THE DEAD ZONE: Double Vision

Nothing but blue skies...

By Jason Davis     July 03, 2005

Though the stories often lack a subtle elegance in their execution, THE DEAD ZONE never suffers from a lack of well-conceived concepts to form the basis of its episodes. In "Double Vision," Johnny Smith encounters another of his ilk in the form of Alex Sinclair, another psychic with a predisposition for heroism. Though Smith's encountered a number of gifted individuals during the show's four-year run, this is the first meeting under what could arguably, for Johnny anyway, be called optimum conditions. Thematically, the story centers on death, with Smith and Sinclair attempting to avert a series of murders committed in vengeance for the loss of a child. Shaefer's script manages to tie its guest star into the story, with a recurring vision of her own demise and Johnny's presence at the terminal event.

The dual psychic interplay is well handled, with a premeditated pursuit on Sinclair's side slightly sidetracked with an investigation into the first shooting. THE DEAD ZONE's ingenious method of presenting exposition via pre- or post-cognitive visions gets double duty with Johnny and Alex intersecting in complicated telepathic encounters before eventually meeting on the physical plane. Cleverly, Alex's psychic manifestations are given a totally different style and content than Johnny's that informs the characterization while allowing access to emotional realms not often presented in Johnny's visions. Unlike Johnny, Alex's visions seem adrift from concrete events in space-time and convey a more dreamlike perception of reality. Emotion overrides knowledge in her experience and this offers a nice touch to an interesting character. Guest actor Jennifer Finnigan's portrayal of Alex is a charming turn that quickly endears her to the audience, allowing full viewer investment when things get dangerous for her toward the climax. Her expressive eyes are an excellent asset to the character, and the million-dollar grin beneath them easily backs up Johnny's acceptance of her story. Thankfully, there's a possibility she can return later in the season, which offers the hope of a further exploration of her talents and their interactions with Johnny's abilities.

Unfortunately, though the concept for the story is strong, its execution seems a little predictable and, at times, too obvious. Though thematically consistent, Alex's death prediction may be cramming too much concept into the hour-long episode. As it is, the story proper doesn't get underway until the climax of the second act. Then the beats come fast and furious as the two psychics put together the pieces to avert a tragedy. The episode almost feels like two equally weighted stories that have been tied together into one. Alex and Johnny's cat-and-mouse meeting coupled with the former's impending doom could form one hour, while the plight of the bereaved father could be a follow-up using Alex to fill the gaps in Johnny's abilities. Though the combination of concepts was likely the best move, the two stories seemed to need a little more breathing room than the 45-minute slot allowed.