Pilot
Unaired Pilot

gs: Michael Moriarty (Reverend Purdy) Kendall Cross (Dana Bright) Anna Hagan (Vera Smith) Rick Tae (Dr. Tran) Gina Chiarelli (Elaine McGowan) Emily Holmes (Allison Connover)

The unaired pilot is an earlier version of the first two episodes of the series, "Wheel of Fortune," and "What It Seems." The main differences are that several scenes were re-filmed, and two actors (Reverend Purdy and Dana Bright) were later re-cast. See the episode review for more information.

b: UNAIRED w: Michael Piller s: Michael Piller and Shawn Piller d: Robert Lieberman

NOTE: As part of the 4 DVD Season 1 Box Set that was released, there was a limited time offer included. "Dead Zone" fans were able to attain an extra disc that included the Unaired Pilot and extra special features if they sent in their receipt showing that they had ordered the box set before 9/20/03. The offer expired on 10/20/03.

Season 1
1. Wheel of Fortune

gs: Anna Hagan (Vera Smith) Rick Tae (Dr. Tran) Gina Chiarelli (Nurse Elaine MacGowan) Donald Fong (Uncle Tran) Emily Holmes (Allison Connover)

Johnny Smith was leading an idyllic small-town life: working as a high school science teacher, engaged to the love of his life, Sarah, and being a devoted son to his widowed mother, Vera, who lives nearby. But after a near-fatal car accident puts him in a deep coma, Johnny awakens six years later to find everything has changed: Sarah is now is married to someone else, local sheriff Walt Bannerman; the child they are raising is actually Johnny's son and knows nothing about his real father; and Johnny's mother Vera has passed away, leaving Johnny's finances under the thumb of Reverend Purdy, an influential religious leader who is also his mother's former lover. But, most importantly, Johnny himself has changed: he now finds himself with the gift (or curse) of second sight. Through visions he sees with a simple touch, he becomes responsible for saving a nurse's little girl from a fire, helping his Vietnamese doctor reunite with the mother he thought was killed during the fall of Saigon, and now must prevent a local serial killer from striking again. Now Johnny is faced with the daunting task of coming to grips with his new powers - and navigating his way through his new life.

b: 16-Jun-2002 pc: 1001 w: Michael Piller s: Michael Piller & Shawn Piller d: Robert Lieberman

NOTE: 6.4 million viewers tuned in for the premiere, breaking the record which the series,"Tek War" previously had as the highest rated debut of a series on USA. Also, the show has broken the best ratings record in history for a series on cable, which was previously held by "The Shield."
• Premiered on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on Friday: July 12, 2002 at 8 P.M.
• Johnny and Sara make out in the car to the music "Sleepwalker". Stephen King also wrote the movie "Sleepwalkers".
• The first DVD/Video of the series that was released on November 5, 2002 combines both "Wheel of Fortune" and the second episode, "What It Seems" into a two hour movie. This version entitled in the opening credits, "The Dead Zone: The Beginning" aired on January 5, 2003 on USA during a marathon that led up to the start of Season 2.
• According to the last episode of the season "Destiny," Johnny Smith wakes up on September 1, 2001 - the same date which Greg Stillson is sworn into office.
• Johnny's car accident was June 6, 1995 (D-Day).
• Lions Gate Home Entertainment released the entire First Season of "The Dead Zone" in a 4 DVD Disc Set on June 17, 2003

2. What It Seems

gs: Emily Holmes (Allison Connover) Michael Rogers (Frank Dodd) Kristen Dalton (Dana Bright)

Johnny, certain that nurse Allison will be the Bangor Strangler's next victim, enlists the help of his physical therapist and new friend Bruce to try and stop the murder. He also clashes with Penobscot County Sheriff Walt Bannerman, who is uncomfortable with Johnny's sudden appearance in his life. Nevertheless, Walt pays Johnny's powers some heed by letting him touch a piece of evidence. Johnny has a vision in which he enters the mind of the serial killer and, to his horror, learns what it feels like to kill. Allison eventually turns up very much alive, having been out of town for a couple of days, and Johnny becomes a laughing stock. However, Bruce, in his infinite Zen wisdom, helps Johnny see what really happened: Allison actually managed to elude the killer - but the killer eventually chose another victim. Johnny winds up leading the police to the body, touches it, and sees who the killer is. In a climactic showdown, Johnny saves Walt's life, and the killer commits suicide. After what he's seen, Walt no longer doubts Johnny's powers. Meanwhile, Johnny feels guilty that his visions caused a young woman's life to be cut short, and feels even worse as Bangor Daily News reporter Dana Bright hounds him for a quote.

b: 23-Jun-2002 pc: 1002 w: Michael Piller s: Michael Piller & Shawn Piller d: Robert Lieberman

NOTE: Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on July 19, 2002
• In this episode, the series begins running it's regular opening with the song, "New Year's Prayer" by Jeff Buckley from the album, "Sketches (For My Sweetheart The Drunk)." - thanks to writingedge for the info

3. Quality of Life

gs: Christopher Masterson (Todd Paley) Kristen Dalton (Dana Bright)

The story is about Johnny's attempt to return to teaching, and Todd is one of his students, a hockey player. Johnny has an incredible vision that suggests the player might have a serious heart condition but there's no medical evidence to support him. So, in one sense, it's a story of Johnny's powers versus modern medicine. In another, it's about Johnny's hope of reclaiming some part of the life he lost before the accident that sent him into a coma.

b: 30-Jun-2002 pc: 1003 w: Michael Piller s: Michael Piller & Shawn Piller d: John Lafia

NOTE: Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on July 26, 2002

4. Enigma

gs: Alisen Down (Maggie 1945/Rosie) George Murdock (Arthur 2002) Sarah Deakins (Chandra) Chris L. Gibson (Bill McVane) Sheila Moore (Abigal 2002) Shelia Patterson (Rose 2002) Alvie N. Leeper (Tommy Peterson 2002)

Johnny takes the lovely Chandra out on a date, but after he has a vision of Sarah getting in the way of their future relationship, he decides not to pursue Chandra after all. Meanwhile, Bruce urges Johnny to help one of his elderly patients, Arthur, find his long lost love, Abby. Arthur first fell in love with Abby at the Stage Door Canteen before going off to fight in World War II, but when he returned from the war, she had vanished. Arthur is sure he spotted Abby recently in New York, so Johnny travels to The Big Apple to search for her. Johnny becomes increasingly enchanted by Abby in the visions he has of her as a young woman. He sees her through the eyes of Tommy, an old buddy of Arthur's who had a secret affair with Abby. It turns out their affair produced a child, which is why Abby disappeared. Sarah worries that Johnny is falling in love with an apparition, and also enlists Walt's help in helping Johnny find the elderly Abby. Johnny finally tracks Abby down at the children's theater company she runs, and there is a tearful reunion between her and Arthur. Abby's granddaughter catches Johnny's eye - she's the spitting image of her grandmother 60 years ago. But her personality turns out to be shrill, and Johnny decides to remain single.

b: 07-Jul-2002 pc: 1004 w: Joe Menosky d: Michael Robison

NOTE: Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on August 2, 2002

5. Unreasonable Doubt

gs: Blu Mankuma (Ben Cartwright) Jim Byrnes (Vic Goodman) Kirsten Williamson (Emily (Female Witness)) Esme Lambert (Agatha Christie) Dexter Bell (Carl Winters) Wanda Cannon (Martha)

Johnny is summoned to jury duty on a murder trial that involves a street ganger who murdered a store owner. Johnny starts to get visions which lead him to believe the accused is innocent. He is the only not-guilty vote initially and manages to convince the jury over as he looks for evidence that supports his visions. Finding the necessary evidence and using his psychic insights of the past lives of some of the jurors, he eventually manages to sway them over to his side.

b: 14-Jul-2002 pc: 1007 w: Michael Taylor d: Robert Lieberman

NOTE: Originally scheduled to air July 28, 2002 after the episode, "The House." A schedule change/flip was made on June 26 where the episode, "Netherworld" will now air in its place.
• Closely follows the pattern of the 1957 movie "12 Angry Men".
• According to the shooting script, the bit with the POV view of the kid on the Big Wheel is a deliberate nod to Kubrick's The Shining, also by Stephen King.
• Of the series regulars, only Anthony Michael Hall and (briefly) John L. Adams are in this episode.
• Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on August 9, 2002

6. The House

gs: Stephanie Wyder (Lindsay Davis) Kristen Dalton (Dana Bright) Anna Hagan (Vera Smith) Noah Beggs (Young Herbert Smith)

Johnny moves into his new house and starts having visions of a tub filled with blood. He also sees visions of his dead mother, and comes to believe that Rev. Purdy killed his mother. The facts seem to suggest that Purdy did indeed engage in a cover-up concerning the death of Johnny's mother. In a final confrontation Johnny touches Purdy and gains a vision of Purdy finding Johnny's mother dead by suicide. Realizing what the death of a child can drive a parent to do, he goes to the aid of a local neighbor girl whose brother died on a military mission and whose mother is preparing to kill herself.

b: 21-Jul-2002 pc: 1006 w: Michael Piller s: Michael Piller & Shawn Piller d: James A. Contner

NOTE: Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on August 16, 2002

7. Enemy Mind

gs: Julie Patzwald (Jill Deer)

While helping to track down a runaway, Jill, who is involved with drugs, Johnny is exposed to a drug that causes him to start getting weird (weirder than usual) visions. He insists on trying to find Jill, despite the concerns of Bruce and Sarah. Confusing matters further is that Jill's boyfriend is in trouble with his supplier. The boyfriend gets killed and Jill and Johnny go on the run. In the final showdown, Johnny manages to fight past his hallucinations and knock the drug dealer off a high ledge, while Jill is reunited with her mother.

b: 28-Jul-2002 pc: 1009 w: David Benz s: Javier Grillo-Marxuach & David Benz d: Jon Cassar

NOTE: Originally scheduled to air August 11, 2002 after the episode, "The Siege." A schedule change/flip was made on July 15 where the episode, "The Siege" aired in its place.
• Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on August 23, 2002

8. Netherworld

gs: Anna Hagan (Vera Smith) Lindsay Price (Dr. Sharon Weizak)

The line between fantasy and reality blurs for Johnny when he awakens to find himself married to Sarah and is the father of her two children. It's as if the accident that drove him into a coma never occurred, and only he remembers it. As he proceeds through his new life, Johnny starts to see a series of disturbing images of people, starting at a mall during an art festival, hideously burned and images of fire trucks and fires. Then during his now-living mother's party he paases out with a brief vision of being back in a coma. He wakes up in a mall with Bruce back in his normal life, having passed out. He realizes the art festival is about to have a major bomb explosion as he keeps fuguring between his different "lives". In his "dream life" he tries to convince everyone to search the mall for a bomb but he sees the mall go up in flames because of an arc-welding accident...and wakes up again back in his "real life" and sees the same accident about to happen. He stops it just in time...leaving him to wonder about the life that might have been.

b: 04-Aug-2002 pc: 1005 w: Michael Piller s: David Goldsmith d: Robert Lieberman

NOTE: Originally scheduled to air July 14, 2002 after the episode, "Enigma." A schedule change/flip was made on June 26 where the episode, "Unreasonable Doubt" was aired in its place.
• Instead of airing on July 28, 2002, another schedule change/flip was made on July 15. The episode, "Enemy Mind" aired in its place. Michael Piller said the adding of special effects to "Netherworld" during post production was the reason for the episode's delayed broadcast.
• Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on September 6, 2002
• Lindsay Price who guest stars as Dr. Sharon Weizak is best known for her role as Janet Sosna Sanders on "Beverly Hills, 90210." She is also the real life fiancée of "The Dead Zone's" co-creator/producer, Shawn Piller.

9. The Siege

gs: Stephen E Miller (Conrad Hurley) Kristen Dalton (Dana Bright) Fred Keating (Henry Spahn) Walter Marsh (Mr. Stratton) Betty Phillips (Mrs. Stratton) Enid-Raye Adams (Karen Hayes) Dayna Van Buskirk (Tom Kelly) Michael P. Northey (Rudy Young) Naomi Snieckus (Melanie Romano) Mitchell Kosterman (Harlan Casey) Deanne Henry (Arleta Hurley) Bill Mondy (Deputy Roscoe)

Conrad Hurley, a disgruntled electrician fired by the town council, goes into the bank with a shotgun and a revolver, tries to rob it, and takes everyone present (including Sara) hostage. Waiting outside for Sara, Johnny gets a vision of a future massacre and goes in to try to alter the future he perceives. Guided by his visions and scrambling wildly to adapt to the altering futures he keeps seeing in which he dies, Sara dies, Conrad dies, and/or everyone dies each time he changes something, Johnny soon becomes Conrad's unlikely ally. Finally Johnny manages to earn Conrad's trust and manage to talk him into releasing the hostages and giving himself up.

b: 11-Aug-2002 pc: 1008 w: Philip DeGuere, Jr. d: Michael Shapiro

NOTE: Originally scheduled to air August 4, 2002 after the episode, "Netherworld." A schedule change/flip was made on July 15 where the episode, "Netherworld" aired in its place.
• In this episode, Spencer Achtymichuk replaces Dominic Louis in the role of little Johnny Bannerman Jr.
• John L. Adams is not in this episode.
• Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on September 13, 2002

10. Here There Be Monsters

gs: Benjamin Ratner (Gabriel Barnes) Kathryn Kirkpatrick (Deputy Simmons) Michael David Simms (Doug Martin)

Johnny and Bruce drive into the small town of Hobb's Landing where Johnny gets a vision of himself being burned at the stake. He goes to the police and has a vision of the murder of a local girl. The police hold him on charges of witchcraft on which he sent to trial. Bruce calls Dana who comes to help out. While testifying to his abilities Johnny gains a vision of the girl still alive and on a boat. Johnny is cleared of the charges but the townspeople form a mob to burn him. Dana and the town sheriff find the girl, who killed her crazy mother when she was doing some kind of satanic ritual and whose father hid her away. Johnny is rescued just in time.

b: 18-Aug-2002 pc: 1010 w: David Benullo & Craig Silverstein s: David Benullo d: Michael Robison

NOTE: The name of the town, "Hobb's Landing" may be an in-joke reference to "Hobb's End", which was used in both Quartermass and the Pit, and later in John Carpenter's movie In the Mouth of Madness (where Carpenter used it as a homage to Quartermass).
• Billed regulars Nicole de Boer and Chris Bruno do not appear in this episode.
• Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on September 20, 2002

11. Dinner with Dana

gs: Kristen Dalton (Dana Bright) Callum Keith Rennie (Max Cassidy)

Johnny agrees to a date and dinner with Dana Bright in return for her doing an interview. His powers kick into overdrive, as he keeps getting visions of everyone he knows giving him dating advice. The date goes well despite even more visions of Dana with various men in her life, including Max Cassidy, a photographer and jealous lover. Johnny is also plagued by a vision of bright lights. Eventually they end up in bed where Johnny has even more visions of his friends and mother and Rev. Purdy...which make it a bit difficult to *ahem* perform. Afterwards they part on somewhat melancholy terms, but Johnny puts together the visions and realizes the bright lights are the car headlights of Cassidy, who has been drinking and plans to kill Dana in a jealous rage. Johnny calls the police who show up to stop Cassidy just in time.

b: 25-Aug-2002 pc: 1011 w: Michael Taylor d: Jon Cassar

NOTE: The previous working titles for this episode were "Pas De Deux" and "Sex, Thugs and Paranormal Cognitive Episodes."
• Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on October 4, 2002

12. Shaman

gs: Adam Beach (Shaman)

While travelling out in the wilderness with Bruce, Johnny is plagued by visions of a meteor hitting a mountain and people vanishing. He's unable to direct an astronomer to find the meteorite so he goes out into the wilderness and injures his leg. Taking refuge in a cave, Johnny picks up an antler fragment and has a vision of an injured Indian shaman in the past...who can see Johnny as well! They soon establish a rough communication - the shaman also suffered a head injury that gave him a "dead zone". Johnny realizes the shaman will die during a meteorite strike and the people he saw vanishing are the man's descendents - Johnny manages to warn him to get him and his community clear of the blast radius in the past, and helps Johnny hold out long enough for Walt's rescue party to find him.

b: 08-Sep-2002 pc: 1012 w: Joe Menosky d: Rachel Talalay

NOTE: Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on October 11, 2002

13. Destiny

gs: Sean Patrick Flanery (Greg Stillson)

In the past Johnny Smith as a child and Greg Stilson, the son of a Bible salesman, briefly meet and Johnny has a future vision of danger. In the present Johnny has a vision of a restaurant graduation party tragedy and warns his employer, the father of a student. Stilson, now a Senatorial candidate being backed by Rev. Purdy, comes to town after the tragedy and Johnny gets visions of catastrophe in Stilson's wake. Johnny and Sara get together while in flashback we see how Stilson has been a total bastard all of his life, and that Johnny came out of his coma just as Stilson was sworn in as state representative. When they meet at a rally Johnny shakes Stilson's hand and sees him as the source of catastrophe - Washington D.C. devastated by a nuclear holocaust.

b: 15-Sep-2002 pc: 1013 w: Craig Silverstein s: Michael Piller d: Robert Lieberman

NOTE: The first season ends with the part in the storyline from the movie and Stephen King's novel, where Johnny realizes that he must stop the corrupt senator Greg Stillson, played by Martin Sheen in the movie.
• Aired on the "Sci-Fi Channel" on October 18, 2002
• When Stilson is sworn in (September 1, 2001), Johnny wakes up. When he first wakes up he yells "Something's wrong, something's wrong" right before he has a vision of the Nurse's daughter. Could Johnny's words refer to his visions in the future of Washington D.C. and Stilson being sworn in?