PICKET FENCES: SAINT ZACK (TV)
Summary
One in this series of off-beat dramas that often focuses on social issues as it chronicles the lives of Rome, Wisconsin, residents, including town Sheriff Jimmy Brock; his wife Dr. Jill Brock; their three children, Kimberly, Matthew, and Zachary; and his two deputies, Kenny Lacos and Maxine Stewart.
Zack has become more religious due to his guilt over his involvement in the “swan hockey” incident, and has started going to church. One day at church, Zack appears to spontaneously receive stigmata on his hands, witnessed by Reverend Novotny. Jill treats Zack’s hands, believing the bleeding was caused by blisters on his palms which burst. Novotny and his fellow priest, Father Barrett, wish to authenticate the stigmata and show up at the Brock household to question Zack about it. Jill and Jimmy call the whole thing “ridiculous,” but Jill is forced to admit that there is a possibility that it is genuine.
Soon word of Zack’s supposed divine qualities spreads throughout his school, and kids ask him for his blessing for various purposes. The church wants to bring in the local bishop to investigate Zack, a prospect which Jimmy opposes. Kenny and Maxine are sent to retrieve Zack from school, where it appears he is letting his “blessing” get to his head. There are worries that Zack’s possible “sainthood” could cause hysteria in Rome. While questioned by the priests, Zack insists that his blisters had already healed by the time of the stigmata. The priests call in the bishop, assuring Jimmy that the bishop is interested in determining a rational, “earthly” explanation for Zack’s condition.
Jimmy and Jill argue about the situation with Zack. Matthew and Kimberly confront Jimmy with their findings on stigmata documentation, but he is unwilling to believe that it is real. He expresses his distaste for the “crap” that he believes surrounds organized religion. Troy, Zack’s classmate, brings Zack to his house in the hopes of healing his leukemic brother Mark. Zack hesitantly sets about “healing” him. The bishop arrives with the intent of giving Zack a full medical examination. Jill protests but he convinces her to comply and Zack undergoes a thorough examination.
While waiting for the bishop’s report, Zack brings a large group of kids over to Mark, ostensibly to assist with his “healing.” As Kenny and Maxine pick up Zack and lead him out, a kid throws a rock at Zack’s head, wounding him. Jill bandages the wound as Jimmy remarks that this confirms his comments about organized religion. He becomes furious and blurts out his true feelings about Jesus, calling him “fake” and a “stupid myth,” shocking his family. Later, he and Jill discuss his outburst. Jimmy admits that he never truly realized he felt that way about religion. He and Jill discuss whether or not he believes in God and realize they need to discuss this issue with the children.
Zack has a dream where it appears he is visited by the spirit of Frank the Potato Man. Zack wonders aloud if Jesus is appearing to him in the guise of Frank; Frank merely tells Zack that saint or otherwise, all he needs to be is a kid. Zack awakens to find his parents standing over him. The Brock family assembles and Jimmy admits that he is agnostic. He believes that the existence of God is “improbable,” that Jesus was not his son, and he doesn’t know about the existence of souls. Zack realizes that even if the stigmata are not genuine, he has perhaps been given a sign that he needs to help his father. The bishop and priests visit the Brocks and announce their results: the “stigmata” was caused by emotional stress, which aggravated Zack’s already-existing blisters. Thus, Zack is “normal.”
Jill visits Mark, who seems to exhibit a newfound energy in response to the many kids brought by Zack to visit him. His leukemia might be in remission, but Jill isn’t certain. In any case, Mark’s mother is happy to hear it. Zack tells Kimberly that being a saint “kind of sucked,” but that he will continue to help his father regardless. The episode ends as Jill discusses Mark’s potential remission with Jimmy. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: April 28, 1995 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:46:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:60579
- GENRE: Drama, police/detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/detective; Wisconsin
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1992-1996
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Michael Pressman … Co-Executive Producer
- Geoffrey Neigher … Producer
- Jonathan Pontell … Producer
- Robert Breech … Producer
- Steve Robin … Associate Producer
- Ann Donahue … Supervising Producer
- Alice West … Supervising Producer
- Michael Nankin … Supervising Producer, Director
- Nick Harding … Writer
- Stewart Levin … Music by
- Tom Skerrit … Cast, Sheriff Jimmy Brock
- Kathy Baker … Cast, Dr. Jill Brock
- Costas Mandylor … Cast, Officer Kenny Lacos
- Lauren Holly … Cast, Officer Maxine Stewart
- Holly Marie Combs … Cast, Kimberly Brock
- Justin Shenkarow … Cast, Matthew Brock
- Adam Wylie … Cast, Zack Brock
- Fyvush Finkel … Cast, Douglas Wambaugh
- Don Cheadle … Cast, D. A. John Littleton
- Ray Walston … Cast, Judge Henry Bone
- Marlee Matlin … Cast, Laurie Bey
- James Cromwell … Cast, The Bishop
- Dabbs Greer … Cast, Rev. Henry Novotny
- Roy Brocksmith … Cast, Principal Michael Oslo
- David Proval … Cast, Frank the Potato Man
- Caryn West … Cast, Mrs. Burton
- Blake Heron … Cast, Troy Burton
- Roy Dotrice … Cast, Father Barrett
- Catherine Richardson … Cast, Interpreter
- Elisabeth Moss … Cast, Cynthia Parks
- Nicholas Pappone … Cast, Mark Burton
- Jesse Stock … Cast, Walter Greel
- Danielle Judovits … Cast, Shirley
- Thomas Tofel … Cast, Reporter