Piecing together elements from such past series as The Profiler, Quantum Leap, and the 1967 cult classic Coronet Blue, John Doe starred Dominic Purcell as the title character. Awakening naked on a desert island, the hero eventually washed up in Seattle, where he quickly gained a reputation as a walking encyclopedia of arcane facts. If one wanted to know how many dimples there were on a golf ball, or the name of the ruler of Peru in the early 16th century, all one had to do was ask "John Doe," who literally knew all the answers save one: He had no idea who he really was, where he had come from, or how he had managed to accumulate so much knowledge. Even so, John offered the benefit of his expertise to the police to solve baffling crimes and missing-persons cases. While some of the authorities welcomed his input, there were those who thought there was something very fishy -- if not other-worldly -- about the enigmatic Mr. Doe. As expected, each hour-long episode provided tiny clues as to the protagonist's identity, but never enough to give the whole game away. John Doe debuted amidst much publicity fanfare on September 20, 2002.
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
