The Dead Zone. The Complete 2nd Season, Disc 5

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Based on the characters from the Stephen King novel.
Special features: Making of an episode: post production, Editing, vix materials, sound mixing; cast bios; production team bios; from the desk of the executive producers.
The mountain -- The combination -- Visions.
Anthony Michael Hall, Nicole de Boer, Chris Bruno, John L. Adams, David Ogden Stiers.
Johnny Smith's life is interrupted by a near fatal car crash that leaves him in a deep coma for six years. When he regains consciousness, he discovers that he now possesses amazing psychic powers that allow him to see into the lives of anyone he touches.
DVD, widescreen presentation; Dolby Digital.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Disability in Science Fiction submitted by Jen Chapin-Smith on July 23, 2013, 10:20pm In "Dead Zone" Anthony Michael Hall (formerly of "The Breakfast Club") plays Johnny Smith, a teacher and hockey player who becomes brain injured and goes into a coma after a car accident.

After he awakes his life is gone: his mother is dead, his fiance has married someone else and yet another person has taken his job. Even his son doesn't know that Johnny is his birth father.

The car accident created what his doctor calls a dead zone in Johnny's brain, which gives him psychic abilities. Johnny also walks with a cane. Smith continues to save lives in the second season, but he also gets involved in a complex relationship.

While one could argue that "Dead Zone" continues the sci fi stereotype of imbuing people with disabilities with special supernatural powers, I would counter that the show positively portrays people with brain injuries. Given the negative stereotype our culture has of people with brain injuries, a positive pop culture portray is necessary.

Other science fiction shows (including some episodes of "Doctor Who" and "Warehouse 13") resurrect the older stereotype of people with disabilities being evil because they are jealous of able-bodied people, so it is helpful to see a character who completely undermines that stereotype.