The Weaker Sex


Logline:
    Arturo gets a taste of chauvinism and ends up crusading for men's rights, on a world where gender roles are reversed.
Review:

    I'd rate this a pretty good episode. Not the best, but close. It was a very original idea, helped along by some good acting.

    The Sliders once again suspect that they are home, until they see President Hillary Clinton delivering the State of the Union address. They learn that in this world, women hold all of the high government offices and men do the housework. Unfortunately, they won't be sliding out for a record six weeks!

    Remmy earns the group some pocket change by crooning the blues on a street corner. This brings him to the attention of Serena, a lady who promises that she will hook him up with record producers. He later finds out that she uses men and dumps them on a whim.

    Meanwhile, Wade gets a job in the re-election campaign for the mayor, Anita Ross. Arturo is so enraged that he decides to run for mayor himself, challenging this world's view of males as frivolous playthings. Quinn brings up the question that if Arturo actually wins, will he stay? His impulsive answer: Yes. Probably.

    After an attempt is made on the new candidate's life, Wade reconsiders the wisdom of trying to change the worlds they visit. It seems that her view of the matter and Arturo's have reversed since "Summer of Love." Back to Rembrandt, who's caught at Serena's apartment by her ex-boyfriend. He reveals that she's anything but a record promoter. Remmy leaves in time to attend a televised debate between Arturo and Mayor Ross.

    Arturo realizes that his candidacy has struck a nerve with disenfranchised men, and is bringing him uncomfortably close to actually winning. His solution is to "pull a Muskie." He feigns a nervous breakdown during the debate, expecting to be laughed out of the race as an emotional weakling. It has the opposite effect. His suffering touches everyone's hearts and this bounces the polls. It is not, however, enough for Arturo to win. Mayor Ross is declared the winner and the Sliders leave.

    Moments after the slide, CNN returns to say that the tallies were wrong, and Arturo won after all! Unfortunately for him, he promised Wade that if he lost, he would be her slave on the next world. The beleaguered professor spends nine days running errands and serving up margaritas.

    I love the irony of the ending! It was one my favorite parts of the whole show.

Slider8's Final Thought:
    A nice piece of work. Earns a respectable 3 out of 4 stars.

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