TV is the New Reading

‘The Dead Zone’ explores

more managable storylines

Let’s face it. A psychic trying to avert nuclear war is a psychic that’s bitten off more than he can reasonably chew.

So generally it’s a good thing that the storytelling in the sixth season opener of “The Dead Zone” took the apocalyptic visions Maine psychic Johnny Smith was having ... off the table.

They did this organically through a growing maturity in the ambitious political figure of whom Smith had harbored legitimate doubts. Also, through a growing integrity in the local leader of a faith community. Both of these figures were influenced by Smith over the course of the past season, so his visions guided him in bringing about the necessary changes.

However, lest all be sweetness and light, even Smith’s visions couldn’t save his best friend, Sheriff Bannerman, in his final day of life, despite his having them all throughout his final day and his warning him against several eventualities. He misread one, and lost his friend.

So, while a nuclear apocalypse has been averted, he’s lost one of his closest friends, also the husband to his ex-fiance and adoptive father to Smith’s son. So he has their anger and suspicion to work through. And as the show has progressed, Bannerman’s replacement at the sheriff’s department isn’t nearly the Johnny Smith devotee as her predecessor.

Add to this the fact that a mysterious figure is creeping around with information about Smith and his abilities, and you have a ... well, much more manageable set of issues to build some consistently satisfying speculative storytelling around.

One image it was impossible to ignore – the episode airing, as it did, on Father’s Day – was Smith’s interaction with J.J., his biological son, in the moments before Bannerman’s funeral. Smith was happy to be helping him tie a tie, and J.J. was appreciative, but there was a darkness there, unspoken, but clearly blaming Smith for his father’s death and at the same time realizing he can’t. Just from what I’ve seen, it feels like most child actors struggle when they have to present conflicting emotions like that, and in this case J.J., played by Connor Price, was amazing.

The resolution came not with J.J., however, but with Sarah, the ex-fiance. She’d not been able to grieve, and she had been able to verbalize her anger with Smith, with Smith’s visions not saving her husband, and perhaps even sending him to his death.

But in the final moments of the season opener, Smith was able to hear Bannerman’s final message to her. And despite her strong desire to reject it as Smith just making something up to comfort her, she realized deep down that it was a genuine connection with her late husband. She took some comfort in it and finally broke down sobbing.

Emotional connections have been truly difficult for Smith since he woke from his coma with psychic abilities, and it’ll be interesting to see if the show develops the character in those directions as well.

Features Editor Terry J. Aman compiles the Best Bets for The Minot Daily News.

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