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Dead Zone: The Complete Fourth Season (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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A Very Average Dead Zone Season
Review date: 2007-06-24 Rating: 4 out of 10
Season Three of 'The Dead Zone' was one that I hoped would turn out be a temporary lull in what up until then had been an absolutely gripping and creatively produced television series. But while it's still an occasionally engrossing experience, for me this fourth season proves that it's unlikely to ever return to the golden era of its riveting first two seasons.
Although the development of the relationship between Johnny and new love interest Rebecca Caldwell during season three was a little slow and lacking the dynamic edge that Johnny had with reporter Dana Bright in seasons one and two, I found it intriguing and enjoyed the chemistry between the two. So I expected her to figure heavily in this season following her strong involvement in the Greg-Stillson-Armageddon plot thread brought to an original climax in the season finale episode `Tipping Point'. But unfortunately that isn't the case and very soon her character makes an unceremonious and abrupt departure. I begin to see a pattern developing- the women in Johnny's life don't stick around for very long. Even his former lover Sarah makes very few appearances in this season, despite Nicole deBoer remaining a credited member of the main cast.
With a small number of experimental and involving stories, the episodes in this season are on the whole very disappointing. But worst of all- Armageddon is barely touched upon and Greg Stillson's story-arc is incredibly weak. It's clear to me now that this plot-line (once so engrossing) will continue for as long the show is on the air, no matter if it's stretched so thinly in the meantime that viewers lose all will to live. This is especially evident in the season finale episode- `Saved' (3/10), which is torturously slow and the best example of how directionless this plot-line has now become. Even the bonus Christmas episode- `A Very Dead Zone Christmas' (4/10) lacks any entertainment value, being completely cliché and mind-numbingly dull.
Episodes that raise the bar a little are episodes two and three- `The Collector' (7/10) and `Double Vision' (8/10). But the bottom line is that season four is a very average Dead Zone season.
P.S. They've changed the theme tune! At first I was outraged and the replacement (without lyrics) sounded distinctly lacking in comparison, but after repeated listens I love it now almost as much as the original. Incidentally, I Googled 'Dead Zone music' and apparently the original tune was by Jeff Buckley (!) and it's called 'New Year's Prayer' and the replacement as of season four is 'Dead Zone Epic' by Blues Saraceno. So at least now I can buy Buckley's song from iTunes and I can still hear that terrific phrase "have no shame for what you are" that will always be synonomous with this show for me.
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Product Details/Specifications
Director(s):
Recording label: Lions Gate
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
EAN: 0031398194309
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 3
Format: Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Colour, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC,
Release date: 2006-06-13
Universal product code (UPC): 031398194309
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 504 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2002-06-16
Language: English (Original Language)