“Season’s Greedings” is episode twelve (and originally shown as that) of season three of Sliders.
The Sliders arrive on a new world, arguing over a previous one. Quinn sees Christmas decorations out and there’s a chapel. Wade wants to go in to give thanks about getting out of the last world alive. They enter and a woman asks the professor to hold her baby. He’s delighted to, and mentions delivering a baby in “The Prince of Slides”. He, Rembrandt and Quinn are chatting about the baby when Wade returns and asks whose it is. The woman has gone. They go looking for her and the professor sees her leaving on a bus.
They speak to the priest; the professor has reason to believe the woman works in Sky High Plaza. The priest has a poor opinion of that place; just because it’s in the clouds doesn’t make it paradise. The professor says they are in town for two days; just give them that time to find the mother.
The Plaza is indeed on a cloud and they head up on an escalator. Wade wonders why the professor is so obsessed with the baby. Adverts announce there are two shopping days until Christmas and instant credit loans are always available. The Plaza has schools, libraries and a hospital, because people live there.
They see a man in what looks like a Plaza uniform running only to be shocked by a bracelet he wears. Two security guards then drag him away. The Sliders try to buy food but the place doesn’t take cash; only the Plaza debit card. They’re still hiring season help, though, and the job comes with housing and a debit card. The outlet manager is approaching, with the assistant to the Plaza’s president. The manager is Wade’s father and the assistant her sister, Kelly. Wade hides. Rembrandt, after talking to Kelly says they have jobs. Kelly doesn’t recognise Wade.
Now dressed as elves, with the professor as Santa, they are told their job pays $200 a day. Half goes on housing and $80 must be spent shopping at the Plaza. Think happy, think toys, think sales. Quinn talks to Kelly who wants him to go to her office. The Plaza’s president, Ted Bernsen, congratulates her on how she’s doing. Kelly also docks the waitress from earlier three weeks’ pay for not spending enough money.
The professor tells a story to a young boy who was listing everything he wanted for Christmas. Then sees the baby’s mother, Carol. She says she knows what she’s doing. As long as she wears the bracelet, the Plaza owns her. Her son is better off without her and she gets away.
Rembrandt speaks to the professor, who thinks this is a despicable world. Everything is fake, including him. Rembrandt reminds him of the story; wasn’t he trying to teach the kid a lesson? The professor thinks it was wasted. Except the boy comes over; it seems it wasn’t wasted.
Quinn returns, in a suit; the professor has been a hit with his stories. Quinn explains the bracelets are used as monitors and shock you if you go out of an approved zone. Anyone who can’t settle their debt on demand has to wear one, and work at the Plaza until they can pay off the debt. There are also 42 Carols.
Wade sees her father and drops her food in shock. He says she looks so much like Kelly they could be related. He offers to cook her a meal, to make up for the one she dropped. She agrees.
The professor is looking up Carols as Rembrandt is watching commercials and making a gift list. Quinn is talking to Kelly about loss when Ted comes over; he’s been made regional manager, starting January, and she’s coming with him. Wade is with her father; it seems her mother died in childbirth on this world, along with her. Rembrandt, after searching 38 houses, finally finds the right Carol.
There’s no way Carol will ever be able to afford to pay off her debt. Nor will anyone who has one. Credit is absurdly easy to get but can be recalled at any time. Rembrandt is getting strangely obsessed with buying Christmas gifts. To the extent it doesn’t seem right.