A "DEAD ZONE" RE-CASTAWAY

With the latest season of 'The Dead Zone', production has moved to Montreal from Vancouver. This apparently necessitated a casting change for JJ Bannerman, Johnny Smith's son who was adopted and raised by Walt Bannerman while Johnny was in a coma. So instead of Spencer Achtymichuk playing the role, it's now Connor Price who'll be seen as JJ.

At least it'll be easier to spell.

This will be an easy splainin for a Recastaway, falling under an old standby - plastic surgery.

Here's how I think it could have played out.....

Between seasons, nearly nine months have passed. Greg Stillson has been sworn in as Vice President - which reminds me, 'The Dead Zone' now takes place in an alternate TV dimension because of this plot development from the end of last season.

As for other signs that time marches on - most tellingly, Sarah Bannerman is now carrying a "bowling ball", her child by Walt to be a step-sibling for JJ.

At some early point in the hiatus, it's my conjecture that the Bannermans took a trip to Miami where JJ somehow got injured badly enough to require plastic surgery.

Perhaps it happened at an amusement park, one that would be found only in Toobworld. After all, we don't want to risk any lawsuits from Six Flags or Disneyworld. Everybody knows nobody ever gets injured or dies at those parks!

(It's a shame WallyWorld doesn't have a TV counterpart, considering that Anthony Michael Hall is the star of 'The Dead Zone' and he was in that first installment of the National Lampoon "Vacation" movies.)

Maybe he got attacked by an ancient, not-so-gentle bear in the Everglades.....

At any rate, I chose Miami for two reasons. One, it places JJ far enough away to keep Johnny from making physical contact with him and "seeing" the danger. But also, it puts JJ in close proximity to two of the best plastic surgeons in not only Miami, but all of Toobworld - Drs. Christian Troy and Sean McMahon of 'nip/tuck'.

JJ could even be the last patient they treated in Miami before Sean and Christian packed up and moved their practice to Hollywood.

What really helps this splainin is that young Master Price has two small scars on his nose. Pox or accident, they can be passed off as minor reminders of what might have happened between these two seasons of 'The Dead Zone'.

BCnU!
Toby OB