"The Dead Zone" (2002) TV series 2002-2007

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Creators:

Michael Piller
Shawn Piller

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

16 June 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Johnny Smith has been leading an idyllic small-town life. Employed as a science teacher, Johnny takes...

Plot Keywords:

Spin Off | Psychic Power | Psychic | Based On Film | Maine

Awards:

1 win & 15 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Oct. 11

4:00 PM

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Cast

Anthony Michael Hall	...	Johnny Smith / ... (80 episodes, 2002-2007)
Chris Bruno	...	Sheriff Walt Bannerman / ... (62 episodes, 2002-2007)
Nicole de Boer	...	Sarah Bracknell Bannerman / ... (56 episodes, 2002-2007)
John L. Adams	...	Bruce Lewis (56 episodes, 2002-2007)
David Ogden Stiers	...	Rev. Gene Purdy / ... (39 episodes, 2002-2007)

Also Known As:

Stephen King's Dead Zone (USA)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:12 | USA:TV-14 | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Crescent Entertainment

Trivia:

In the episode "Dead Men Tell No Tales", the casino logo is the same picture as the drum and wall painting in "Shaman".

Goofs:

Continuity: Johnny's hairstyle changes back and forth several times during the episodes "Wheel of Fortune" and "What It Seems" because of reshoots that were done a year after the initial filming.

Quotes:

Alex Sinclair: What happened to forgetting about commercialism and searching for inner peace?
Johnny Smith: What are you, crazy? This is Christmas in America.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dreamcatcher (2003)

Where PSI becomes CSI ...

The Dead Zone has managed to keep its episodes fresh over the years and that has made it interesting to watch. The way the lead character's "psychic" ability is limited allows stories to unfold in unpredictable ways.

The series is basically about a man who wakes up from a long coma with a new ability. He can touch people and things and get flashes of their background - often things that deal with something important that has or will happen to them.

This gives him a reason to pursue finding out more so he can make a positive difference. What keeps the stories interesting is that his flashes are limited and uncontrolled - he can't just "get the answer" to something. He gets bits and pieces which are also sometimes not in sequential order. It's a little bit like the "CSI" shows, but with a little more novelty.

The F/X used are really interesting too. During his flashes, he's sometimes able to get them to 'freeze'. Then he can actually walk around the whole scene while all motion is stopped (including things in midair). Nicely done.

The only part that is a little bit of a negative is his bizarre extended relationship with his former girlfriend, her (and his) son and her husband; it's a little too weird and adds nothing to the show.

If you like good stories dealing with "psi" (short for psychic) or "CSI"-type shows where bits of evidence take the stories in unpredictable directions, you should check out this series.