THE DEAD ZONE {4th. Season} (DVD Review) - 6/7/06

This quality show is making the mistake that so many other genre shows make in stringing it's audience along with a background plot to keep viewer's watching in desperation (i.e. The Armageddon Thread) it's getting irritating now after four seasons and it's unnecessary; as I'd keep watching this enthralling show anyway and see no point in this diversion - Just tie up the future version of Johnny and Future Guy Wey and get on with it! Losing the cane prop seems to have lost the plot and while I don't mind unreasonable actions in an improbable scenario I don't think Reverend Purdy would get away with a suicide note forgery and then that plot point getting totally disregarded - It doesn't make sense! Much like the disappearance of Dana Bright and then this season bringing in another female character - Who Hey! - Just happens to be psychic as well? At least this season we didn't get a crappy cliffhanger after 12 episodes. Again some excellent stand alone episodes which really tug at the heart; especially memorable being "Heroes & Demons" which comes over like a tale of old in picture form. Another cracking episode is "Grains Of Sand" which covers ground in people trafficking. Unfortunately real life intrudes into this season with the irreplaceable loss of Executive Producer, Writer and co-series founder of "The Dead Zone" Michael Piller who died after a brave battle against cancer. How this will affect the show is anyone's guess? But Series 5 is playing in the USA at the moment - So I look forward to catching it on DVD in about a year's time when it's released.
Special Features as in previous seasons are spread across the 3-disc boxset and we get a small fitting tribute to Michael Piller here. We also get a featurette "The Production Design Of THE DEAD ZONE" and Audio Commentaries on selected episodes. Plus a short selection of Deleted Scenes. This edition is the Canadian Region 1 (USA) Version and is Rated PG. Special Features Not Rated. English. Sci-Fi/Drama (sic) 2005/2006. Runtime: Approx 504 Mins. Distributed in Canada by Maple Pictures.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment. 16x9 Widescreen 1.78:1 DVD Screen Format. Close Captioned. 5.1 Dolby Digital. NTSC Colour. ISBN # 057373171202.