Colin Mallory
Encyclopedia
Colin Mallory is a fictional character on the science fiction show Sliders
played by Charlie O'Connell
.
He was introduced in the sixth episode of the fourth season, "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?". Quinn Mallory
had only learned Colin was his brother five episodes earlier in "Genesis". When the sliders found Colin, he was flying a hangglider that he invented, and had gotten stuck in a tree. The local residents were angry at Colin for doing this because they were afraid his inventions might have negative consequences. One of the residents wanted to shoot Colin to get it over with, until the sheriff told the angry residents to go home. When the sheriff said, "One of these days you're going to go a bit too far, Colin Mallory!" the sliders knew that this was Quinn's brother.
The universe Colin was raised on had far less technology than Earth Prime
. Colin invented the first machine on this earth that generates electricity. This was one of his many inventions. The local residents believed that Colin was "doing the devil's work" with his inventions. Colin believed that electricity
is both safe and useful and wished he could convince the local residents the same thing. Colin was in love with someone named Suzanne on his earth. However, her mother disapproved Colin, because of her fear of Colin's inventions. Suzanne was engaged to another person. Colin's adoptive parents (duplicates on the world Colin was raised of Colin's actual parents) died when Colin was very young; since this earth had little technology, there was not the medical technology necessary to cure Colin's parents of their illness.
Since the sliders had a small amount of time on this world, they had to hurry to find the microdot that would inform Colin of his origins. They found it just in time, and Colin was informed that he was originally from Kromagg Prime
and that he was placed on an alternate earth when he was young so that he could be safe. Quinn and Colin's birthparents presumably did look for Colin when the war with the Kromagg
s was over, but Colin's adoptive parents were dead, so his birthparents were unable to find him.
After Colin saw the microdot, Colin was resistant to sliding with Quinn and the others, since Colin didn't want to leave his world and the woman he wanted to marry. Quinn did convince Colin that his future was sliding with him, so Colin went into the vortex.
Since Colin was raised on an earth with less technology than most earths the sliders visit, he was unfamiliar with the technology he encountered. On his first slide, Colin landed in the path of a moving vehicle. Being unaware that it would be lethal to be hit by the vehicle, Colin did not get out of the way as the vehicle approached him. Quinn had to move Colin out of the way.
In the episode "Revelations", Colin met who he thought were his birthparents but it turned out they were doubles.
In the episode "The Unstuck Man", Colin was made "unstuck" in the multiverse, meaning, that he was not anchored on a particular world. This was the result of an experiment by Dr. Oberon Geiger.
, a writer for the show, the retcon
from "Genesis" was originally intended to be a red herring
. The idea was that Colin was actually a clone of Quinn created by the Kromaggs as a sleeper agent within the sliders. In the original draft for "Revelations," he would flip, attacking Quinn and ending the season on a cliffhanger.
This would probably have had the effect of simplifying the somewhat complicated (and largely financially unresolvable) plot progression of the show. Nevertheless, because this would render Charlie O'Connell's character unusable in a regular capacity after Season 4, and because by that time Jerry O'Connell's residency on the show depended on his brother's presence (and because this was all before anyone knew the brothers would be departing) David Peckinpah
vetoed the idea. The veto of Zicree's idea was finalized with "Lipschitz Live," in which Colin has a double (which would mean he couldn't be a clone of Quinn, unless the double is also a clone). Curiously, Charlie O'Connell also appeared in the season 3 episode "Dragonslide" as Officer O'Hara and also as Kit Richards in the episode "As Time Goes By". Although no relationship was mentioned at the time, it is assumable that O'Hara and Richards may be doubles of Colin under different names. Retroactively solidifying Colin into the series prior to his actual season 4 introduction.
Sliders
Sliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
played by Charlie O'Connell
Charlie O'Connell
Charles "Charlie" O'Connell is an American actor and reality television personality. He is known for his appearance on The Bachelor, as well as appearing in several of his older brother, Jerry O'Connell's projects, including a starring role as Colin Mallory in the fourth season of the science...
.
He was introduced in the sixth episode of the fourth season, "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?". Quinn Mallory
Quinn Mallory
Quinn R. Mallory is a fictional character on the science fiction television show Sliders, played by Jerry O'Connell.-Childhood:Quinn was born in 1973 and raised in San Francisco, California, the son of Michael and Amanda Mallory...
had only learned Colin was his brother five episodes earlier in "Genesis". When the sliders found Colin, he was flying a hangglider that he invented, and had gotten stuck in a tree. The local residents were angry at Colin for doing this because they were afraid his inventions might have negative consequences. One of the residents wanted to shoot Colin to get it over with, until the sheriff told the angry residents to go home. When the sheriff said, "One of these days you're going to go a bit too far, Colin Mallory!" the sliders knew that this was Quinn's brother.
The universe Colin was raised on had far less technology than Earth Prime
Earth Prime (Sliders)
Earth Prime, a term used in the television show Sliders, is the name of the alternate Earth where the four original sliders started their journey. Although it is very similar to our Earth, the creator of the show, Tracy Tormé, has stated that it is not our Earth...
. Colin invented the first machine on this earth that generates electricity. This was one of his many inventions. The local residents believed that Colin was "doing the devil's work" with his inventions. Colin believed that electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
is both safe and useful and wished he could convince the local residents the same thing. Colin was in love with someone named Suzanne on his earth. However, her mother disapproved Colin, because of her fear of Colin's inventions. Suzanne was engaged to another person. Colin's adoptive parents (duplicates on the world Colin was raised of Colin's actual parents) died when Colin was very young; since this earth had little technology, there was not the medical technology necessary to cure Colin's parents of their illness.
Since the sliders had a small amount of time on this world, they had to hurry to find the microdot that would inform Colin of his origins. They found it just in time, and Colin was informed that he was originally from Kromagg Prime
Kromagg Prime
Kromagg Prime is the fictional alternate universe of the Kromaggs on the sci-fi TV show Sliders. An alternate version also exists, named Kromagg Double Prime, inhabited by a meek and docile breed of the Kromagg species .This alternate Earth was originally inhabited by both humans and Kromaggs...
and that he was placed on an alternate earth when he was young so that he could be safe. Quinn and Colin's birthparents presumably did look for Colin when the war with the Kromagg
Kromagg
The Kromaggs , are a fictional species of humanoid primates from the science fiction television show, Sliders...
s was over, but Colin's adoptive parents were dead, so his birthparents were unable to find him.
After Colin saw the microdot, Colin was resistant to sliding with Quinn and the others, since Colin didn't want to leave his world and the woman he wanted to marry. Quinn did convince Colin that his future was sliding with him, so Colin went into the vortex.
Since Colin was raised on an earth with less technology than most earths the sliders visit, he was unfamiliar with the technology he encountered. On his first slide, Colin landed in the path of a moving vehicle. Being unaware that it would be lethal to be hit by the vehicle, Colin did not get out of the way as the vehicle approached him. Quinn had to move Colin out of the way.
In the episode "Revelations", Colin met who he thought were his birthparents but it turned out they were doubles.
In the episode "The Unstuck Man", Colin was made "unstuck" in the multiverse, meaning, that he was not anchored on a particular world. This was the result of an experiment by Dr. Oberon Geiger.
Traitor?
According to Marc Scott ZicreeMarc Scott Zicree
Marc Scott Zicree is an American science fiction author, television writer, and screenwriter. He is also the author of "The Twilight Zone Companion", a detailed history of Rod Serling's series The Twilight Zone...
, a writer for the show, the retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
from "Genesis" was originally intended to be a red herring
Red herring (plot device)
Red herring is an idiomatic expression referring to the rhetorical or literary tactic of diverting attention away from an item of significance...
. The idea was that Colin was actually a clone of Quinn created by the Kromaggs as a sleeper agent within the sliders. In the original draft for "Revelations," he would flip, attacking Quinn and ending the season on a cliffhanger.
This would probably have had the effect of simplifying the somewhat complicated (and largely financially unresolvable) plot progression of the show. Nevertheless, because this would render Charlie O'Connell's character unusable in a regular capacity after Season 4, and because by that time Jerry O'Connell's residency on the show depended on his brother's presence (and because this was all before anyone knew the brothers would be departing) David Peckinpah
David Peckinpah
David Ernest Peckinpah was a television writer, producer and director. David Peckinpah was the nephew of film director Sam Peckinpah...
vetoed the idea. The veto of Zicree's idea was finalized with "Lipschitz Live," in which Colin has a double (which would mean he couldn't be a clone of Quinn, unless the double is also a clone). Curiously, Charlie O'Connell also appeared in the season 3 episode "Dragonslide" as Officer O'Hara and also as Kit Richards in the episode "As Time Goes By". Although no relationship was mentioned at the time, it is assumable that O'Hara and Richards may be doubles of Colin under different names. Retroactively solidifying Colin into the series prior to his actual season 4 introduction.