TV Squad

• The Dead Zone is dead
  

  Filed under: The Dead Zone, Cancellations

  In the wake of reports that The 4400 had been axed, Ausiello over at TVGuide.com is reporting that The Dead Zone was struck a killing blow in that same swing. Two good shows gone just like that. And just before the holidays. Man, that's gotta suck. So it looks like just as Johnny Smith sees that he's still going to have to address that impending Armageddon, the series ends. I always thought the ratings were pretty good on these shows; were they starting to show their age? Losing viewers?

  I hate it when a show is canceled between seasons like this, especially when they...
  




• The Dead Zone: Denouement (season finale)
  

  Filed under: OpEd, The Dead Zone, Episode Reviews

  (S06E13) You have got to be kidding me. They spent an entire season piddling around and then introduced about fifty different things into the season finale? They could have built an entire season around what was contained in this episode, but they didn't. I have no idea what the writers of this show are thinking half the time, and part of me is really hoping that tonight's episode was the last. No, I know it was the last in this season. I mean I hope it was The Last. But if you are fan of the show, I won't put...
  



• The Dead Zone: Ambush
  

  Filed under: OpEd, The Dead Zone, Episode Reviews

  (S06E12) We are finally coming around full circle to address Walt's death from the season premiere. Why we couldn't have been seeing bits of this as we went along, I don't know, but having a cohesive season of episodes in which one week continues logically into the next has never been a goal of The Dead Zone-- and that is fine. I just wish it would decide whether it wants to be a serial show or not, because it certainly is when it wants to be.

  Continue reading The Dead Zone: Ambush

  OpEd, The Dead Zone, Episode Reviews

  (S06E11) This episode didn't tick me off the way last week's did (and several more have this season). It actually had a context, some neatly turned connections, and not too much obnoxious product placement. The only thing I really noticed was the closeup of Johnny's Tylenol bottle and I groaned and thought, "Here we go again," but there must not be many places to use your Visa card in Indiana, because it wasn't bad from there. I did go take two Excedrin, though, just to counteract the Tylenol ad.

  Continue reading The Dead Zone: Exile

  OpEd, The Dead Zone, Episode Reviews

  (S06E10) All season, I have been trying to put a positive spin on bad writing, poor casting choices (Sheriff Turner, remember her? Barely? We never see her, so maybe they think she was a poor choice too), episodes that seem recycled from other seasons, and others that are completely forgettable and irrelevant. But tonight was just the last straw. I have had it. I cannot think of one more good thing to say about this infomercial for Visa that is running around disguising itself as television.

  Continue reading The Dead Zone: Drift

  OpEd, The Dead Zone, Episode Reviews

  (S06E09) At first, I thought this season was going to be heading somewhere, but it seems that it's getting stuck in the muck. The episodes continue to cover territory that they have already covered. Tonight, it was about Johnny's struggles with the fact that he doesn't have much religious faith, despite his relationship with the now-absent Reverend Purdy, and his mother's own generous donations to the Heritage Foundation. We have been over this before in previous seasons-- like last season, as a matter of fact.

  Continue reading The Dead Zone: Transgressions

  OpEd, The Dead Zone, Episode Reviews

  (S06E08) I enjoyed this episode tonight, with the loopy Elaine and the Clive Owen-look-alike Homeland Security officer. I also enjoyed this episode way back in Season 2 when it was called "Precipitate." In that episode, Johnny had a blood transfusion with the blood of six different people. He had a vision that one of them was going to die, unless he intervened. So, he and Bruce ran around, tracked down all of the blood donors, and made their lives better so the tragedy didn't happen. It was a great episode.

  Continue reading The Dead Zone: Outcome

  OpEd, The Dead Zone, Episode Reviews

  (S06E07) I think this was probably one of the best episodes of The Dead Zone ever. I loved it. But before I talk about that, I want to talk about the fact that I am really enjoying the fact that the show seems to be doing "covers" or remakes of classic movies. In this case, it would be the movie Coma, which was about a plot to deliberately put patients into comas in order to harvest their organs. That is exactly where I thought this episode was headed. But of course, it steered off the tracks and deviated into...
  



• The Dead Zone: Switch
  

  Filed under: OpEd, The Dead Zone, Episode Reviews

  (S06E06) I always like the titles for The Dead Zone: They usually have a double entendre happening, and last night's episode is no exception: Switch for train switches on train tracks, and also for the switch Maggie pulls with the diamond necklace. Johnny helps a beautiful woman get her ticket out of the machine, and therefore ensures his interest in her when he touches her and sees her being thrown from the train.
  
  Maggie is a smart chick and she immediately dismisses Johnny's "I'm psychic," schtick with some pretty apt predictions about other passengers on her...
  



• The Dead Zone: Interred
  

  Filed under: OpEd, The Dead Zone, Episode Reviews

  (S06E05) This episode was fine. It was interesting, had some urgency and thrills. It had some humor and some pathos. But it feels an awful lot like starting over. And I am just not sure why at this point. Especially if they are killing the Stillson storyline. I have liked the show, and I think the show showed some promise earlier in the season. But it feels a little old and a little tired.
  
  I wish they would move forward with the information about why Sheriff Turner is investigating Walt. They haven't really touched upon that, though,...