by Allison Hickman

Created on: April 16, 2008

Waking the Dead Zone
Anthony Michael Hall; "Sixteen Candles", "The Breakfast Club", "National Lampoon's Vacation", is all grown up now and starring in his own sci-fi series, "The Dead Zone". It mimics that of Stephen King's book, "The Dead Zone" which features a man who suddenly wakes from a deep, seven-year coma toting one side-effect; he can see into the future.

What makes John Smith (Hall) so unique, besides waking from a seven year coma, is that he has gained the ability to predict future events. His doctors, knowing that most humans use only10% of what their brains are capable of, realize that a part of John's brain has been awakened and its function gives John the ability to have visions of the future. The visions prove to be random and only appear when he comes into physical contact with people or by randomly touching things for example; a writing pen.

After waking from the coma to find his fiance Sarah married to someone else, both parents deceased, and having had inherited a great deal of money, he starts to rebuild his life. Attempting to adjust to the fact that he can foresee the future proves to be a moral challenge. He also finds himself in a subconscious competition with Sarah's husband, Walt, to regain Sarah's love for him that she never lost.

In one particular episode John is asked to offer his services, through his visions, to evaluate clues found at the crime scene. In touching a foot print left behind by the perpetrator, John receives a series of visions and even finds that he could see through the eyes of the perspective criminal. The remainder of the episode focuses on how visions lead to solving the case.

John faces his biggest challenge at the end of season one when he learns of a devastating event that will change the future of America forever. It will be up to him to use what he knows in the present to change what he has envisioned in the future. Through a handshake, John finds that the favorable candidate running for president, Greg Stillson, will be the responsible party for the catastrophic, nuclear Armageddon if elected. "The Dead Zone" than focuses on Stillson's character and the series of ways John uses to prevent him from being elected. The continual flashes of the nuclear holocaust of our country in the future broaden viewer's curiosity, leaving them to wonder, week after week, if John will be successful in his plight. This story line remains the focus of the series and demonstrates how John goes about resolving this dilemma.

The originality displayed through writing along with the acting abilities of Anthony Michael Hall, contributed to the six successful seasons of "The Dead Zone". It gave a new twist in terms of "telepathy". The variation in episodic subjects make the series worth taking a look at and the viewer will not be left yawning.

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