“The King is Back” is episode nine (and was originally shown as that) of season one of Sliders.
The episode opens with Quinn in prison and his lawyer coming to see him. Tomorrow, the judge passes sentence. The insanity defence is still viable. She knows Quinn honestly believes himself some kind of alien – no, not an alien – but he needs to come to grips with reality. This is his world, and he’s in big trouble.
The other three are in court when Quinn arrives. He tells the judge that, despite fingerprints and eyewitness reports, it wasn’t him. The judge is satisfied with the guilty verdict. For spray-painting an overpass, the judge has no choice but to sentence Quinn to the maximum. Death by lethal injection. This world is obviously one that takes vandalism very seriously.
Quinn’s lawyer appeals. It’s rejected. She appeals on another matter. Also rejected. The timer is down to 17 seconds. The lawyer tells Quinn that’s it. He asks if that’s really the entire appeal process. It is now, after the instant justice initiative. Where has Quinn been? On another world. The professor activates the portal as Quinn is being led out and they all dive through.
The portal leads to the same courtroom, now empty. Quinn thinks that was the coolest jailbreak of all time. Wade says they are here for 3 days if this isn’t their Earth. In the courthouse, and on the street, people keep looking at Rembrandt. One tells Rembrandt he’s pretty good; he almost can’t tell it’s an act. He assumes Rembrandt is here for the convention; all the top Rembrandt Brown impersonators are gathering at a hotel. Rembrandt asks the others if they know what this means. Yes; if Rembrandt is popular, this can’t be their Earth. Rembrandt thinks this is the paradise planet. They cross the street (oddly resembling a famous Beetles cover) and a woman shrieks and points. Wade assumes jaywalking is bad on this world and they run, pursued by a crowd.
At the hotel; they go to, the clerk sings a Crying Man song. Rembrandt’s first after leaving the Tops; it failed to chart. Here, though, it was number one for 9 weeks.
In their room, Wade picks the lock on Quinn’s handcuffs. He asks her where she learned that. A news report on the television says this Friday is the 8-year anniversary of the tragic death of Rembrandt ‘Crying Man’ Brown, the undisputed king of rock and roll. Fans have refused to accept his passing and a tourist home video shows the Sliders crossing the road, as the reported asks if this is truly the Crying Man.
An agent is watching a rather bad act when his secretary tells him that Penny Jensen from SFN is here to see him. The agent tries to interest Jensen in some of his new acts but she’s come because of Rembrandt. She asks if he’s heard.
The Sliders are watching Rembrandt on television in a not-great film when the news comes on. An analyst suggests Quinn is Jim Morrison, they don’t know who the girl is and the fourth has been positively identified as Pavarotti. The agent is on, Captain Jack Brim. Rembrandt went down in the Gulf and his body was never found. Rembrandt knows Captain Jack; he begged Rembrandt to take him on and swore up and down he’d take Rembrandt to the top. In this world, it looks like he did. After the interview, Captain jack tells his secretary that Rembrandt is alive and if he gets back in Rembrandt’s good graces, he will have a career again.
The hotel’s outside doors are now barred as there’s a huge crowd outside. Rembrandt plans to go outside and give his fans a taste. Wade asks if it’s safe. Rembrandt is sure it is. He’s wrong. Professor Arturo goes to help as Rembrandt crawls back in. Rembrandt loved every minute of it, but that doesn’t mean he could survive. The professor has also been attacked and has lost most of his clothes. Captain Jack arrives then with an offer for Rembrandt.
Namely, to put on a show, on all four networks and pay per view, at $1 million per song. Wade likes the idea of the money; Quinn points out they Slide near the end of the performance. Rembrandt wants to do it; this is everything he’s ever wanted.
There are, however, problems. At least one other person doesn’t think much of the Crying Man’s return and kidnaps Rembrandt.
This episode features the first of several appearances by Clinton Derricks-Carroll, twin brother of Cleavant Derricks, who plays Rembrandt Brown.