“Murder Most Foul” is episode thirteen (and originally shown as that) of season three of Sliders.
The Sliders arrive on a world where everyone is wearing sunglasses and dark suits, the professor landing first face in a pile of rubbish. At the bar, Rembrandt comments how they stand out in their attire; the professor says that someone reeking of garbage would stand out on any world. He’s going to buy some new clothes. No, he doesn’t need help.
Outside, someone bumps into the professor and spills their coffee on him. He yells that coffee is for drinking, not carrying. A woman speaks into a walkie talkie then approaches the professor and asks if there’s a problem. No; he normally has coffee all over him. He’s asked why he’s out of uniform. The professor hasn’t worn one in 30 years. Two others grab him as he’s sedated and taken away.
Rembrandt is asking Diggs if anyone has fun. There’s no profit in fun. Time spent frivolously is time wasted. No alcohol either, it dulls the senses. Better wired than tired. Diggs is asked about the professor. The one dressed tramp like them? They got him. Only to be expected, walking around dressed like that. He’ll have been taken to a centre, where they take Fractures.
Two doctors are talking about the professor. He’s not in any database. One says that maybe he is a big shot in a parallel world. He’s not serious. The other says he’s probably a big shot here. Identities can only be electronically cloaked by executive order; he’s probably working on a top-secret project.
The other three arrive, now in suits. One of the doctors speaks to them when they ask about the professor. He’s on his way to Park 99; the doctor has had great success with Fractures this severe. Quinn tries finding out more but the doctor wants ID. Rembrandt intimidates her.
The professor is strapped down as a doctor is working on him. He’s exceeded his stress threshold. The doctor puts the professor in a light hypnotic state, and when he awakes, he will look at a pocket watch every hour. For now, he will be the famous detective, Reginald Doyle.
The others bump into a woman outside. She’s applying to be a theme character. They claim they are as well. There’s nothing else for actors. The professor is now wearing a deerstalker hat and is in what looks like it’s supposed to be 19th century London.
The other three are now in costumes; Wade doesn’t look that happy about hers. Given the time period, not surprising. At best she’s a music hall dancer, and that probably means she’s something else as well. Dr Dunhill, the park supervisor, enters and says outside this room he’s Inspector Reed of Scotland Yard. Outside this room, stay in character at all times.
Outside, they hear a scream and rush to where there’s a dead woman in an alley. Another Ripper murder. The professor arrives but doesn’t recognise them. And Quinn gets the timer pickpocketed. The professor thinks Quinn is his assistant, Marple. The other two didn’t catch the urchin who stole the timer and Quinn explains the professor thinks he’s Reginald Doyle, who’s like Sherlock Holmes on their world.
Off what is essentially the set, the dead body is not real; the woman they met outside, Erin, says that she was a designated victim. A featured role. She and Wade still have a chance, as they’re tarts. Quinn is trying to get the professor to talk to him and gets to see the effect the pocket watch has. Later, someone is following Wade and she gets worried. Rembrandt startles her.
Quinn finds the urchin who stole the timer; it seems he took it apart and then put it back together again. The urchin gets away when the professor distracts Quinn. There’s a threat of another murder. Quinn later explains to the others that the professor is undergoing mental health therapy on this world.
They have no timer and the professor isn’t in his right mind. Almost literally. It turns out he is quite skilled as a detective though. Perhaps fortunate, as the next murder victim is real. And it was supposed to be Wade.