CoolStax_'s Cool Sliders Trivia #21V
Date: 04/10/2003
From: Callie21V
The extra "V" is for "VYOB." And the "V" in "VYOB" is a typo.
Previously: Recall317 is on a rampage! He's gotten at least one point in every game since I revived this series. How long will this streak keep up?
http://bboard.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/545/4066541
This week's question: "Sliders" paid homage to many films, and ripped off even more. Every now and then, however, an actual *book* was part of the source material... even if the end result did leave Bram, H.G. and Sir Arthur spinning in their graves.
But what episode paid clear and direct homage to sci-fi legend Philip K. Dick?
Clues available at no extra charge.
>>> C/21
P.S. The answer is not "Veritas." :-D
"Clear and direct"?
Date: 04/10/2003
From: DieselMickeyDolenz
BT is neither clear nor direct.
I'll give guess here at "State of the A.R.T." as a homage to "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," better known as the book "Blade Runner" was based on.
DMD
"Obsession?"
Date: 04/10/2003
From:
SpaceTime
Future seeing pre-cogs a la "Minority Report?"
First clue...
Date: 04/10/2003
From: Callie21V
Whoever invented BT needs a clue!
Although this was a genuine homage - over and done with in a moment, as opposed to a stolen plotline or world idea - it did take place under the reign of Peck...
>>> C/21
The streak will end
Date: 04/10/2003
From: Recall317
I've read none of his work, so a direct homage would be tough for me to isolate.
That doesn't mean I won't take a blind stab. All you're asking for is the episode, not explanation, so I'll say Zicree's behind it and select "World Killer."
R317
Hmmmm
Date: 04/10/2003
From: TemporalFlux
Seems like a stretch, but I thought this one worth a try. I can see shades of PKD's "The Man in the High Castle" peppered inside "Asylum". Most notably the restaurant "Miguel San" which was a strange hybrid of Asian and Western culture (the predominant theme of that PKD work).
Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://dimensionofcontinuity.com
Second clue...
Date: 04/10/2003
From: Callie21V
BT might be *a* fat horselover, but the answer has nothing to do with "VALIS."
Look for a PKD bibliography and see if anything strikes a familiar chord.
Recall, I do believe you're thinking in the right direction...
>>> C/21
I'm going out on a limb here...
Date: 04/10/2003
From: sliderules
Is it "Map of The Mind?" "We Can Build You" sounds somewhat familiar to the plot of the episode.
sliderules
"MADNESS RULES!!!"
Walking in the fog....
Date: 04/10/2003
From: MissingSliderRyan
BT always loves to get lost.
Luck of the Draw
Uh, first story I saw on the list. LOL
I suck at these. :-D
MSR
Third clue...
Date: 04/11/2003
From: Callie21V
BT's more clueless than Alicia Silverstone. And *she* produced "Excess Baggage"!
Two other great SF authors were paid tribute in this episode... maybe one of the staff writers had significantly more taste than his colleagues.
>>> C/21
Hmmm....
Date: 04/11/2003
From:
Slider_Sarah
I don't actually know much of his work and have read little of it (why is that? I'd probably LOVE it), even though one of my fave authors is a big fan of his work.
I can't narrow down my choices. Well, not more than I already have.
The Last of Eden... I guess my top choice. I don't know why, actually, although I had some kind of rational about 10 minutes ago.
If that's wrong I'll try the others :-)
Sarah.
slider_sarah@hotmail.com
http://www.slidersweb.net/sarah/
Actually...
Date: 04/11/2003
From:
Slider_Sarah
I have a muchj better idea and a rationale for it!
Virtual Slide.
Why? Erm...
Well, as far as I know, Dick wrote a lot of 'what is reality' stories, or he did at least according to Jack L. Chalker's introduction to The Cybernetic Walrus. Virtual Slide included elements of what exactly is real, and something may have been mentioned on stuff in it. Also, The aforementioned Cybernetic Walrus is a what is reality story, and since Chalker mentioned Dick in the introduction, that gives me a rationale to go for that.
Although then again, right now, I'm not thinking straight. And I DID have a rationale for Last of Eden that I forgot.
Sarah.
slider_sarah@hotmail.com
"Last Days?"
Date: 04/11/2003
From: sliderules
Just a guess here.
Fourth clue...
Date: 04/11/2003
From: Callie21V
I'm telling you, the BTler did it!
According to PKD, the science-fiction novel of his that this episode referenced contained a hidden message alluding to an ongoing battle between good and evil that only readers in the know would understand.
>>> C/21
Slidecage
Date: 04/11/2003
From: Recall317
It's got good. It's got evil.
It's got a Maze of Death.
Why not?
R317
Recall, that was my other choice
Date: 04/11/2003
From:
Slider_Sarah
BT doesn't get choices. Or profiteroles.
That was my third one... for no real reason other than it's sci0fi-ey :-)
Sarah.
If not Slidecage, then...
Date: 04/12/2003
From:
ThomasMalthus
Beginning Text must be destoryed. Yeah, you heard me.
..."Roads Taken", which is my guess.
Zicree co-wrote the effort I believe (which would explain why Callie said Recall was close), and Philip K. Dick wrote a book called "The Broken Bubble", which would jive with the bubble world in that episode.
Anyway, it's all I've got. Especially since "Veritas" was eliminated from the get-go.
ThomasMalthus
JermachesMolaudian: We have a similar mechanism called the I Chung which allows us to communicate with female Asian news commentators from parallel worlds. But perhaps this is too much information...
Fifth clue...
Date: 04/12/2003
From: Callie21V
It was BT, in the kitchen, with Dina!
The fourth clue is a blatant giveaway as to this episode's identity. 0:-)
TM, you've got the right idea there...
>>> C/21
Random Guess
Date: 04/12/2003
From: Vigeant
Just going through season four, where I assume it is I see two that are possible. Since I haven't watched the show for years and haven't ever really seen much of season four, I'll take a stab at it and say Revelations.
If it isn't that, someone else will beat me to it, but I have dibs on a gold star.
Doo doo doo.
Vigeant
http://www.greenghoulie.com/humor
"Strangers and Comrades?"
Date: 04/12/2003
From: sliderules
Do evil episodes count? :P
Still not obvious
Date: 04/12/2003
From: Recall317
A battle between good and evil that only those in the know would understand, eh? So an ep that had its soul fought for behind the scenes.
Vig probably has it with Revelations, however, I'm not about to watch it again to confirm that. If he's wrong, I'll then go with the next logical guess:
The Unstuck Man
R317
We have a winner!
Date: 04/13/2003
From: Callie21V
And the envelope goes to...
Vigeant! He receives this oar personally autographed by world-famous oar designer Jim Hubcaps.
The title of Isaac Clark's SF novel, which only other sliders would understand refers to the human/Kromagg struggle - "Flow My Blood, the Soldier Said" - is an MSZ nod to PKD's 1974 novel, "Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said."
The full story behind "Flow My Tears"' own cryptic message would take weeks to explain, but suffice it to say that the author, under the influence of a pink light sent by the Holy Spirit and/or fish-like aliens from Sirius, was announcing that the flow of time (which had stopped in Roman days) had finally resumed after centuries of "Matrix"-like illusion caused by the temporary defeat of an information life-form called "the plasmate" by an archetypical force of insanity that manifested itself as, among other forms, the Nixon administration.
Or something.
This comic book by counterculture cartoonist* Robert Crumb provides the gist of his strange life and beliefs:
http://www.philipkdick.com/weirdo/weirdo1.htm
Thanks to everyone who played!
>>> C/21
* Not to be confused with a graduated cylinder cartoonist.
Original URL http://bboard.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/545/4066578
Nominated by Blinker
