The Forgotten Stephen King Adaptation That Saved Anthony Michael Hall's Career

Which Stephen King adaptation is the first to come to mind when you think of the horror icon? Maybe Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," or more recent additions to the lineup, like the Glenn Powell-led "The Running Man." It almost certainly isn't the early 2000s show "The Dead Zone" on the USA Network. For actor Anthony Michael Hall, though, it's one of the most important projects on his resume, since it helped revive his career. He portrayed main character Johnny Smith, a teacher who starts having visions after several years in a coma.  

While many now know Hall for his role as Zachary Beck in "Reacher" Season 3 or for films like "Halloween Kills" and "The Dark Knight," at the turn of the century, the actor's career was winding down after consistent movies throughout the 1980s and '90s. He was in Tim Burton's "Edward Scissorhands," the iconic romantic comedy "Sixteen Candles," and even classics like "The Breakfast Club" and "National Lampoon's Vacation."

He also had a variety of television films and appearances in "Saturday Night Live" at the same time. Hall saw "The Dead Zone" as an opportunity to move his career in a new direction after a successful start in teen flicks and comedies. "I felt challenged as an actor, and they really gave me a great opportunity," he told Yahoo! in 2016.

USA Network's "The Dead Zone" is the second adaptation of Stephen King's work. The book was first adapted as a movie in 1983, with Christopher Walken starring as Johnny Smith. It received strong reviews from critics and audiences alike, boasting an 89% and 77%, respectively, on Rotten Tomatoes, and at the time, it was considered one of King's best adaptations. Critic Roger Ebert said in his review that "no other King novel has been better filmed," thanks to David Cronenberg in the director's chair. Though it came second, the series has a strong fan base, with many complimenting Anthony Michael Hall's take on Johnny.

One Reddit user wrote that the actor "was unexpectedly amazing," while another fan commented that "Anthony Michael Hall is great as Johnny." Other positives from the TV show are how they expanded the story into six seasons, even if some feel the last few aren't necessary. Unfortunately, "The Dead Zone" ended on a cliffhanger. This left Johnny's story unresolved, but if you can overlook that, it is a great adaptation of King's book, morphing science fiction with the case-of-the-week dynamic of a procedural.