Home | Show Index | Blog | Movie Reviews | Site Updates | About Me
Cast photo


1.12 Shaman

Shaman: "When we die, we all sound the same."

I was confused at first about what was happening. If I understand it correctly, in the beginning Johnny was meeting the descendants of the locals who would have died if Johnny hadn't "met" the Shaman from six hundred years ago, and helped him. That's why Johnny kept touching the locals and seeing them disappear, accompanied by visions of the meteor streaking across the sky. But there is something disturbingly circular about Johnny having a vision of the Shaman having a vision of Johnny.

I liked this episode a lot better on second watching. I especially liked the scene when Johnny and the Shaman were both on a spiritual plane (or in a dream?) together and speaking each other's languages. There's an emotional impact, true drama from experiencing the Shaman's sacrifice. The Shaman stayed behind and died in order to awaken Johnny, so Johnny could live. He told Johnny, "You have to go. There's something for you to do. I've seen it." Greg Stillson, perhaps?

Two new ideas were introduced here: (1) that there are other psychics as strong as Johnny, and (2) that psychics can connect through time if they touch the same object. The Shaman even had a head injury, which supported the idea that Johnny's visions have a physical cause.

Bits and pieces:

-- Why did Johnny go looking for the site alone, without Bruce?

-- There's beautiful scenery here, and gorgeous location shots.

-- Johnny's gift came in pretty handy just from a survival standpoint; seeing his own death from exposure, and knowing where the kid had thrown the lighter.

-- I kept worrying that Adam Beach's hanging costume and hair would catch fire.

-- The vision of the meteor and the rocks in the air before they hit the people was really striking. No pun intended.

-- I find it fascinating that the postcard now has a symbol of Johnny and his cane along with the deer.

Two out of four stars,

Billie





Home | Show Index | Blog | Movie Reviews | Site Updates | About Me