Episode Title: Broken Circle (Part 2)
Episode Airdate: June 12th, 2005
Recap:
The Dead Zone returns for its fourth season with a helpful montage of what happened at the end of last season. With summer seasons, it seems significantly harder to remember what happened the year before, which I guess is the major downside of running original episodes in that cycle. Anyway, in the clips we are reminded about the Rachel Caldwell murder and Johnny’s resulting relationship with his sister Rebecca. Along with that, we see scenes of Johnny’s seizure, the oncoming apocalypse (and Stillson’s role in it), and Rebecca’s plot to murder Stillson.
The episode starts with what I assume is a flashback (due to colored tint of the scene), with a young girl singing “Amazing Grace” in a church as a young boy around the same age watches. Meanwhile, Stillson’s father attempts to sell bibles to a priest, but is unsuccessful. The boy then walks over to the priest and sweet talks him into buying a dozen. That boy looks devilishly freaky. Outside, the boy and Stillson argue over how much the man (his father) owes him. In response, the father backhands the boy twice.
We return to the present, where Stillson is looking out a window daydreaming. He is interrupted when Stillson’s father walks in and reports that Johnny Smith is getting brain surgery.
Johnny wakes up in a hospital bed, with Bruce sitting at his side. He tells her that Sarah consented to the surgery. Johnny grabs onto his cane, but realizes that his visions are gone. Bruce tells Johnny that Rebecca killed Greg Stillson and was shot by the police. Turns out it was all a vision, and Johnny is in a hospital bed getting a sedative. As he’s given his shot, he rambles about having a vision.
Meanwhile, somebody from the US Attorney’s office walks into the hospital asking for Johnny Smith. Walt tries to find out what he’s there for, and the man reports that he’s there to charge him with kidnapping. When he and Walt walk into the hospital room, Johnny is gone.
That was a really long cold opening. And I may be wrong, but the opening credits seem different to me. New theme song, maybe?
We return with Johnny and Bruce driving to Washington, DC. Bruce argues that Rebecca murdering Stillson may be how it has to be, and that it’s one life to save who knows how many. Johnny calls Rebecca to hopefully stop everything before it happens.
Rebecca, meanwhile, decides not to answer the phone. Instead, she tells Stillson that she’ll join him at the Rachel’s Law reception. Stillson’s father watches on cynically. Stillson invites Rebecca to be present at the press conference later that day. After she leaves, Stillson’s father tells him that with Rebecca around, nobody will ever forget about Rachel Caldwell. Stillson insists that he didn’t do anything wrong, so he has nothing to hide from.
The officer from the US Attorney’s office asks Walt for all the information he has regarding the Rachel Caldwell murder. After he leaves, one of the deputies hands Walt a huge pile of letters written to Reverend Purdy, who is in jail. When Walt gives them to Purdy, he seems surprised. Walt tells the Reverend that when he’s ready to tell him why Sonny Ellerman killed Mike Kennedy, he’s ready to listen.
Sarah asks Walt to come with him to find Johnny. Walt tells her that she needs to stay in case Johnny calls or tries to see JJ. Walt tells her that he knows Johnny’s with Bruce, and that he’s almost certain that they’re heading to DC. He tells her not to tell Johnny that he’s coming if he calls. Are these two still separated or not?
Johnny and Bruce are walking through Rebecca’s place hoping to find out where she is. In a funny bit, Johnny touches the touch-tone keypad locking the front door, and then types in the combination (since it is implied he had a vision of Rebecca typing in the code). Bruce then says “Remind me never to get one of those.”
Stillson is on the phone with the officer from the US Attorney’s office, who tells Stillson that if Johnny comes anywhere near him, they’ll use any force necessary to stop him.
At Rebecca’s place, Johnny touches numerous items to see if he has any visions. He has a vision of Stillson’s father and Sonny Ellerman bugging the apartment. Bruce tells him that they need to get out of there. Upon touching a picture of himself and Rebecca, he has a vision of Rebecca grabbing a gun and putting it in her purse. He finds an invitation to the press conference, and figures out that that’s when she’s going to kill Stillson. Bruce notes that the press conference isn’t until three, so they still have time to stop it.
The officer from the US Attorney’s office gets a tip that Johnny was in Rebecca’s apartment. When Johnny and Bruce come outside and see the officers there, Bruce says he’ll handle it. He purposely crashes into the car parked behind him, and when he tries to drive away the officers stop him. He tells them he was boxed in as Johnny gets away.
Another flashback sees Greg Stillson returning home, with his father lying in Greg’s bed. Greg wonders where his girlfriend is, and his father tells him he cleaned up the mess, since the girl was pregnant. Greg asks what he did and his father answers that he gave her some money to leave. Greg is furious, and tries to attack his dad, but his father tells him that he’s worth more than this. Greg says that he loved her, but his father tells her she was a loose end, and that they can’t have loose ends. In the present day, Ellerman tells Stillson’s father that the feds are heading to Rebecca’s place, and that he needs to take out the taps before they get there.
Meanwhile, Johnny walks around Washington when he gets spotted by the officer from the US Attorney’s office. Smith sees him coming and steals a cab to get away. After an exciting car chase, Johnny ends up surrounded on a bridge. He gets out of the cab and backs his way to the ledge, with guns pointed at him. Johnny touches the railing of the bridge, and has a vision of him climbing out of the water. The officer says “Johnny, don’t make me shoot you” as Johnny responds by saying that he won’t have to. Johnny then jumps off the bridge into the water.
Meanwhile, Stillson arrives at the press conference surrounded by some heavy security. Rebecca arrives moments later, and Stillson’s father has a disapproving look on his face. Johnny (wearing a hooded outfit to conceal his identity) rushes to the scene. Rebecca reaches into her purse as she watches Stillson, but Johnny calls her cell phone. She looks at the phone and finally decides to answer. He tells her that she knows what she’s doing, and that it’s going to get her killed. She tells him it doesn’t matter, but he tells her that her life does matter. He tells her she has a choice, it just has to be the right one. He tells her that if she’s going to kill Stillson, it has to be in front of him. He tells her not to let him watch her die.
Suddenly Johnny is spotted by security, and as he runs away he touches a news van. As he does that, he has a vision of Rebecca being taken out of the hotel with handcuffs on, as reporters ask her why she shot him. Johnny continues running away, but manages to hide.
Reverend Purdy is in jail reading the bible as somebody interrupts him. The man, Malcolm Jenks, tells him that he represents a group of concerned citizens. He tells the Reverend that he can go global given the right resources, adding that they have access to several broadcast satellites. He tells Purdy that he already posted his bail, and that he’s been given an incredible opportunity. Purdy says that he must be punished, but Malcolm tells him that they don’t get to judge themselves, that’s God’s job, and he teaches forgiveness.
Walt walks into Rebecca’s apartment to see Sonny Ellerman there. Walt tells him that he knows that he killed Mike Kennedy, but Sonny insists that Mike killed himself. Walt tells him he has witnesses, but Sonny says that any psychic predictions are inadmissible in court. As he walks away, Walt grabs Sonny’s arm. Sonny punches him in the face, claiming that putting his hands on a private citizen is assault. Walt clocks him with a punch of his own, knocking him out, and says “No, that’s assault.” That was pretty bad ass, actually.
Johnny continues running through Washington when Walt calls him, telling him he has a present for him. Upon meeting, Walt shows him the blood on his hand (from when he hit Sonny) for Johnny to touch. Walt tells him “Are you going to criticize my investigating methods, or are you going to touch my hand?” Ha, for some reason that sounds funny to me. Anyway, Johnny touches the blood, and has a vision of Sonny in the woods at night burying a dead body. Meanwhile, Stillson’s father watches on as he drinks from his flask. Johnny tells Walt that he saw Rebecca being taken away from a hotel in his vision. Walt tells him there’s a reception after the press conference, and they race to the hotel.
Meanwhile, at the hotel, Stillson invites Rebecca up to his suite.
As Johnny and Walt head to the hotel, Johnny has a vision of scary looking future Johnny. I don’t get it, is he blind? Cuz he seems to find the car awfully easily. Future Johnny smugly asks Johnny whose vision it is, his or…er, his? Johnny seems like a bit of an asshole in the future.
Johnny insists that he’s not going to do what future Johnny is asking. Future Johnny tells him he doesn’t have to do anything, he just has to let fate take its course. Johnny says future Johnny is just manipulating him, but future Johnny insists that fate can still take its course if Rebecca kills Stillson. Johnny asks why Rebecca, and future Johnny answers because she’s willing to.
Stillson and Rebecca are in Stillson’s suite drinking some wine. I have to wonder how much they’ve drank in this short period of time, because Stillson seems pretty plastered. Stillson is clearly coming onto her, but an uncomfortable Rebecca asks to use the bathroom. She goes into her purse and takes out her gun, which she hides in the waist of her pants.
In the lobby of the hotel, Stillson’s father yells at one of the security guards about getting back to standing outside Stillson’s suite door. Meanwhile, Walt walks over to the front desk asking what room Stillson is in. Stillson’s father tells the guard to get rid of Walt, then back to watching the door. Johnny, meanwhile, slips into the elevator. He gently touches each number, hoping to get a vision of what floor Stillson is on. When he touches number 12 (like many buildings, there is no floor 13), he gets a vision of Stillson and Rebecca getting off the elevator, and Stillson telling the guard that he can go as he walks into room 1214. As he presses the button, Stillson’s father sees him, and grabs his arm. Upon doing that, Johnny gets a vision of Rachel Caldwell screaming in the woods as she crawls away from an unseen assailant. She begs for mercy as the person literally beats her to death. The person takes out his flask and takes a swig. It is, of course, Stillson’s father. Johnny tells him that he knows he killed Rachel, as the elevator doors close.
Stillson is still in his suite as Rebecca walks out of the bathroom. She gives him a kiss. A pleased Stillson asks why she’s really here. Rebecca reaches for her gun when Johnny bursts into the room to stop her. He reports to both of them that it wasn’t Stillson who killed Rachel, it was Stillson’s father. Stillson is genuinely shocked as he orders them both out of his room. In the elevator, Rebecca asks if it’s true. Johnny says it is.
Stillson is in his office drinking as his father walks in. Stillson asks about Rachel Caldwell, and his father answers that the bitch was only trouble. Stillson asks if he killed her, but his father tells him to let her go. He tells him that he had to clean up his mess, like he always does. She knew about the voting machine, and he had to get rid of her. Stillson’s father tells him that he’s been cleaning up his mess since he was a pathetic little kid as he backhands him. The two start exchanging some heated words (Stillson father even calls Stillson’s mother a whore!), before finally Stillson chokes his father to death.
Malcolm Jenks walks into the room and tells Stillson to stand up. He tells Greg that there was an accident, and that his father was drinking and that he couldn’t find the light and struck his head. Stillson rambles on that he killed him, but Malcolm repeats the story. When Stillson says he can’t say that, Malcolm slaps him. Once again, Malcolm repeats the story about his father drinking. Finally, Stillson repeats the story. Malcolm tells Stillson that he has a crucial role to play, and he will not let anything get in the way of his destiny.
Reverend Purdy is on television and states that in order to be truly reborn, we must accept our sins and the absolution of those sins. He then quotes some scriptures of which I do not have the energy to transcribe. The whole absolutions of sins thing pretty much sums it up.
Johnny is looking out at the water when he is joined by Rebecca, reassuring him about not being a suspect anymore. He tells her that he knows she’s not coming back with him, but not because of a vision. She tells him that she needs some time, and Johnny tells her he understands. The two kiss good bye, and profess their love for each other. Johnny looks at his cane and says “I think I need to figure this out on my own” as he throws it into the water. Damn, I liked that cane.
Review:
Here’s a fun fact for you: The vision Johnny keeps having of Rebecca’s demise (of her murdering Stillson at a public press conference and then being shot herself) is actually how the Johnny Smith character dies in the movie (and, I assume, book too).
Anyway, I found the season premiere to be rather enjoyable, tying up any loose ends left from the previous season’s finale, while still leaving open a number of possibilities for future storylines. Stillson continues his rise to power, and the future Johnny (who I assume we won’t be seeing again, at least for a while) continues to repeat Stillson’s role in the apocalypse. I also enjoyed the twist that, after everything, it turned out that Stillson genuinely had nothing to do with Rachel Caldwell’s murder. Does this mean that Stillson is not quite as devious as we’ve been led to believe? I’m not sure.
I don’t quite remember all the specifics about Purdy and Sonny and Stillson from last season, but I’m interested to see what results from this connection between Stillson, Malcolm, and Purdy. Again, I don’t quite remember all the details of the conclusion of last season, but I’m intrigued about where this is possibly going. Purdy, to me, seems like an ambitious man who is truly good inside, and does not wish to harm others. He’s not perfect (in fact, he’s rather flawed), but his intentions are not malicious. He also seems remorseful when he’s done something wrong. To me, it seemed like he really did want to pay for his sins when he was in jail. He’s not my favorite character, but to me he seems very real.
I enjoyed the symbolism of Johnny throwing the cane into the water. I’m not terribly pleased about it, because it’s a pretty cool looking cane (although not in the least bit necessary, as we often see Johnny running long distances with no problem whatsoever). For a person who relies heavily on his visions, it’s refreshing for him to actively choose to walk into a situation (even one very serious) “blind,” so to speak. It reminds me very much of an episode last season, when the whole crew was at a wedding. Bruce was trying to meet a woman, and Johnny would touch something and find out what their future holds for them (for example, Bruce meets one girl and falls in love with her. They get married, but one day he discovers that the woman is cheating on him. After the vision, Johnny tells him not to go for it). Eventually Bruce saw a girl, but before Johnny could touch something Bruce told him he wants to see what will happen himself. In that regard, perhaps it’s best to meet situations head on as they happen, even if ultimately you may get hurt.
As a side note, I really like how resourceful they make Johnny when he uses his abilities. It would be easy to simply have him get visions and try to stop situations or solve mysteries based on them. However, the writers take it a step further, having him figure out menial (yet important) tasks like what floor somebody got off the elevator in, or what the combination to somebody’s security system is. It’s a very simple thing, yet adds a great deal at the same time. I also really liked how he touched the railing of the bridge to see that he survives the jump into the water, before actually jumping.
Well, that’s the season premiere for you. I’ll probably have these columns posted every Monday, since my Sunday nights tend to be pretty busy and exhausting. As always, any e-mails are appreciated. I respond to everything sent to me.
