The 4400

After finishing up Battlestar Galactica, Babylon 5, and Farscape, I turned my attention to another sci-fi show, "The 4400". I have only seen two episodes, but I think I am hooked. To make things even better, my wife actually *likes* it as well.

If you have not seen it, here is a brief overview. Beginning in 1946 (so far) people of all ages, races, nations, and beliefs have been disappearing. Sometime in 2004, 4400 of the people returned in a big flash of light that appeared at first as a comet, but quickly changed into a large ball of light. The people did not age and do not remember anything of the time they were gone. One minute they were doing whatever it is they do, they see a big flash of light and the next minute they are standing near a lake at Mount Ranier, Washington. The government quickly rounds them up and puts them in a facility to be studied. After about 6-8 weeks, the ACLU (gotta love those liberals!) gets a court order to have these people released. So these people, some of who are very lost in 2004 are let loose with rent vouchers, food stamps, and other government assistance to try to adapt. That in itself is bad. It gets worse when it is discovered that the 4400 have special gifts. Supernatural, paranormal gifts. Now, lost in time (so to speak) in a world they do not fully understand, they have to grasp their new environment as well as they "gifts" they have. All this is done in an X-Files-ish sort of way.

The pilot episode (2 hours long) had enough sub-plots to easily run a full season. Some of the plot developments in the pilot episode:

* The youngest member of the 4400 (Maia) can see some events of the future.
* A woman (Lilly) who disappeared 12 years ago returns to find her husband remarried and her little girl (who was 6 months old when the mother disappeared) does not remember her. To make matters worse, the mother is pregnant and a reasonable explanation cannot be found.
* A partner in a law firm returns to find himself removed from partnership and discovers that when he gets angry or scared, he emits powerful waves that can shatter glass ... and worse.
* A teenage boy returns to find himself a stranger to his own family and he was only gone 3 years. His cousin (who was with him, but was not taken) is in a coma and he soon learns that when he returned he can control life forces. He heals a bird with a broken neck and drains a large amount of life force from a school bully.
* A former GI (Richard) returns after being taken in 1951 to discover his girlfriend he had before his abduction is dead, but has family. Her grand daughter is one of the 4400 and looks just like her grandmother and shares her grandmothers name, Lilly (She is the one who is pregnant).

A little complicated? Yes. Interesting? Very. I will be watching this one closely.