When THE 4400 THE COMPLETE SERIES arrived for me to watch I
was intrigued. Here was a series I remembered hearing about but never watched
an episode of that ran for 4 seasons. The premise sounded interesting.
Realizing early on that this series had a storyline that carried on from
episode to episode I wanted to watch the entire thing before writing about it
and with so many other items to watch that meant the binge watching took a
while. I’m glad I did but unhappy that I missed this series when it aired.
The show opens with a little girl named Maia on a picnic
with her family in the 1930s who runs off to gather flowers. Suddenly a light
appears in the sky and shines down on her and she disappears. Several other
characters are seen disappearing as well. We are then brought to the current
time (in this case 2004 when the series aired). A huge asteroid is heading
towards Earth and nothing can stop it. Fearing the end is near people are
stunned when the asteroid slows, shrinks in size and appears near Mount
Rainier, Washington. Agents from NTAC (National Threat Assessment Command) are
on hand watching and waiting as a burst of light emanates from the sphere.
When the dust clears the asteroid is gone. But on the beach
are the 4,400 people who have been missing for years, including Maia. None of
them can recall where they have been or what happened to them. NTAC takes them
to their local command post in Seattle and begins trying to figure out just
where they have been. Was it an alien abduction? Or was it something else? The
rights of the 4400 are called into question and soon they are released into the
world.
The story is told mainly through the eyes and actions of
agent Tom Baldwin (Joel Gretsch), an agent whose son was not taken but was
affected by one of these abductions and who has been in a coma for several
years. He is partnered with Diana Skouris (Jacqueline McKenzie), on loan to
NTAC from the CDC. Included among the 4400 is Tom’s nephew Shawn (Patrick
Flueger) who was with Tom’s son the night he was abducted.
It doesn’t take long for things to happen. As the days
progress it appears that members of the 4400 begin to develop powers. Maia has
visions of the future. Shawn can heal. Rather than see this as something
wonderful the government fears what the potential effects are and want to
quarantine the 4400. They’re saved when billionaire Jordan Collier (Billy
Campbell), a 4400 member himself, constructs a community just for them. Legal
maneuverings keep the government at bay. Or do they?
The series develops over time and changes as the story
progresses from discovery of the 4400 to government paranoia to us versus them
to covert conspiracy to savior story. It flows effortlessly and takes its time
to unravel the mystery of the 4400, revealing to us just what happened to them
and why they were returned to this point and location in time. Who took them,
their mission, who each of them are, are all explained before the end of the
series. Fortunately this was not left open ended.
The characters are well developed and played exceptionally
well by all involved. It is their story and the actors portraying them that
draw you in and make you care about what happens. Each of them not only has a
role here but they do so to the point you find yourself believing they are who
they portray and that’s the mark of solid acting.
The guest stars on this series are top notch as well
beginning with Peter Coyote who plays Dennis Ryland, the head of NTAC in
Seattle as the series opens and later seen working for a private firm with
nefarious intent. Summer Glau is featured in several episodes as a
schizophrenic young 4400 member who has the ability to influence people with
her mind. My favorite though is Jeffrey Combs, known for his role as Herbert
West in THE RE-ANIMATOR, who is seen here as a genetic genius and 4400 member
trying to help them all. Fans of that past work will delight in seeing him here
holding a syringe filled with a glowing green liquid, what had to have been a
homage to his earlier work.
Once you start this series and get into what is taking place
you’ll find yourself binge watching with pleasure. It draws you in, involves
you and makes you think about so many different topics. Well made, well thought
out and conceptualized to present a bigger picture, it is one series that as I
said I wish I’d have found sooner. Now that it’s been released as a complete
series of discs in a compact case it should be easy for those of us who enjoy
shows like this to have access to on our shelf whenever we want to revisit it.
Click here to order.
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