Asylum

“Asylum”
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 10
Written by	Bill Dial
Directed by	Michael Miller
Guest stars	Roger Hewlett (Driver) Thorsten Kaye (Ralph Hackett) Valarie Pettiford (Dr. Grace Venable) Larry McCormick (TV Anchor) Scott Kloes (Man) Marilyn Randall (Nurse)
Production no.	K2813
Original airdate	8/17/1998
Episode chronology ← Previous Next → "Slidecage" "California Reich"
List of Sliders episodes

On a world raided by Kromaggs for natural resources, Rembrandt falls in love with a doctor who can save a critically injured Quinn. Problem is, Maggie learns this doctor collaborated with the Kromaggs during the Kromagg war, and is on the run from the British Secret Service.

With only two minutes before the slide, Quinn, Maggie, Rembrandt and Colin are stuck being airlifted out of Southern California. When the plane is struck by gunfire, Quinn goes to grab parachutes but is severely injured in the explosion. Rembrandt also receives a concussion. Using rush judgment, Maggie tells Colin to grab his brother while she grabs Rembrandt. Maggie then opens the vortex outside the plane and the four skydive into the wormhole.

Arriving on the next world, Maggie checks Quinn's vitals and tells Colin to go get help, or he could die. Colin runs down the hillside and enlists the aid of a man in a buggy. In town, Colin finds a beautiful doctor, Grace Venable, in a clinic, and she agrees to help bring Quinn and Rembrandt into town for treatment. When the ambulance returns and unloads Quinn and Rembrandt into the hospital, a series of photographs of the Sliders are taken by a mysterious man.

Inside the hospital, the team learns that California has become its own country after the Kromagg invasion and that the president is Charlton Heston. They also learn that Rembrandt's wounds are not serious and will only be held for observation. Quinn's status, however, is not so positive: hemorrhaging in his skull could kill him if he isn't skillfully attended to. Maggie and Colin visit Rembrandt and tell him they have three days until they slide, and visit Quinn to see his status for themselves.

At the Chandler, Maggie and Colin are discussing the politics of this earth when the man who took photos of them earlier introduces himself as Ralph Hackett, an investor. When Colin reveals the seriousness of his brother's injuries to Hackett, he cheerfully tells them that he knows of some clinics up by San Francisco that could help Quinn in his recovery. Maggie thanks him and she and Colin head to their room to rest.

The next day, Rembrandt is about to be released when Dr. Venable comes in to check on him. Rembrandt charms himself into a dinner with the doctor. Maggie calls from the Chandler and Rembrandt tells her that he's being released. Colin decides to go to the library to try and figure out what has happened on this world with the Kromaggs.

Hackett is seen in his room briefing some British intelligence operatives about apprehending a suspect.

Rembrandt and Grace have dinner at her beach house. Rembrandt performs a song for Grace while they discuss the culinary delights of this particular earth. At the same time, Maggie and Hackett dine at Miguel San, a Japanese-Mexican hybrid restaurant. Maggie lies about her involvement in the Kromagg war and Hackett talks about some clinics in Palo Alto that would be beneficial to Quinn.

Colin finds out that when the Kromaggs entered this dimension, they were here not on a conquest, but to resupply their dwindling natural resources. Great Britain, under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, signed a non-aggression pact with the Kromaggs to prevent an invasion of England. Now that the Kromaggs have left, the British government wants to hunt down any Kromagg sympathizers from the UK, many of whom have fled to the nation of California for sanctuary.

Walking down the beach, Rembrandt admits to Grace that they are Sliders, a fact that surprises Grace, as she thought that only Kromaggs had such sophisticated technology. Rembrandt talks about his frustrations with sliding and how he doesn't even know why he's sliding anymore. He also tells Grace that if Quinn can't leave when they need to slide, he's going to stay behind and help his friend, and that Grace was a factor in that decision. She asks if she can accompany them to the next world if she can heal Quinn. Apparently, Grace learned a Kromagg healing technique that she could use on Quinn. Rembrandt cheerfully agrees.

In the Chandler, Maggie and Hackett go back to his room so that he can get the addresses of the clinics in Northern California. Maggie rummages through some of his stuff and discovers four passports and the photographs he told. Confronted with the evidence, Hackett admits he is from British secret service and that he is trying to extradite a Helen Donovan, who served the Kromagg High Commander during the occupation, and who is currently under the alias of Grace Venable. Hackett asks Maggie to aid him in confirming her identity and in giving her whereabouts.

The next day, Rembrandt and Grace are enjoying brunch while overlooking the ocean when Hackett and his operatives attack them, capturing Grace and leaving Rembrandt on the patio. Rembrandt rushes to purchases some weapons and returns to the Chandler, telling Maggie and Colin what has happened. Maggie tells Rembrandt that she knows, since she helped Hackett capture her. Rembrandt, understandably upset, demands to know why. Colin presents Rembrandt with the evidence that Grace is a Kromagg sympathizer, and Rembrandt tells them they need to get her to use the Kromagg healing technique on Quinn before she is flown to London for trial. They travel to the airport and Rembrandt convinces Grace to heal Quinn.

At the hospital, Grace heals Quinn, and pleads with Rembrandt to help her escape. Rembrandt asks her if she was forced to help the Kromaggs. She tearfully says no. They hug, and she is taken by Hackett. Quinn and Rembrandt walk outside for the slide while Rembrandt and Maggie console each other over the decisions they made