THE DEAD ZONE: The Collector

Stockholm Syndrome, Creepy Plastic Masks, and Other Maine Amusements

By Jason Davis     June 23, 2005

THE DEAD ZONE returns to USA sans Jeff Buckley's evocative "New Year's Prayer" under the opening titles. While Blues Saraceno's new composition certainly captures the show's sensibility, it's a bit peculiar to make such a drastic stylistic change so late in the game. In all likelihood, the rights to Mr. Buckley's composition became a little too costly over time, but the new piece certainly works in its place. On the subject of sound, viewers equipped with Dolby Surround are in for marvelous sonic experience--this show has one of the best mixes this side of HBO and every broadcast only hints at the intricacy of the discrete 5.1 mix to be found on the DVDs.

Technical matters aside, this series never fails to take clichéd TV plots, imaginatively filter them through the show's concept, and produce a great hour of television with some unexpected twists for good measure. "The Collector", a tale almost twisted enough to have featured on Chris Carter's MILLENNIUM, focuses on Johnny and Walt's search for Sarah's missing co-worker. Johnny's visions quickly lead the two men to Linda (Dedee Pfeiffer), a former victim of the kidnapper, but predictability goes out the window when Linda takes an unexpected approach to the investigation. Toward the climax of the episode, Dedee Pfeiffer's character has a great scene with Johnny wherein she suggests that he can't know what it's like to have the whole of his life divided by one defining moment--in her case, the kidnapping. Recalling the incident that forever altered his own life and created the show's premise, Johnny assures her that he can, but that their survival of that event has made them who they are. The woman retorts that, "Life should be about more than survival." Herein rests the story's thematic core that events can forever alter a person, but how they choose to interpret that event lies within their own control. Where Johnny reacted to his accident, Linda makes a proactive decision to deal with her kidnapping in a very unhealthy way.

Though the dialogue and plotting may not always be the best the medium has to offer, THE DEAD ZONE always excels in character and emotion. This story is no exception, with the strong thematic undercurrents making a philosophical statement about how we as people deal with our traumas. Along the way, there are some lovely character moments to spice up the early acts. Walt's ranting about the pressures of his marriage and job while driving wonderfully conveys character, while also offering a few laughs as he nearly misses the object of his search because he's gotten carried away. As always, Walt and Johnny are portrayed with what must be the only stable two-guys-love-the-same-girl relationship on the air. That their friendship is believable and honest is a credit to the writers and actors who bring it to life. A prostitute questioned about the missing girl is curious about Johnny's abilities and makes a number of humorous inquiries while dodging Walt's questions. With the dependable strong story alongside a genuinely creepy plastic mask that really makes the otherwise stereotypical villain, the fourth season looks set to maintain the quality exhibited in previous years.