The Mind-Bending Multiverses in Roku Channel's Slip: Unraveling the Epic Ending

Summary

Slip is a multiverse comedy that explores self-love and fate, following Mae as she unintentionally travels to different universes in search of a fulfilling relationship.

Mae's transformative journeys take place when she experiences an orgasm, whisking her away to an alternate dimension where the most recent person she had a sexual encounter with assumes the role of her partner, exposing her discontent within her marriage.

During her explorations, Mae discovers that her ultimate quest has been to find her true soulmate, Elijah, all along. It becomes clear to her that genuine happiness derives from self-acceptance, self-care, and finding delight in the vastness of the universe surrounding her.

Slip, a thought-provoking multiverse-spanning comedy revolving around self-love and destiny, made its debut on The Roku Channel in spring 2023. The show, created by Zoe Lister-Jones, known for her lead role in Life in Pieces, follows the journey of Mae Cannon, brilliantly portrayed by Lister-Jones, as her mundane existence takes an unexpected turn when she ends up unintentionally traveling to various parallel universes. As Mae attempts to reunite with her true husband across different timelines, she discovers aspects of her life that she may wish to change.

The entire seven-episode first season of Slip was released on The Roku Channel on April 21, 2023. Regrettably, the series was removed from the channel in September 2023 and is currently unavailable for streaming. Season 1 was well-received, attaining a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with particular acclaim directed towards Lister-Jones. While not as daring or groundbreaking as shows like Russian Doll or Pushing Daisies, Slip manages to create a surreal TV atmosphere with a lighter touch. It skillfully intertwines humor, well-crafted writing, and a fresh take on the concept of parallel universes.

What Happened In The Roku Channel's Slip

In Slip, Mae works as an assistant art curator in Brooklyn and is married to Elijah, a struggling writer. Their relationship has become stagnant and both are unwilling to make a change. Their sex life has deteriorated, leading Mae to find solace in her job and her best friend Gina. One day, during a museum exhibition, Mae meets Eric, a singer-songwriter, and they form an instant connection. They sleep together, but Mae wakes up the next morning in a parallel universe where she is married to Eric.

Realizing what has happened, Mae embarks on a journey through various universes, experiencing different versions of her life that were previously unexplored. In each universe, she enters a new relationship, searching for fulfillment. However, along the way, she comes to the realization that what she truly longs for is Elijah. Overwhelmed by her emotions, Mae confesses her bottled-up feelings and encounters an alternate version of Elijah. They reconnect intimately, and with newfound self-acceptance, Mae returns to her original universe with a greater sense of self-love and appreciation for her relationship with Elijah.

How The Multiverse Slips Happen & What They Mean

Mae's method of traversing universes is incredibly unconventional. Whenever she experiences sexual pleasure during intimacy, she is unexpectedly transported to a dimension where her most recent sexual partner becomes her romantic companion. Remarkably, Mae consistently manages to establish a deep bond with at least one individual in each alternate reality, leading to passionate encounters. However, as soon as she enters a relationship with her newfound partner, it becomes evident that their compatibility is severely lacking.

Due to the absence of sexual fulfillment in her marriage with Elijah, Mae has likely not experienced an orgasm from intercourse for a substantial period. It is during this intermediate phase that something inexplicably changed, enabling Mae to journey through multiple universes. Believing she is pursuing excitement and spontaneity, engaging in sexual encounters with strangers seems to be her chosen approach. Nevertheless, the following morning always reveals Mae's disappointment in her new relationship, as it never lives up to her expectations. Persistently engaging in sexual escapades across various dimensions, Mae gradually begins to comprehend that her quest may be misguided.

How Mae Finally Found Her Way To Elijah

After her most recent jump through the universes, Mae finally confesses that she has been relentlessly searching for Elijah all along. Disappointed by the lack of the desired relationship in this latest universe, Mae embarks on a destructive path of self-indulgence. She indulges in heavy drinking, drug use, and excessive eating. One fateful night, as Mae collapses on a park bench, she vocalizes her inner turmoil and her complicated relationship with Elijah. In tears, she shares her struggles with Gina, who has remained oblivious to the alternate universes. To Mae's surprise, Gina appears out of nowhere to comfort her and take her home for the night.

Restless and unable to sleep, Mae takes a walk and coincidentally crosses paths with Elijah, as if by destiny. Mae candidly reveals her universe-hopping adventures to Elijah, who astonishingly believes her account. When they spend the night together, Mae wakes up in her original universe. Through her intimate encounter with Elijah, she is transported back to a universe where she is married to her former husband, the person she had a profound physical connection with. Mae eventually finds her way back to Elijah in the alternate universe and, as a result, makes her way back to him in her primary universe, both physically and emotionally intertwined.

Mae, The Monk, And The Hungry Ghost And What It Means

In every universe that Mae ventures into, she always encounters Monk Dawa, a Buddhist monk portrayed by Nicco Lorenzo Garcia. Hoping for his guidance to solve her dilemma, Mae continuously tries to reach out to him. However, when she finally gets the chance to speak to him, his advice is thoroughly spiritual and metaphorical. Mae is disheartened to learn that she cannot find solace in any of these universes. Interestingly, Monk Dawa's significance goes back to the pilot episode, where Mae introduces an exhibit on Buddhist traditions, specifically focusing on the Hungry Ghost. These spirits exist in various dimensions and possess an insatiable craving for both physical and spiritual nourishment, but are unable to satisfy it.

Monk Dawa's message to Mae becomes clear: she herself is the Hungry Ghost she presented in her exhibition. Regardless of the universe she inhabits, she is incapable of finding true happiness, despite the fleeting pleasures she discovers on her journey. Mae is like a ghost perpetually yearning for something she can never locate. Eventually, she realizes that true peace and happiness can only be found within herself, as she experiences this revelation sitting on a park bench. Only then does the universe respond to her. As Mae embraces self-love, the desperate pursuit of external sources for her contentment loses significance, and the Hungry Ghost within her is finally satiated.

The Real Meaning Of Slip's Ending

Mae, in Slip, has taken her life for granted with her wonderful job, close friends, and loving husband, despite the difficulties they are facing. To truly understand what she desires in life, Mae must lose her sense of direction and reevaluate what she previously deemed unsatisfying. In Mae's reality, she grew complacent and failed to appreciate her relationship with Elijah, believing it to be the root of her problems. However, her journey through various universes not only reveals Elijah to be her true love but also teaches Mae that she is deserving of his love and, more importantly, her own love.

Unlike other expansive multiverse shows, Slip doesn't focus on Mae saving the world or unraveling the universe's secrets. Instead, it centers on Mae's personal growth as she learns to value the universe she inhabits. Within the realm of Slip, it is crucial for Mae to acknowledge the blessings in her life while also recognizing the universe's good fortune in having her presence.