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3.3 Collision

Paramedic: "This psychic stuff's a bitch, huh?"

This was another fast-moving and strongly dramatic piece, although the hospital emergency rooms, ambulances and paramedics made it feel like an episode of ER, except with visions.

According to this episode and "Shaman," the rule seems to be that if Johnny changes something in the past, we see the present throughout as Johnny has changed it. Only Johnny can see what could have happened through his inaction via his visions. Which means that Johnny was always going to go back and save himself. That's utterly illogical, because how could Johnny go back to save himself if he didn't survive in the first place? Even if it's consistent with the series structure and with "Shaman," it's still pair of ducks headache pretzel logic.

Speaking of headaches, Johnny is missing appointments with Dr. Gibson because he has to try to save everyone, and he probably doesn't want to hear that his visions are killing him. (Nooooo!!!) In this episode, he also had a dilated pupil and bled from one ear, all very bad signs. Maybe Rebecca will make him take care of himself, since she seems to have fixated on him.

Rebecca (whom I keep wanting to call "Sarah," much as I keep wanting to call Bruce "John,") was tremendously supportive of Johnny here. (Was I right about a shrink being a good friend for Johnny, or what?) Instead of being overwhelmed by grief for her sister, Rebecca is helping others, or more specifically, helping Johnny help others. More power to her. Like Bruce in "Zion," Rebecca's entrance into Johnny's life must have been fated since she helped him escape a fiery death in 1995.

There were some powerful scenes in this episode. I particularly liked Johnny reconnecting with Sarah as they relived his accident together. Michael Hall, always good, was just chilling in the scenes where he was burned or covered with blood. The scene that affected me the most was in the ambulance when accident-Johnny said, "The man saved many lives. There's still time. There's so much to do. Sarah! I'm just a school teacher!" Johnny knew exactly who had saved him, at least until the coma wiped it out. In a sense, Johnny spent this episode in a metaphysical search for himself.

Bits and pieces:

-- I was surprised that Johnny was conscious after the accident. It's never been mentioned, but I bet most of us assumed that he wasn't. Probably because in the opening saga sell, Johnny says, "When I woke up..."

-- No news on the Walt/Sarah breakup, although Walt showed a complete lack of jealousy and tremendous support for Johnny here, even to the point of hugging him. Again, what a sweetheart.

-- No more future Wey visions, although Johnny used his cane throughout the episode.

-- The stuff with Rick the paramedic was fine, although doesn't the guy have to work? And aren't there rules against giving civilians a ride?

-- Johnny's accident was nine years ago, in 1995. Rick said he'd driven his "sled" for eight years. And Walt mentioned checking active warrants from 1996 until now, which sounded odd. Were the writers and fact-checkers taking an uncharacteristic snooze?

-- When the doctor in 1995 gave Johnny's family the bad news, we finally got some details on his injuries, including why he limps. In the book, Johnny's physical problems were a result of the tendons shortening during his coma.

-- Katy's mother at one point said that Katy was "gifted." I'm sure she meant writing or art, but was Katy mildly psychic, perhaps? Was that, along with the similarity of her being trapped in a car about to burn, what set Johnny off with mess-o-visions?

-- Johnny: "She met Walt at the hospital when she was visiting me. I guess in some weird way, I introduced them."

-- Bruce (John L. Adams) was not in this episode.

Excellent. Was this another four out of four stars?

Billie





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