TVSquad

(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.

I'll say one thing for The Dead Zone: They do a great job of getting actors to come back for recurring roles. I liked the psychic, Alex, and it was nice to see her turn up again. It was also nice the way it was her birthday, and that got pulled into the tapestry of Johnny touching the postcard made by her birthmother, who ended up helping to save her life. It was also nicely done that Wanda starts out telling Johnny that she ended up in that little town by trying to run from her past, and that her past caught up with her in a good way at the end.

It was also good that we saw things move forward for Johnny and Sarah, even though they were in different places. I will be ticked if it turns out that Greg Stillson ends up being a catalyst for Johnny and Sarah getting back together. After everything Stillson has done, all of the evil deeds, for him to end up being some redeemable guy now makes absolutely no sense. Do you think he is legitimate with his claims to have cleared Walt's name? Or is this just some long, elaborate strategy to court Sarah? And why is Stillson interested in Sarah anyway? She doesn't exactly seem his type.

When Sarah said she and JJ had a new place to live, I thought it was going to turn out that she had decided to move to Washington D.C. with Stillson, so I am glad they haven't jumped that shark. At least not yet.

Once again, Johnny's visions end up causing the very visions to happen. I am still not sure how that works. But if he hadn't called Alex and told her not to come, she wouldn't have been in danger in the first place. I was pretty sure, after she asked Johnny if she had been knocked out in her vision, that she was going to put something in that trunk, so that wasn't a very big surprise.

In addition to giving Alex some family and some closure, there was a nice segue to Walt and having Johnny have a reason to return home to Cleaves Mills, by having Alex see Walt sitting beside Johnny. I can't believe everything with Walt is as neatly resolved as somebody left Walt money and he decided to keep it from Sarah to surprise her. That doesn't explain the man who showed up claiming Walt owed him money. Nor does it explain what Walt found out about the day he died that would be a big surprise for Johnny Smith. I am surprised Johnny hasn't had visions after Walt's death-- after all, he is now living with Sarah, JJ, and Hope. And there is precedent in other seasons for Johnny being able to see what has happened to people (who are now dead) while they were still alive.

Maybe next week we can put Walt to bed for good with the season finale.