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View Full Version : The 4400: Approaching Season 4


ShannonA
05-23-2007, 10:21 PM
With all of our regular season SF shows coming to their explosive conclusions, we're also quick approaching the summer shows, and that means ... The 4400. Season 4 premiere is scheduled for June 17.

(Spoilers for everything up to the end of season 3.)

My biggest problem with the short-run summer shows is that 9 months later I have just about no idea what was going on. So, here's my best attempt at a recap, after some referencing of my own.

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Season 3 led off with the aftermath of the promicin-inhibitor scandal. The world had learned that the US government had been trying to stop the 4400s' powers, and had killed a number in the process. With the promicin-inhibitor removed, 4400s' powers started to emerge and grow.

One of the big plotlines of season three was thus the Nova Group, the terrorist 4400 offshoot which sought revenge because of the promicin-inhibitor scandal, and sought to prove that no one could attack the 4400 without retribution. Toward the end of the season, it looked like the Nova Group was destroyed, but then when Jordan Collier returned, it became obvious that he was now using them for his own purposes, which led to a falling out between Jordan and Shawn.

The other big plotline of the season was about promicin. Dr. Kevin Burkoff spent much of the season working with promicin, injecting himself with the drug in an attempt to give himself powers. After successful experimentations, then going on the run for a bit, Burkoff joined Collier.

Which again leads us back to Collier, who appeared toward the end of the season. We thought he was dead (well, no, we really didn't) and now he'd apparently been resurrected. We still don't know how or even what his 4400 powers are. Collier took control of Nova and brought in Burkoff as part of a plan to distribute promicin to the world. Now anyone can try and gain 4400 abilities ... but with a 50/50 chance of death.

Also in the last episode of season three we saw Shawn knocked into a coma by Isabelle (to get the info about where the promicin was) and Kyle considering whether to take a promicin shot.

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We seemed to get a lot less focus on why the 4400 had been sent back in season 3. I don't remember much discussion of the Ripple Effect. For next season for it looks like we're setting up for a big fight between normals and 4400, with everyone taking sides, which would put the Ripple Effect even further in the background if so ... but we'll see.

Any other thoughts about what season 4 might bring?

--

There are apparently 6 fake 4400 websites out there with something like 80 video clips about the next season, all produced by the 4400 production company. I expect I'll post about them here if no one else beats me to it.

Tom B
05-23-2007, 10:36 PM
I'd totally forgotten about the 4400. I just can't seem to work up much enthusiasm for it, especially after Heroes. I guess it'll depend on the timeslot as to whether I'll try to watch this season or not.

I am still interested in The Dead Zone, though...

Fritzef
05-23-2007, 10:51 PM
Thanks for the recap, Shannon. I'm in the same boat that you were--after 9 months I've forgotten most of what went on.

Is Isabel still powerful? I have this vague memory that she'd been brought under control somehow.

ShannonA
05-23-2007, 11:11 PM
Is Isabel still powerful? I have this vague memory that she'd been brought under control somehow.

She ended up depowered, though I can't remember the exact circumstances, presumably after she put Shawn into a coma.

Here's her blog entry on the topic:
http://www.usanetwork.com/series/the4400/blogs/isabelle12.html

ShannonA
05-23-2007, 11:15 PM
Oh! Tom gave her the shot from the future, didn't he? The one with the note that said "Kill Isabelle"?

Edit: He tried and failed, then *Richard* was the one that injected her. They all expected her to die, and instead she just ended up depowered.

There we go;).

wiseblood
05-23-2007, 11:16 PM
Is Isabel still powerful? I have this vague memory that she'd been brought under control somehow.

My memory's pretty hazy as well but I swear I remember her losing her powers then getting shot.

Fritzef
05-24-2007, 05:42 PM
Thanks, Shannon and Wiseblood, for the info.

I wonder if they'll run a 'the story so far' special before the season premiere?

Ghola
05-31-2007, 06:22 PM
We seemed to get a lot less focus on why the 4400 had been sent back in season 3. I don't remember much discussion of the Ripple Effect. For next season for it looks like we're setting up for a big fight between normals and 4400, with everyone taking sides, which would put the Ripple Effect even further in the background if so ... but we'll see.

Personally this really irritated me. I wanted to like the 4400 but every time I watched it seemed like they are drawing out the pacing to a ridiculous degree. I felt that the events in season 3 should have been in season 2, and that season 3 should have focused on exactly what was often avoided (the Ripple Effect). I skipped episodes of each season because I was convinced that I wouldn't miss anything important.

I'm going to give it another shot this season though - in all I found it more engaging than Heroes even though I have the same criticism for that show.

ShannonA
05-31-2007, 07:25 PM
I'm going to give it another shot this season though - in all I found it more engaging than Heroes even though I have the same criticism for that show.

I'm totally with you on the 4400, which not only had uneven pacing, but also is in grave danger of suffering from X-File-itis (e.g., not even the producers knowing where the show is going).

But Heroes, I thought that was a wonder of serialized drama, with a clear beginning, middle, and end in a single season, just as promised. I'm actually worried that they answered so many questions that future seasons won't be as interesting (e.g., Veronica Mars-itis), but I'm willing to give these talented writers the opportunity to surprise me.

ShannonA
06-01-2007, 06:14 PM
A bit more news on the new season, NTAC has a new director (again):


Ira Steven Behr, executive producer of USA Network's SF series The 4400, told SCI FI Wire that the upcoming fourth season will introduce a new regular character, played by Australian actress Jenni Baird. Baird (Conviction) will play Meghan Doyle, the new head of the National Threat Assessment Command, or NTAC, for which Tom Baldwin (Joel Gretsch) works.

Baird's Doyle is the third commander of the government agency charged with monitoring the 4,400 people who were abducted, then returned in a ball of light, with new superhuman abilities; the previous directors were Dennis Ryland (Peter Coyote) and Nina Jarvis (Samantha Ferris).



I have to agree with the general assessment that neither previous director has really been that interesting (as director), and hope they actually have someone that adds to the storyline this time.

( From http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=41717 )