The Dead Zone: Vanguard

Johnny: "I forgot how intense this could be."

Finally, back at the arc, and once more with the Wall of Weird. Hallelujah. And there was even a lot of material about Johnny's career as a teacher, too.

Johnny's former student, Alex, morally opposed to having his work used as a weapon as well as light jazz, gave us another piece of the Armageddon puzzle. What really got to me is that Alex might not have achieved his scientific success (or died too young, for that matter) if he hadn't been Johnny's favorite student. I think this was another hint that Johnny may have inadvertently caused future Armageddon.

The scene that really got to me was Greg being introduced as the president: even though we knew it was coming, it shocked me. Oooooh. We do know that Stillson will be vice-president in what, 2008, which is pretty damned soon. I wonder if the Don S. Davis character, Senator Harlan Ellis, is going to be president first? It also looked as if they were setting up Ellis' daughter Miranda as a possible future Mrs. Stillson.

J.J. was finally back. And we even had an intriguing Sarah scene. She and Walt are finally going to get pregnant, huh? Is she already? Is that why she wouldn't let Johnny touch her? Or was there another, more sinister reason?

Bits and pieces:

— There was a strong hint early on that Walters was important. In the first scene at Portland Chemical, Walters was blowing things up on his computer ("Be nice to me. I just vaporized Cleveland.")

— The 1938 nickel could also be symbolic of pre-World War II. I'm sort of reaching there, though.

— The newly global Purdy thought he could have his ministry and eat it, too, and has now discovered that he has indeed sold his soul to save his ass.

— Mr. Janus reminded me of Karl Rove. I wonder if they'll have him out an undercover CIA agent later in the season.

— I'm scientifically illiterate. Was the science stuff realistic?

— A lot of episodes recently have had Johnny getting reliable hits off anything he likes. Here, we're back to something truer to the series: early in the episode, Johnny kept trying to get hits off stuff without getting what he needed.

— It always upsets me when Bruce gets hurt.

— The reference to "precipitate" was probably an inside joke, since it was the title of an earlier episode.

— I liked the scene where Purdy and Stillson were out-Bible-ing each other.

— Did Bruce shave his head? He's also completely beardless now. He's really gone to some hair extremes in this show, hasn't he?

— According to my Oxford American Dictionary, "vanguard" means: 1. the foremost part of an army or fleet advancing or ready to do so. 2. the leaders of a movement or fashion, etc.

Quotes:

Walters: "You must be the legendary teacher turned coma patient turned celebrated but slightly notorious parlor trick."
Johnny: "Johnny works."

Bruce: "Old times or end times."

Stillson: "I am a lethally quick study." Interesting words there.

Terrific. I'm encouraged. This was at least a strong three and possibly a four out of four stars,

Billie
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

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