Joining the ranks of other SF and genre shows in NBC Universal’s trash heap is the once high rated and popular show “Dead Zone,” starring Anthony Michael Hall. The show was based on Stephen King’s novel “Dead Zone,” which also spawned the 1983 Christopher Walken film. The TV show was created by the late Michael Piller and his son Shawn. Six years ago its premiere set a record for a series debut on basic cable with 6.4 million viewers.
The show aired for six season on the USA Network, the cabler owned by NBC Universal. No reason was given by the channel for the cancelation which came as a surprise since there was talk of giving the show a seventh and final season.
From the way NBC Universal has been operating of late by cancelling “The Dresden Files,” “Journeyman,” “The 4400,” and now “Dead Zone,” it almost looks like upper management at the company is seeing genre-related products as harbingers of leprosy or some other highly dreaded disease. Their other owned and operated cable station, The SCI FI Channel has even begun showing less sci-fi and has leaned more heavily on the fantasy and horror genre, or non-genre programming such as wrestling, and so-called reality programming such as “Ghost Hunters,” “Who Wants To Be a Superhero” and “Destination Truth.”
Currently the only SF shows that have survived NBC Universal’s axe are “Medium,” “Chuck,” “Heroes,” and possibly “Bionic Woman,” however, it wouldn’t be too surprising to not see “Bionic” make a return trip to the NBC network.
Unfortunately, the writing was on the wall for “Dead Zone” before this latest season even started, if comments from Anthony Michael Hall are any indication.
I take back the nice things I said about NBC/U in another thread.
Both 4400 and Dead Zone in the same week? I don’t know if I can handle anymore cancellations….
Stupid guys. no respect for fans at all. without even an explanation.
there is something you americans should learn: those guys only care about money. if they cancel a series you enjoy, promote a ban on that chanel. one week, noone sees anything on NBC. you’ll see them show fans a lot more respect and at least explain themselves when they cancel anything.
My understanding is that this would have been the last season anyway. They could have at least let them have their final season!
As for “The 4400”, maybe they could do a movie or mini-series to finish out the storyline. I know: not likely, but I can always hope.
The dead zone has needed to die for a while, but not journeyman and the 4400!
“The Dead Zone” didn’t need to “die”, but it should have wrapped up the main storyline (trying to stop the nuclear war), instead of stalling. Now it’s paying the price for wasting valuable time that could have been used better.
I was hoping that both Dead Zone and 4400 wrapped up their story lines next season… they’d always said next year would be the last for Dead Zone, but I don’t know if the same was for 4400.
And yes, I really hope both shows are given a movie or miniseries wrapup. I think would be easy to do a movie for Dead Zone, and maybe a 4-hr wrapup for 4400, and give some closure to the shows and the fans.
I also wonder how much of an effect the ongoing writers strike is having on the decisions to cancel a lot of these shows.
That makes 5 canceled this year by the NBC corporation: Journeyman, Dresden Files, 4400, Dead Zone, and Painkiller Jane. Seven if Stargate SG1 and Battlestar Galactica are included, plus Bionic Woman & Flash Gordon are iffy.
Granted, at least 2 of those had major issues – but that just adds to the consternation on the choices being made: No advertising for good shows & eventual cancelations, but TONS of promotion for those very questionable (cringe-worthy, imo) shows…
Mind boggling.
as a fan of what is now becoming many cancelled series i am beginnning too think “is it Me” and if this is the case i will be watching american idol and many more reality shows….. i will miss dead zone it was a good series and anthony micheal hall was a good actor long may it be missed
This is just messed up. We’ve been strung along by this end of the world storyline for six years and now we don’t get to see how it ends?
Aaarrg. NBC, what’s going on with you? First The Dresden Files and now THIS. As if canceling The Dresden Files, a show that quickly dashed to the top of my list of favorite shows (and received GOOD ratings, comparable to those that Battlestar Galactica was getting on the Sci-Fi channel, to boot!), wasn’t enough. >:(
Get your act together, NBC! Science fiction/fantasy fans are WAY more numerous than you might believe they are. And they’re DEDICATED. And they’re losing faith in you FAST.
If none of these shows come back, I may never come back to any channel owned by this company. Why set myself up for that?
Bring back the Dresden Files, consider bringing back Journeyman, and find some way to sum up the Dead Zone’s storyline. Is that really very difficult to understand?
Hey, with Lionsgate making a deal with the WGA, it would be the PERFECT time for Sci-Fi to renew the Dresden Files!
It’s a proven show, it has tons of support AND it could have new episodes in production while everything else is still airing repeats!