No, don’t watch it.
I watch it and every week it gets worse. The only reason I keep watching is because when it comes to anything with a plot, I have an obsessive personality. I have to know what happens. Trust me, I’ve read romance novels in Dentist’s office for the same reason. If I had a magic book that could tell me how the series would end in 5 sentences, I’d read the book and never watch the show again. I only wish it existed. I read and re-read spoiler sites hoping they’ll have the complete ending so I can give up the show. As it is now, I’m stuck watching this garbage of a TV show which is nothing but a cheap imitation of X-men. Every week it is obvious the writers are just the blind leading the blind. The show has no direction.
I will be weaning myself off the show and hopefully the complete synopsis will appear on Wikipedia in 5 short paragraphs or less once the show’s run is over. I expect it will be soon.
Allan
Why this guy should love the 4400:
I am not a sci-fi person either. I never got into many of those shows. In fact, I never really liked TV. I always believed that snuggling up to a good book would benefit you more than television ever could. And so I lived like that for years. Well then I moved and by chance caught an hour long episode of this show called the 4400. Admittedly I thought it would be just another cheesy alien or time travel show, but I had the time and I watched it. Then I watched another hour, and now today I find myself not only watching it; spending God knows how many hours on the message board trying to decipher 35 letter long anagrams. Who knows why? Well I can’t tell you why one show would speak to you over another. I can tell you why this show should speak to you over other sci-fi shows: It’s not a sci-fi show, well not really.
This show is all about modern day events, the nature of humanity, and drama. Yes, it does have elements of science fiction, but it’s not about that. It about a fight for the soul of humanity, which speaks volumes to what our world is experiencing today. Many people today would say we are fighting WWIII. While I disagree with that, I would agree we are as a civilization in a fight for the Human Soul.
We are fighting an enemy that justifies their behavior through religious means, we justify ours though political and whatever other means we can. The 4400 speaks to not the "future times" and people with superhuman abilities. It speaks to today, and our world. Why should you watch the show? Well that’s up to you, but it’s defiantly a fresh way to look at the world around you.
Army Person Katherine
Devin, I sent you an e-mail a while back recommending that you check out 24 season 3, and since I don’t know your reaction to that yet, you may or may not agree with my judgements re: 4400, but just let me say this: The show is most definitely worth watching.
I know it started out weak, I gave up on it myself a few years ago, but it has grown to be a fairly rich X-files meets X-men show. The X-Files comparisons are unavoidable, and having Peter Coyote as a major character doesn’t help to differentiate the series at all, but it quickly loses any resemblance. Without giving too much away, I can say that the 4400 is a tightly plotted series that knows exactly what it wants to accomplish, and this is certainly refreshing coming off of X-Files and Lost’s go-nowhere plots. It probably helps that it’s a 13-ep per season show– the writers are most likely forced to keep things moving.
I should also mention that I really don’t care for any of the Stargate series either, and I can see how Farscape could turn you off. 4400 isn’t one of those typical sci-fi shows though, so you can rest easy. Yes there are sci-fi concepts, but it’s mainly about the drama which is always well done.
I think the series really picks up when you begin to learn more about the underlying mystery towards the end of the first season, and there are some truly incredible episodes in the second. If you’re at all curious, give the first season a go and then see if you still want to know more. I assure you it’s a pretty interesting take on an abduction story–
Devindra
First and foremost…the 4400 are not alien abductees who have
returned to Earth. Humans in our future are the ones responsible and
the reason is too equip the 4400 with abilities (somewhat mutant-
like) to prevent a catastrophe in the past. Now that we have that out
of the way, here are the Top 10 reasons to watch the show.
1. Jordan Collier (Jesus-like savior who is resurrected after being
shot and is the creator of a Scientology-like 4400 center that
teaches other non-4400 people how to bring out their own 4400
abilities. Does that ring a Scientology bell? Collier is the
mysterious messiah who real intentions are vague and fights to
protect the 4400 at all costs. In my opinion he’s the coolest
character on the show now that he’s back.
2. Great acting and great character development.
3. You have the 4400 group and you have the secret government
agencies that want to quarantine the 4400 because the pose a threat
to society. What is so cool about this is that you don’t know who the
real good guys are in the picture. There is a catastrophe
looming…do we trust the 4400 to prevent it or are they the reason
for the catastrophe?
4. You have two NTAC agents, Tom Baldwin and Diana Scouris, whose
lives are affected greatly by being in the middle of the conflict
between the 4400 and the government. When I say greatly…I mean they
take their jobs home with them.
5. The 4400 have some really cool abilities…some like the X-Men (I
hate to make that reference).
6. It’s like the X-Files without the UFO’s.
7. The 4400 is not a hokey sci-fi drama that is unbelievable. This is
a real drama that uses many relevant scientific fields when
explaining the 4400 abilities.
8. If you are a fan of LOST, X-Files and the character aspects of the
new Battlestar Galactica…then you’ll love the 4400.
9. We learn just enough about the "catastrophe" in each episode to
come back for more.
10. Because Devin rocks!!!
David
Why should you watch the 4400? It employees Jeffery Combs and Summer Glau. That makes it quality right there. Outside of that; Ira Behr hates most sci-fi on TV as well. Which explains why this is not a sci-fi show. It’s just a show about human beings in extreme circumstances trying to do the best they can for themselves, for others, and for the future.
That’s the best I can come up with. This is so subjective that what makes me tick, I know from reading your columns/diatribes/rants, does not make you tick. However, I recommend it purely on a "It’s not that sci-fi show but a really interesting show about man confronted with something more powerful than MAN tha MAN helped to create in future." level. Dag.
JSW
I have to agree with you. I couldn’t sit through an entire episode. I was bored. Tell them to bring back good shows like Arrested Development.
Studio execs are apparently a bunch of cum guzzling queens.
Love the site, and love the "We’re not blowing smoke up anyone’s ass" reviews and news.
Merle
Well, simply put, it has really improved over the last couple of seasons. It moved from the X-Files’ish "4400 of the Week" format to a more "all-encompassing cospiracy/superpowers in a real world feel" which makes you want to watch the next episode. And, it turns out that the 4400 are not UFO’s returnees, but rather returned from the future with the powers to help stop a future catastrophy from happening. This whole "war for the future" is coming to a head at towards the end of this third season with the last 2 episodes focusing on a major conflict with the 4400-fearing Government (led by Peter Coyote) and the super-powered beings led by Jordan Collier . . . recently resurrected from the dead. His initials being JC . . . hmm . . coincidence?
Jaime
Why should you give The 4400 another chance?
That’s easy: You shouldn’t.
What you should be watching is The Wire. It’s also about to start its 4th season and it’s hands down one of the best shows on t.v. I don’t know if you’ve ever given it a chance but if you haven’t and you can stomach L&O reruns, then you should start with S1 on DVD. The Wire is the type of show that Chud should be featuring, not that generic sci-fi shit.
Phil H
Dear Chud,
When you look at my site; you will see anomalous photos which I have taken and their is a page for guests and their photos. The image of the woman/girl was done psychically.
I guess you can call me a ‘real 4400’. I have had experiences going back to the age of four and have seen events in relation to the solar system having 12 planets back when I was a child.
The programme for the likes of me (others with similar experiences concerning ufos) take comfort in such programmes as the ‘4400’ and ‘Taken’. They show the serious side of the subject rather than ridiculing those of us who have actually been there and done it and bought the tee-shirt.
Yes, we use more of our brain capacity, but not as, dramatic as what is portrayed in shows like ‘4400’ and ‘Taken’. However, the old adage is ‘truth is stranger than fiction.’ Therein lies the conundrum. Is there fact woven into fiction, or is fiction based on fact?
Did you know that the radio programme ‘War of the Worlds’ with Orson Wells was in fact a government experiment. Back in ’95, I came across it on the internet, whilst writing an article for a newsletter. I can’t recall the website where I got the information, basically it was to test people’s reaction in an actual event of a mass ufo sighting. If you watch ‘Stargate’ the Department of Defence, or MOD here in the UK is involved.
So, yes I would think about the programme and see if there is something subliminal being put across over the telly. The government may even be paving the way to announce that those of us, who are of the same ilk as the 4400 (in part) is indeed a fact.
What a better way to manipulate people’s mind than the power of television. However, I am a fan of the show, as I see reflections of truth in some of the characters. Also, I know what it feels like to have missing time. Also, on a regression video which was done in ’93/’94-I described the events of 9/11 from what I was shown at the tender age of 12. I would make dvd’s for genuine investigators but I am weary of letting the video out of my sight for fear it will disappear. Only if I am able to be present during it’s processing would I allow it to be transferred to dvd.
Ask yourself; how would a child of 12 in the 70’s know of the event of 9/11 and even approximate age they would be at the time of the event, when the event didn’t take place until 26 years later?
I will leave you with that one.
love, light and peace
p.s. There isn’t violence on the 4400,as there is on other programmes, especially with police and criminal themes. Good family show.
Rachel
Gee, is one of your 99 problems being closed off and narrow minded regarding genres? How about instead of taking the time to read everyone else’s opinion about the show, you actually watch it and make up your own mind. If you don’t, it’s your loss because the show is awesome. It’s creative, different, and generally a lot of fun. But apparently it has quite a large fan base, so one less won’t make a difference.
Put that in your book.
Meredith
Yes, the first few episodes, nay, the first two seasons, were simply laying the groundwork for the greater story arc: the war for the future will be fought in the past. Or, more precisely, our present. This show rocks because the writers know about the slow burn, know that patience brings great rewards, and they aren’t afraid to kill a character when the story calls for it, when the future looms on the horizon. I compare this show to the mutant universe that Marvel has built. Every 4400 has a different power. There are good 4400. There are bad 4400. Some are working toward a common goal (changing the future), and some are helping the "bad guys" who don’t want to future to change. Yes, the show can be a bit conventional at times, but I relish the opportunity, every week, to see where the creators of this show are taking the story. So far, they’ve not dissapointed.
Jason