Questions about Quinn's parents

Date: 10/15/2002
From: BunnyLuvr

I have random insignificant questions about Quinn's parents. (I'm speaking of his Earth Prime parents, the ones he was raised by, not his alleged Kromagg Take-Over World parents that shipped him off to Earth Prime.)
Anyway, my questions are:

What did Quinn's father do for a living?

Did Quinn inherit his genius from one of his parents, or are his parents of a "normal" intelligence level?

Does/did Quinn's mother work?

I know these aren't important in the grand scheme of the show, but these are the things that plague my mind. Thanks for any help.

Dear old Dad

Date: 10/15/2002
From: Hyperspace

I thing Quinn got his interest in science from his father. I don't think it every said eactly what Quinn's EP dad did for a living but I tend to believe it was some sort of science or technology profession. On the Anti-technology earth(gilian of spirts), his dad's double was very into techology. Quinn was suprised to see him alive, but did not seem surprised by his interest. His dad usally was seen wearing a suit ,so you know it was some kind of office job. Also, the fact he was killed by a car while going to work comes across to me like he was a workaholic. I don't think they ever said if quinn's mom worked.That leads me to believe that his dad probable made enough so that she never had to work and he left her enough money so she would not have to worry. I can't see that quinns job at computer hell could have supported the household.

Just my thoughts,

Hyperspace

The pilot novelization

Date: 10/15/2002
From: TemporalFlux

Brad Linaweaver's work isn't worth terribly much...with the exception of that pilot novelization he wrote in 1996. While Linaweaver did insert some of this own ideas (usually rather lewd) and did screw up some characterization, the man also managed to include several things from Torme's original notes and early scripts that never saw broadcast (such as Mrs. Mallory's first name - Amanda, the Stephanie scenes, etc.).

While I'm not clearly certain it was Torme's intent, Linaweaver notes in the novel that Michael Mallory had a doctorate and was a professor of theoretical physics. This would have put Dr. Mallory more in line with Arturo - a teacher who in his off hours feverishly tried to solve the mysteries of the universe. That would really make sense as well since it completes the reasoning behind the Quinn/Arturo relationship. Arturo saw Quinn as the son he wanted to have...and on the other hand, Quinn saw a great deal of his father in Arturo.

On Mrs. Mallory's profession...that was never covered. It was mentioned in "World Killer" that the Mrs. Mallory of that world had won several awards for social work (to which Quinn wasn't really surprised), but that doesn't necessarily mean she was a social worker. I got the impression she was a "home maker" - she was home everytime Quinn went there after all.

As for where Quinn's intellect and leanings came from...the signs seem to point to his father. I would not sell his mother short, but she did not seem scientifically inclined (emphasized by how she never really cared nor could really describe what exactly Quinn was doing in that basement).

Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://dimensionofcontinuity.com

i guess you could look at the doubles

Date: 10/15/2002
From: Grizzlor

For example, in Gillian of the Spirits, Michael Mallory was one of the rare men on that world who still tinkered with science. Then in season 4, often Michael Mallory was a scientist. Yet from what we saw in the first season early on, it seemed like Michael Mallory was some type of businessman. could have been a lawyer. he just seemed like the business type.

As for Linaweaver! if they had let him write another book totally on his own about Sliders, could you all imagine what it would be like!

But, TF...

Date: 10/15/2002
From: Slider_Quinn21

BT was also hit by a car on the way to work

You mentioned Mrs. Mallory's relative cluelessness about Quinn's work in the basement. If Mr. Mallory was in the same line of work as Arturo/Quinn, wouldn't she know something?

Particularly if Quinn was in his father's footsteps...

I always thought of Mr. Mallory as a man who only liked science on the side. Maybe he was a banker or a doctor, but his heart was with science.

But maybe not his profession. Because I think that if Mr. Mallory was a physicist, that would've come up at one point somewhere.

As for where the money came from, I have no idea. Quinn's job couldn't afford a two-story house in suburban San Francisco and a gardener. I assume that the Mallory's were rich (and Mrs. Mallory was supported by her family) or Mr. Mallory had one Hell of an insurance policy.

There's no real explanation for it...

Quinn
http://slidersweb.net/otherworlds/214

Are you ready? Its coming...

Problem of interpretation

Date: 10/16/2002
From: TemporalFlux

Once we go off into the wilds of interpretation, I'm sure someone could even make an argument Michael Mallory was a crash test dummy by profession (since we know he was hit by a car ;-). I was just stating what a plausible source noted on Mr. Mallory (which is pretty flat info), and throwing in some interpretation of my own.

Anyway, a wife not knowing a great deal about her husband's profession is fairly common (especially in heady fields like theoretical physics). I could have also stated my comment better. Obviously she knew Quinn was working on something science related in the basement...she would have to be brain dead to not catch that. But she never nailed down specifics in her comments about it...she just didn't seem to know that great of detail to me (nor an interest to even gain a broader grasp).

On your thought, though...I would point out the kitchen scene near the beginning of the pilot movie. In the context of school and the basement, Mrs. Mallory flippantly started into a comparison of Quinn's father working too hard as well. This would suggest (at least to me) that she knew the "career" connection...and was worried that Quinn following so closely down his father's path would result in losing a son as well.

Anyway, the subject is so wide open that it could be interpreted in many ways. Professors wear nice suits too, though...just look at Arturo before the season three T-shirt spree. ;-)

Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://dimensionofcontinuity.com

remembered something....

Date: 10/16/2002
From: BunnyLuvr

Good ideas, all.
I just remembered something from the pilot episode...Mrs. Mallory mentions something about "two more semesters & I'm turning this place into a bed & breakfast." She could have been joking, but maybe she has a background in the hospitality industry?

Again...

Date: 10/16/2002
From: Slider_Quinn21

BT needs to buy a thesaurus...

I just have never seen Mr. Mallory as a major student of physics. I just think that if he was that big of a physics buff, that would've come up at one point.

Of course, family really never came up anyway. Family members of the sliders seemed to get mentioned once and then never again on the show...

But I think that Mr. Mallory might've done mini-experiments on the side. Maybe it was the fact that Mr. Mallory WASN'T in a science-related profession that made Quinn go after it so hard (maybe living out his father's true dream).

This would make just as much sense in regards to "Gillian". If science was a hobby for his dad, it would make logical sense (after all they'd seen double-wise) that his father would take a more serious role on another world.


Did they ever show the basement in "The Guardian"? Because that might answer something...

Quinn
http://slidersweb.net/otherworlds/214

Personally I think

Date: 10/16/2002
From: DG4never

that Quinn's dad Michael moved furniture for a living. And that he was killed by a furniture truck. I also think he was in the navy, too.

The Guardian nitpick

Date: 10/19/2002
From: Grizzlor

Somebody mentioned it, but what was stupid was I never got if quinn's father was killed when he was 10 or older. in the pilot we see a family picture where jerry is in it with his "father." then in the guardian quinn is a young kid but he never notices?? that was a mistake by Torme.

Well...

Date: 10/21/2002
From: BuckeyeSlider

I don't know what Amanda did before she met Michael. As for the Bed and Breakfast remark, Quinn replied that he had dibs on the basement, don't forget.

Original URL http://bboard.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/545/4065354
Nominated by Blinker