we to pass
judgment on other worlds?

We can't tell
people what's right or wrong.

You just get them to look at
things from a different perspective.

Come on, guys.

It's been a long day.

At least you got a nap.

Want to go together?

Yeah, why fly solo?

What will they do now?

They'll have to live with
everything. Good and bad.

Like we all do.