User reviews

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.

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.

The same here, I saw it by mistake on YouTube and I wanted to see the test, but it was never made. Sad, is entertaining

This had all the good elements for a good T.V. show. The story line sounds a little like Smallville and Roswell. So why was it not a series? The story about a young man with special powers. On the run from a government. And tries to find why he is so different. All the questions never got answered.

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")

Slow at first but a great concept, good camera work and fine acting soon create a sense of wonder that grabs you and doesn't let go until the end, where you wake up thinking: where and how soon are they playing the series.

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.

I agree this could have been a great series for television but it got lost in the shuffle of the late 80's. I would love to see them remake it and turn it into a series and have all the questions answered. If they do remake this maybe they could get some of the original cast to reprise their roles. I know that the actor that played Michael has retired from acting but recast the lead role and relaunch it and see if it makes the grade for a series and if it does make the grade then get all the questions answered for everyone and here's a question that needs answering as well, "Where did they come from?". add all of those elements and it could be great

Is there a part 2? Would like to know if he found his mom

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.

It's a shame that it wasn't picked up. It would have made a good series or at least a 2 part movie so the audience wasn't left hanging. I was really disappointed that no one carried through with the project.

I hope after checking the reviews again that someone smartens up and finishes this with either another movie at or a TV series. Now would be a good time for it to be done. There are too many apocalyptic movies on and too much fear mongering about war. There is also a plethora of Prepper information floating around right. It makes you wonder if it is time to sell everything and head for the hills. Everyone needs a feel good boost about now!