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 returns to his old school as a substitute teacher and as a hockey coach. During practice, Johnny has a vision inside a player's heart that indicates he may have a serious heart condition. However, there is no medical evidence to support him.

Johnny's vision of Todd, and his previous publicity, cause an outcry by the parents who demand that Johnny be fired.

Johnny moves into his new house and starts having visions of a tub filled with blood. He also sees visions of his dead mother, and comes to believe that Rev. Purdy killed his mother. The facts seem to suggest that Purdy did indeed engage in a cover-up concerning the death of Johnny's mother. In a final confrontation Johnny touches Purdy and gains a vision of Purdy finding Johnny's mother dead by suicide. Realizing what the death of a child can drive a parent to do, he goes to the aid of a local neighbor girl whose brother died on a military mission and whose mother is preparing to kill herself.

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.

Johnny becomes involved with the mob when his visions lead him to help a mobster whom he sees being gunned down.

Johnny goes to the funeral of Bruce's father and somehow gives Bruce visions of what Bruce's life would have been like if he had never met Johnny.

In the aftermath of Kate's death, Johnny's friends stage an intervention to shake him out of his guilt, but as Bruce drives him to Purdy's lakeside resort, he senses a storm is brewing. Now Johnny is forced to try to come to terms with his destiny in order to save the people he loves.