Search - The Dead Zone - The Complete First Season on DVD

Jean W. from JORDANVILLE, NY
Reviewed on 1/4/2015...

We got "hooked" on this series and did not stop until we had all of the seasons. There are some good episodes and some that leave us wondering, but overall, it was very good.

Chad B. (abrnt1) from CABERY, IL
Reviewed on 3/5/2012...

I was wary at first of this show so it wasn't until it was on the air for a few season before I bit the bullet and bought season 1. I'm a huge fan of Stephen King (own all the books & the various films/tv shows based on them) and I've encountered some hideous adaptations over the years (The Lawnmower Man,Trucks,the Children of the Corn sequels,etc). This series turned out to be a well made and very entertaining show. It does make some major changes from the book, but that was to be expected (hard to make a tv series where your main character attempts to become a political assassin and dies at the end).
Anthony Michael Hall is ideal as Johnny Smith. He perfectly captures the character and, while not as haunted as Walken was in the Croenenberg film, brings the right mix of sadness and a feeling of hope to his performance. There are quite a few changes, but they were made in order to give the series a supporting cast. In the book Johnny pretty much removes himself from all human contact due to his ability. Well worth checking out for fans of Stephen King.

Great Show - Pilot Disc Should Be Included in Set!

J. Tracy | Wilsonville, OR | 06/03/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Dead Zone is one of the best shows on TV. The show alone gets five stars. But the reason my review is four stars is because of the somewhat deceiving nature of this DVD release. When you buy the DVD set, there is one open slot with no DVD. This is for the "pilot" episode. And in order to get this episode, you have to send in a card that comes with your DVD. It would have been much better if they had simply included the DVD and saved the consumer trouble of sending in a card to get the pilot. It's just like those "rebate" offers - companies know that few people will go through the process of sending it in and that's why they offer it."

The Dead Zone--The Complete First Season

Mary Radey | Surprise. AZ | 09/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a huge fan of the Dead Zone and tape every episode and will buy the 2nd season if and when it comes out on DVD. BUT DO NOT BE FOOLED ABOUT THE "UNAIRED ORIGINAL PILOT EPISODE" that you can get with the bounce back coupon ($$$ for shipping). It was aired on TV and is the very first episode on the first DVD called "Wheel of Fortune". I ordered it and got it in the mail today and was looking forward to seeing an episode that I had never seen before. WRONG! I was very disappointed when I found that it was the "Wheel of Fortune" on the DVD compliation that I already bought. So, don't waste your money on the allegedly unaired original pilot episode--because if you bought the Complete First Season of the Dead Zone, you already have it."

Nothing "Dead" about this show when its in the zone

Wayne Klein | My Little Blue Window, USA | 04/26/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I came late to this TV show. It premiered when I had too many distractions to allow me to sit down and actually watch it. Thank God for DVD. "The Dead Zone" shows stylistic flair and has strong writing throughout much of its first season. The basic premise remains from King's novel and David Cronenberg's film; Johnny (Anthony Michael Hall) a school teacher who seemingly has everything going for him is in a car accident. He's in a coma for six years. While he's away his love (the lovely Nicole deBoer from "Deep Space Nine")has married someone else, his mother has died and he has the ability to foresee the potential future (and the past). The departures from the source that Michael and Shawn Piller ("Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine") introduce add depth and conflict to the show. When Johnny's mom dies, Reverend Purdy (David Ogden Stiers)becomes the benefactor of the will and guardian of Johnny. Johnny doesn't trust Purdy believing his intention was to soak his mom for all the money he could. Johnny comes out of his coma with his gift stronger than before. He had it in childhood and throughout much of his life but it was never more than a parlor trick. Now it's front and center in his life.

The pilot episode is still among the best but there's also a handful of the 13 episodes here that rank right up there. "Destiny" and "The Seige" both are among the best episodes of the first season as well. Lion's Gate has done a exceptional job with the DVD transfer. The colors are bright, vivid and there's hardly a trace of digital or analog imperfections that might mar the picture. The sound, likewise, is top flight. The extras include commentaries on every episode, a terrific featurette where we are privy to the writer's meetings and interviews with the cast and main production crew about the series and the departures from King's source material. It's pretty clear that the Pillers are trying to stay true to the spirit of King's work even if they can't practice fidelity to the novel itself through out the series.

My only complaint--and this has been echoed a number of times--is that Lion's Gate is still selling the DVD set with a missing DVD that you were supposed to be able to sent away for. Like many fans, I purchased the set quite a bit later but my set was manufactured recently (or at least was in the warehouse). Not having the unaired pilot episode is annoying. After Lion's Gate discontinued the offer to main out the extra disc they should have automatically included it or redesigned the packaging so it doesn't make reference to it. You don't miss it until you realize it's not there.

That minor flaw aside, "The Dead Zone" is a noteworthy show worth watching."