The Dead Zone Blog

Written by Ann Lewis Hamilton
Directed by Michael Robison

“The Dead Zone” has weathered its share of challenges over the years. Prior to the sixth season, the series was practically on life support, and several changes in the production, cast, and scope were required by the studio and network. Given that the series itself had been out of production for nearly two years, the opportunity was there for a fresh perspective.

This season finale manages to justify the various changes in the status quo introduced in the season premiere while adjusting the events of the fourth and fifth season to fit a more compelling tapestry. Those (like myself) who felt that the previous two seasons were disappointing can now look back and appreciate how well the pieces managed to fit together.

In essence, this finale reveals that Greg Stillson has, in fact, been the mastermind behind his political success, despite the appearance that Malcolm Janus was the true puppet master. According to this episode, Stillson tracked down Johnny’s father, who also had the psychic ability, and used him as a resource for making the right political moves and gain power.

This is clearly “retroactive continuity”, but it does much to explain some of the oddities of previous seasons. For instance, Janus always seemed to be one step ahead of Johnny, suggesting some kind of psychic ability of his own. Yet Janus met his untimely end in the season premiere, so that was clearly not the case. Now, the reason is simple: Janus had access to visions from Herb Smith until Stillson chose to eliminate him to pursue Sarah.

Walt’s secret is also revealed in this episode, wrapped around the core revelation about Johnny’s father, and this makes sense of his death, Turner’s appointment as sheriff, and the intrigue surrounding all of it. I was expecting the explanation to be somewhat incomplete, given how little had been revealed, but it all fit together.

All of these explanations required a ton of exposition, and though the use of visions has always been the perfect tool for such necessities, there was a lot of heavy lifting required to make this episode work. Thankfully, the pieces were arranged well enough that the episode kept moving. If anything, so many implications were at play that a two-part finale might have been more appropriate.

As it stands, this could be the series finale. The writers left the door open, especially in terms of Armageddon, but nearly every character arc has come to a point of resolution. Walt’s legacy is complete, Purdy has turned the corner on his search for redemption, Bruce has found a life for himself, and Johnny is with Sarah and JJ.

There is one hint for the future, if the series is renewed for a seventh season. Had Sarah remained with Stillson, her presence would have prevented Armageddon (or so Herb’s visionary statement seemed to imply). This is an interesting angle to explore, since Johnny could find himself wondering if he made the right choice. While that might be material worth exploring, I would be content for the series to end with this installment.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4

Final Rating: 9/10

(Season 6 Final Average: 6.9)

Written by Dana Greenblatt
Directed by Erik Canuel

This is effectively the first part of a two-episode season finale, which may represent the end of the series as well. As one would expect, the name of the game is preparation: bringing together the pieces of the puzzle from the rest of the season to give the conclusion a more immediate context. Sarah’s relationship to Johnny, the investigation into Walt’s activities, and the previous visions of Armageddon all come together.

The relationship between Johnny and Sarah has been the focus of the latter half of the season, and as such, that plot element gets strong representation. Sarah is ready to finish the move out of Johnny’s mansion, and it completes the job of isolating Johnny from his allies and loved ones. Through a series of visions, Johnny begins to see the connection between Walt’s secret activities and the current investigation by Sheriff Turner.

That connection appears to be a man who wanted to keep the information Walt uncovered a secret. This plot element is still unclear, but Turner may have been directed to take the position as sheriff so that any investigation into Walt’s previous activities could be monitored. Since the secret information pertains to Johnny’s visions of Armageddon, one must wonder if Walt’s death was an accident.

Walt’s information appears to connect Johnny’s previous visions to Johnny’s father. Considering the lack of information about Walt’s activities this season, it’s hard to see how the picture is supposed to come together. This has been one of the weaknesses of this particular plot thread: the audience was aware of an investigation, but had none of the details necessary to give this payoff any credence.

For example, we have no explanation for why Walt was looking into the Armageddon scenario, why he would be looking for Herb Smith, or why looking into that would have led to the events of this episode. The only insight into the investigation prior to this episode was Vitali, and according to this episode, he was ordered to lie for unknown reasons. The season finale will likely address these matters, but with so much else to cover as well, it may not be enough to make the explanation satisfying.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Richard Hatem
Directed by James Head

With only a few episodes left for the season, the various plot threads seem to be churning away, driving towards yet another confrontation between Johnny and Greg Stillson. Rather than leaving it abstract, as visions of Armageddon tend to be, the writers have added a more personal component. In short, Sarah is getting closer to Stillson every day, and by helping her uncover the truth about Walt’s secrets, he could quickly slip past her defenses.

Johnny, meanwhile, is on a personal journey of self-discovery, trying to find his footing after so many changes. Walt is dead, Sarah has declared their relationship well and truly over, and Bruce has found a place for himself. This episode sees that process continue. One might think of Alex Sinclair as the perfect woman for Johnny (especially after one look at the gorgeous Jennifer Finnigan), but the writers make it very clear that any such relationship has long been off the table.

In fact, the tone of the episode is very similar to the previous installment. This is less about bringing Alex back into the fold than giving her a positive sendoff. While it gives the audience a chance to enjoy their interaction for what may be the final time, it feels like another example of Johnny losing touch with someone in his world. Or, better put, making one last positive contribution to his friends’ lives before everything goes to hell.

As mentioned previously, the current plot threads seem designed to isolate Johnny and strip away some of the moderating influences in his life. Without that support system, how will Johnny react? Will he continue to be the altruistic troubleshooter that has been his role for six years, or will he slide towards the bitter man familiar from the original novel? It would be intriguing for Johnny to take a darker direction, especially this late in the game.

All that said, this is another episode where the larger implications are more interesting and memorable than the actual story. Were it not for the twists and turns inherent to any Alex Sinclair installment, this would have been utterly conventional. The final twist involving Alex is well done, but really only matters to fans of her character. Yet that is what makes a season arc important in the long run; the deeper connections and layers can give meaning to what would be a disappointing stand-alone.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Scott Shepherd
Directed by Holly Dale

This is an episode with very specific strengths and weaknesses, and it’s interesting to consider how the balance of each factors into the final product. In a sense, this is representative of the season as a whole, specifically the struggle to revamp the status quo and overcome the challenges of the previous production run.

The most positive development is the return, however fleeting, of Bruce. Bruce was critical to Johnny’s character evolution from the beginning of the story, and his absence has been palpable throughout the sixth season. Much of this episode seems to function as an epilogue to Bruce’s involvement in Johnny’s life. Johnny, intended or not, is helping to pay Bruce back for everything he’s done to keep him sane.

We also have the return of Greg Stillson to the forefront, following up on his unusual turn in “Re-Entry”. That episode presented a new Stillson, free of the damaging influence of Janus and no longer destined to bring about Armageddon (for now). This is the same character, but even more benign. Part of the fun in the Sarah/Stillson subplot was searching for the moment when he would reveal some sinister ulterior motive. That never happened, and it does much to support the notion that Stillson could, in the right circumstances, be a good man.

The goal, of course, was to present Bruce as a man finding love and contentment, his place in the world beyond his friendship with Johnny, so Johnny could realize that he wanted the same with Sarah, despite the current issues. As expected, this comes just a bit too late, since Stillson’s purpose in this episode is to begin a relationship with Sarah, pushing Johnny into the proper state of regret and semi-justified resentment.

One could predict that Sarah (and JJ, for that matter) will continue to get closer to Stillson, and Johnny will learn that Stillson has an ulterior motive. Johnny’s bitterness would be established as a reason for dismissing his concerns. This would help to overlap the character and plot arcs within the context of the mythology.

Despite all of the promising character and plot elements, this episode struggled. While it’s great to see Bruce happy in his new life, the mystery at the heart of the episode never seemed to strike a chord. Perhaps Bruce’s distance from the status quo left his current troubles too detached from the rest of the story. The horse race element also reminded me of stock 1980s detective shows, which is not a good association.

One would wonder why Sarah would be so open with Stillson when she was there, even tangentially, during some of his less savory activities in the past. Even if nothing was ever pinned on Stillson, he was knee-deep in enough of it. Very little past history came into their discussions, and that was a little disappointing. That said, Stillson avoided any shots at Johnny and respected Walt, so he may have scored enough points to overcome her concerns.

None of that would have hurt the episode overmuch. Instead, two other issues undercut the strengths of the episode. Throughout the episode, the editing was very rough, and particularly in the first half of the episode, the scene transitions were abrupt and the flow was ragged. It felt like the episode had been running long and needed drastic cuts to get under time. Far worse, however, was the extreme and jarring Visa product placement. It couldn’t have been worse if Johnny turned to the camera and launched into a commercial. Product placement is a necessary evil, but when it’s this intrusive, it hurts the overall production.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

Written by Katie Wech
Directed by James Head

With the season now marching towards a conclusion, it’s time for some of the plot threads to start coming together. The most recent episodes have represented an important turn in the relationship between Sarah and Johnny, and as expected, what seemed like a foregone conclusion at the end of “Numb” has turned into a lost opportunity for happiness.

Johnny’s decision not to tell Sarah about his vision of Walt’s death (or, in fact, his attempts to save Walt and change his friend’s fate) has indeed come back to haunt him. The thrust of this episode is the revelation of this information. Without proper setup earlier in the season, the pieces couldn’t have fallen into place in the current tragic configuration, and that planning is the strength of the season thus far.

Johnny had to have the opportunity to open up with Sheriff Turner; that was the purpose of “Interred”. Similarly, “Numb” (and to a lesser extent, “Outcome”) brought Johnny and Sarah closer together, so Johnny would have to face his own doubts and guilt about Walt. Other episodes provided the context for Sheriff Turner’s conflict in this episode regarding Walt and his secrets. While one could quibble about the consistency of the writing from week to week, it’s clear that the new writing staff is making an effort to connect the dots.

As if to illustrate the point about the stand-alone elements of this season’s episodes, this installment reaches high but slightly misses the mark. All things being equal, this would have made for an interesting Rev. Purdy episode. Without the past history with Johnny, however, the exploration of faith and belief doesn’t quite ring true. Also, had Purdy been involved, his decision to keep Father Tony’s “exorcism” secret would have carried more weight.

That said, it’s interesting to see Johnny’s own perspective on his visions. Given the past six years of his life, it could be a case of protesting too much. While there’s an apparent genetic and scientific component to his visions, there’s also an apparent purpose. Science can explain how the visions happen, but the question of why is still open to interpretation.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Sam Ernst and Jim Dunn
Directed by Erik Canuel

Much like the episode of “The 4400” that aired on the same night, this was a “bottle show”. Nearly everything in the episode took place within the confines of the train station at the heart of the story, centering on multiple iterations of a single vision. This is the second such episode in a row, but in an odd way, it works. It serves as a capable follow-up to the previous installment, which brought the relationship between Johnny and Sarah to an interesting place.

Instead of stepping right past the issues and settling into a relationship for the two characters, the writers keep things nebulous. Johnny isn’t sure where things stand, even after Sarah’s apparent declaration of intent, and his past history is at the forefront of his mind. Without getting into the subject too deeply, especially without Sarah in the episode, the writers touch on the delicate emotional matters that stand in the way.

The previous installment set up the case for setting aside the roadblocks. Past episodes have shown that Walt’s death has a tendency to drive Johnny and Sarah back together, if Johnny’s visions are taken as accurate. This episode, coming sometime well after the infamous kiss, gives us a better look at Johnny’s concerns. This could be setting up a situation where Johnny, wanting to prevent a disaster, sets himself up for heartache by waiting too long. That’s actually a minor part of the episode, but it does alleviate some of the concern that Johnny and Sarah are moving too quickly after Walt’s death.

Most of the episode is another look at Johnny’s psychological issues, which is typically the side effect of a “bottle show” in the first place. Walt’s death and the subsequent introduction of Sheriff Turner has highlighted Johnny’s tendency to take action without anyone else’s consent, as though he has the right to act because he has the visions. This episode reinforces a related issue: Johnny can become so focused on the big picture that he doesn’t see how his actions can make things better on the small scale.

This could be an effect of Bruce’s departure earlier this season. Bruce was there to remind Johnny that it wasn’t all about preventing Armageddon; it was about changing things for the better one day at a time. Without Bruce, is Johnny beginning to lose that perspective again? On the other hand, Johnny is practically impulsive when it comes to helping others, so perhaps it’s a matter of Johnny’s perception.

Whatever the case, most of this episode is a string of smaller moments, all of which get better because of Johnny’s intervention, linked to an impending disaster that Johnny himself might cause. That chain of events is the highlight of the episode; the relationships at play last just long enough to stay interesting without being overextended. The conversations about Sarah keep this episode from being completely stand-alone, tying it to the larger season arc, which at this point, could have been a point of contention. All in all, a solid episode for the middle of the season.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Dana Greenblatt
Directed by Michael Rohl

Now that the season has hit the mid-point, it seems logical for the writers to make some sort of statement regarding Johnny and Sarah. With the two of them in close proximity, given their history, the emotions are clearly running high. Up to this point, they’ve been keeping those emotions in check, largely due to the circumstances of Walt’s death and the complexity of the family situation. It’s not so much that they don’t want to be together, but that they’ve had several reasons to keep it from happening and attempting to move on beyond their shared past.

The previous episode was designed to remind Johnny of how important and central Sarah is to his world. This episode compliments that by forcing Sarah to consider their history and how much they still mean to each other. The induced coma, while part of the larger mystery, was the device for pushing 12 years of psychological angst to the forefront. Sarah had to contemplate life without Johnny again, and it cut her to the core, breaking down the barriers that circumstance had placed in their way.

If both of them had come to the separate realizations without something to bridge the gap of uncertainty, the momentum for a logical return to romance wouldn’t be there. Instead, the writers manage to use a fairly simple situation as a hook into a mystery that gives Nicole de Boer a chance to tackle some unfamiliar material and Johnny a chance to see things from Sarah’s perspective.

The mystery itself was not particularly compelling. It was easy enough to guess what was happening, and the eventual details did little to give the concept more weight. Instead, it was the clever use of the vision and the interaction between the characters. It was great to see Sarah take action, breaking out of the mold created for her character in previous seasons, and as already mentioned, the structure of the episode made the ending a logical and sensible consequence of the ordeal.

All that said, it is also clearly the mid-point of a larger arc for the two characters, and as much as the relationship might be turning towards the inevitable, this feels less like a resolution and more like the calm before the storm. The happiness of this particular moment will likely be shattered, especially since Walt’s legacy is still lingering in the background. It’s that sense of uneasiness that makes this an interesting development. This is simply not going to last, and the sense of stability now will give Johnny something to fight for on a personal level as things get darker.

With much of the story construction in place and the cast hitting the right notes for the characters, much of the episode’s lackluster tone falls on the direction and editing. The final act especially is rushed and Johnny’s immediate recovery from an induced coma and surgery is hard to reconcile. Some of the editing issues were more reminiscent of the previous two seasons than the new status quo would have suggested.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

Written by Scott Lew
Directed by Paolo Barzman

This particular episode is a nod to the classic noir style, from setting most of the events on a train to the mysterious femme fatale. It also gave the producers an opportunity to put together a “bottle show” to help keep the budget relatively low. Usually a bottle show is structured to force a handful of characters into a set of conflicts that expose psychological motivations and tensions. In this case, the style mitigated the need to delve too deeply into the characters.

Maggie was a mass of contradictions, and that is key to the success of the episode. To ensure that the conventions of the noir style were obeyed as much as possible, Maggie took on a personality that wasn’t well maintained. In some scenes, her performance was quite good. In others, her delivery was too modern.

The most favorable interpretation is that the character is inherently modern herself, so her current personality is a façade. She is attempting to create the right kind of attitude to fit into a fantasy. As a con artist, this is what she does, and so it makes sense that the effectiveness of the illusion would come and go with her confidence in the necessity of her actions. With Johnny, she enjoyed playing the role as well, complicating the motivations.

On the other hand, it’s possible that the writers wanted Maggie to fit into the iconic noir mold from beginning to end, and the actress just couldn’t pull it off. With some of the recent casting woes (at least from my point of view), this wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise. But this has also been a restorative season in many respects, and even if the days of high profile guest casting are over, this was hardly as bad as some previous choices.

Maggie also brought up the ongoing issues with Johnny and Sarah. Maggie recognizes that Sarah is still the woman in Johnny’s life, despite the fact that circumstances continue to make any current chance of romance non-viable. It’s mentioned enough in the episode to make it somewhat obvious that Johnny’s feelings will become important later in the season. In fact, it would be interesting, having established this much, for Sarah to wander in another direction.

Whatever the case, as a stand-alone “bottle episode” of the series goes, this is about average. Some stand-alone episodes of the first couple seasons were better, but this is certainly better than the last few seasons had produced.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

By now, the status quo for the season has been established, and the initial creative boost of rearranging the pieces on the board has transitioned into the necessity of telling new kinds of stories within the context of those changes. The previous episode was an example of how several minor issues with a story can lead to a disappointing installment. The question is: was that a blip on the radar, or a sign of things to come?

This episode focuses on Johnny’s evolving relationship with Sheriff Turner. The original status quo forced Johnny and Walt into a somewhat friendly relationship, despite the love triangle with Sarah. The introduction of a hostile new sheriff, especially an attractive young woman with something to prove, was an interesting move. Having her investigate Walt also places her in an adversarial role, which makes Johnny work harder to make his abilities useful.

All of those changes are put to the test in this episode, and in general, it works. The crime in question was a bit predictable, right down to Johnny getting buried alive, but there were enough twists in the visions to keep it interesting. It might have been better if Johnny had been confused about the context of the visions a bit more. It seemed as though Johnny could easily distinguish between the current crime and the sheriff’s memories and intentions, and with a bit more confusion about the overlap, it would have made the mystery less conventional.

While I find Cara Buono very attractive, her acting is somewhat uneven in this particular role. Some scenes are very strong, but others seem tentative, as if she’s having problems delivering the dialogue convincingly. Of course, I also felt the same about Chris Bruno on several occasions, so it might have been a bad episode for the actress. The supporting players, however, were hardly inspiring, especially Deets.

One other recurring annoyance is the investigation against Walt. While it’s obviously a main component of the season arc, whatever that may eventually turn out to be, the unnecessary attempt to keep it as mysterious as possible is turning into a weakness. The characters keep referring to an investigation and allegation of wrongdoing that is serious enough to defame the former sheriff, but there’s not one hint as to what Walt was supposed to have done.

Considering that this might be the final season for the series, I’m a bit disappointed by the apparent lack of a strong season arc. While that’s never been the hallmark of the series (the mythology has always been rather loose), the circumstances would justify it. Thankfully, even without the overarching plot threads, the quality is generally better than in the previous two seasons.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 1/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

Written by Richard Hatem
Directed by Nick Copus

I’ve had a rather favorable impression of the latest episodes, so I had high hopes for this installment. I’ve also been a fan of Hatem’s work for quite some time, so seeing his name in the credits gave me even more reason to believe. Unfortunately, there was something missing from this episode, and I’m not quite sure where the issue lies.

In terms of the writing, there were some annoying bits. I was concerned about the presence of a baby on the show for several reasons, but largely because most scenes (and plots) with babies resort to comedic cliché. And sure enough, that’s how the episode started, and it grated on my nerves as a result. Admittedly, that’s a personal nitpick; I just think that writers get lazy when it comes to dealing with babies on television shows, based on previous genre examples.

On the other hand, one of the underlying themes of the episode is family. Johnny is trying to figure out where he belongs, while Sarah and JJ are still trying to figure out if he should belong at all. The baby becomes a metaphor for how overwhelming life has become for Sarah. Johnny is there to step into the gap when possible, but however good his intentions might be, his methods grate on mother and son. (Bringing the audience to recall “Ego”, where it was noted that Johnny tends to act without much regard for the feelings of others.)

I don’t recall if JJ’s possible psychic ability has been dealt with in the past to this degree, but it was a nice touch. For all that Sarah and JJ think that Johnny is trying to take Walt’s place, JJ is a part of Johnny’s legacy. Past episodes have developed the idea of Johnny’s ability as genetic in nature, so it makes sense that JJ (coming through puberty) would begin expressing the ability on that basis. This sets the stage for a better relationship between father and son in the future.

That said, I still don’t think that JJ is a strong character, despite this season’s attempt at resolving that problem, and that contributes to the missing elements of this episode. The plot itself is also a bit predictable. While I love the symmetry of JJ expressing his ability and interest in the opposite sex in a location important to Johnny and Sarah, Monique and JJ had almost no chemistry. The murder mystery was far too obvious, which also robbed the episode of dramatic tension.

While I find most of the Johnny/Sarah interaction to be better than it’s been in a long time (and Nicole de Boer looks gorgeous lately), JJ continues to be a weak link in the cast. And that’s after yet another cast change. When I look at how well the children were cast for “Medium”, as a comparable example, it’s hard to imagine that this role would be consistently miscast for so long.

Despite all of that, an episode with good direction and editing might have overcome the challenges. In this case, that didn’t happen. While there were some intriguing transitions, the editing (especially in the final act) telegraphed much of the plot. This episode also had the weakest music of the season, seemingly over-emphasizing the dramatic idea of a scene to the point of distraction. These items contributed to a poor showing for the season so far, despite some good underlying ideas.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 1/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 5/10