The unaired pilot is an earlier version of the first two episodes of the series, "Wheel of Fortune," and "What It Seems." The main differences are that several scenes were re-filmed, and two actors (Reverend Purdy and Dana Bright) were later re-cast. See the episode review for more information.

Johnny Smith was leading an idyllic small-town life: working as a high school science teacher, engaged to the love of his life, Sarah, and being a devoted son to his widowed mother, Vera, who lives nearby. But after a near-fatal car accident puts him in a deep coma, Johnny awakens six years later to find everything has changed: Sarah is now married to someone else, local sheriff Walt Bannerman; the child they are raising is actually Johnny's son and knows nothing about his real father; and Johnny's mother Vera has passed away, leaving Johnny's finances under the thumb of Reverend Purdy, an influential religious leader who is also his mother's former lover. But, most importantly, Johnny himself has changed: he now finds himself with the gift (or curse) of second sight.

With the help of his new friend Bruce, Johnny attempts to stop the Bangor Strangler from claiming another victim.

Johnny is summoned to jury duty on a murder trial. Johnny starts to get visions which lead him to believe the accused is innocent. He is the only not-guilty vote

Johnny ends up in a fantasy world (or vision?) when he wakes up one day to find himself married to Sarah and the father of her two children.

In the past Johnny Smith as a child and Greg Stilson, the son of a Bible salesman, briefly meet and Johnny has a future vision of danger. In the present Johnny has a vision of a restaurant graduation party tragedy and warns his employer, the father of a student. Stilson, now a Senatorial candidate being backed by Rev. Purdy, comes to town after the tragedy and Johnny gets visions of catastrophe in Stilson's wake. Johnny and Sara get together while in flashback we see how Stilson has been a total bastard all of his life, and that Johnny came out of his coma just as Stilson was sworn in as state representative. When they meet at a rally Johnny shakes Stilson's hand and sees him as the source of catastrophe - Washington D.C. devastated by a nuclear holocaust.