The Gifted One

Just saw this more or less by mistake, but I watched all the way through before finding out it was supposed to be a TV series. Then wanting to see if there were more I found out it was a single pilot.

Did learn it was done in 1989 and it shows. Another reviewer said it suffered from bad writing. Well, I guess that would be true, but overall it could have been a fairly good TV series.

There are still a few people that think people do not use the full potential of their minds, or brain. While I am in no position to debate the issue, it would still a make for a good story if the writing were improved.

The writing may have been OK for 1989 but for today it would need to be tightened up. I wouldn't mind seeing the young man find his birth mother, and from what was shown, she may have the same powers as he does.

I would like to see this done. But it has the earmarks of other stories of people looking for someone while at the same time being hunted. The Fugitive comes to mind. Or the early Hulk TV show. That it was so much like those may have been why it wasn't picked up as a series.

Sarah Grant (Wendy Phillips) is near to deliver her baby and her husband John Grant (Thomas Callaway) drives her to the hospital where there is another pregnant woman waiting for Dr. Winslow (G. W. Bailey). Saras has some problems in the delivery and her baby goes to the ICU. The other woman delivers her baby and on the next morning, Dr. Winslow delivers her healthy baby boy Michael. Along the years, Michael is a gifted boy with the power to heal small animals and other powers. Twenty-five years later, when his parents died, Dr. Winslow takes Michael (Peter Kowanko) to a government facility where his former student Dr. Carl Boardman (John Rhys-Davies) is the administrator to evaluate Michael. Soon a board of doctors learn that Michael uses 100% of his brain, and they want to hold him. However, Dr. Winslow and Michael flee and Dr. Winslow discloses a secret to Michael. Sarah's daughter died in the delivery and his real mother left the hospital without leaving any identification but a picture and a motel receipt. Michael decides to look for his biological mother while Carl Boardman tries to find him.

"The Gifted One" is a good TV pilot that could have been a great TV series. Released in Brazil only on VHS, the plot is promising and engaging. However, in the 80's and 90's there was excellent films and series, and unfortunately this pilot was not enough to the studios to produce a series. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Homem Especial" ("The Special Man")

Young man escapes from an organisation has special talents constantly travelling to avoid capture and in search of his mother. This pilot never went to series but several years later we have tv series The Pretender with a very similar concept. Peter Kowanko was terrific as Michael I had seen him previously in Solarbabies and Date With An Angel with some guest roles on various tv shows, it is a shame he retired from acting but as long as he is happy with his life no regrets.

This story involves a young man of uncertain parentage whose foster mother and father have died. The young man has mental gifts far beyond normal folks, able to assemble complicated toys as a child, blowing the top off an intelligence test, and even able to heal folks and animals with his gift. Now that his parents are dead and an evil doctor is after him, he's on a road trip to find his real mother.

One question. If he's so smart why did he get such bad writers to tell his story?

I really wanted to like this movie and the fact that the actor was attractive in a vulnerable, open sort of way would have made that easy. If it weren't for the HORRIBLE writing.

Even a fantasy story needs some rationalization.

Would like to see this through. bad writing but that was the 80's. Seems almost like a highway to heaven plot show. was this what happened. Did Michael Landon pick this up.