Finally all you people that don't have the chance to see the TV series version of The Dead Zone get the chance to see it. Well, at least part of it. Lion's Gate is releasing the series first two episodes on DVD on November 5th. The rest of the first season's episode will also be out on DVD but not for a while. That DVD will be released in March 2003.

Why the first two episodes then? Well, it's easy. They are part one and two of a longer story (the story about the Castle Rock strangler) and it would be a big mistake not to include both parts on this DVD. Why not put all of season 1 on the DVD then? Well, on that question I don't have an answer. Maybe its money related, maybe it's legally related maybe it's because they feel that releasing it separately does the story about the Castle Rock strangler more justice, I don't know.

Personally I don't mind. I have a feeling that we will get more extra stuff this way and that is good! On this DVD there are some really interesting stuff, which I'll get to in a minute.

Is this DVD something for the ones that have already seen the series then? Won't the tapes I have with the episodes recorded on give me the same thing you might ask? Well, it won't. Let me tell you why.

On this DVD you get (as I said earlier) some really interesting things, things that you won't have on your tape at home. One thing you get is an interview with Michael Piller in which he talks about the upcoming second season. He doesn't tell the exact story but he reveals some things that will happen in the course of the second season. Among the things he mentions is what course the Greg Stillson story will go. He also mentions that the second season will be a mix of scary, sexy and shocking stories…interesting…

Another interesting thing on this DVD is an alternative ending that they shoot for the second episode. This clip we get to see here and Shawn Piller also comments on it. This ending is more action-like but I'm happy that they went with the one that you see in the finished movie. It's interesting to see it though. To see what they had planed for Frank…

You also get a Featurette in which you get to see a bit behind the scene and hear comments from Anthony Michael Hall, Nicole de Boer, the other actors/actresses and the series creators. This gives you an interesting insight to the production of the series. It's a short one but definitely an interesting one.

Other things you get are some US TV promos, audio and subtitle selection. Anyone that has watched other DVD's will know that the audio comments are really fun. Here we get Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Piller, Rob Lieberman, Niclole de Bore and Chris Bruno. They are all sitting around (that's what it sounds like anyway) and comment on things as the movie roles along. This is really fun to listen to!

So you see? This really is a DVD for both the ones that have seen the series on TV and the ones that hasn't. OK, OK, you might say. What about the story then? Is that any good? Yes! It is. In this review I have purposely excluded all talk about the story itself. Why? You ask. Well, that's because I have already reviewed the entire first season. So if you want to see what I thing about the story you can read my review of the pilot (the first episode and first half of this DVD), my review of the first half of the first season (episode 2 - 7 and the other half of this DVD) or my review of the second half of the first season (episode 8 - 13).

On the DVD they say that The Dead Zone is the first TV series based on characters by Stephen King. Well, that isn't entirely true. In 1991 there was a TV series called Golden Years on CBS. This was the first TV series based on characters by Stephen King. Unfortunately Golden Years was dropped after just 7 episodes so The Dead Zone is the first TV series based on characters by Stephen King that has been a success!!!

Don't miss this DVD!

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