I recently checked out this show and enjoyed it quite a bit. I hadn't come across many discussions about it before I started watching and knew next to nothing about it going in, which I liked. I haven't watched a single episode of Babylon 5 (yet) or Heroes, but just from my time around this board I can probably describe them pretty well.
The double-length pilot introduced the characters and concepts well, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the rest of the first season. The other "freaks of the week" weren't as interesting as Orson Bailey was in the pilot, and most seemed to be something of a B story in each episode, with much more time being paid to the principal cast and their stories (which I absolutely didn't mind). The series really picked up with the introduction of the great character of Jordan Collier.
But the big reveal in the season finale feels like it comes way too early, even if the show's future was in doubt. If there had been just a handful of more episodes where the origin of the 4400 abductees was a mystery, I think I would have been sold on the show's ultimate answer a little more.
Season 2 was a big improvement. I liked the development of the 4400 Institute, which became my favorite part of the show. Jordon Collier continued to be an interesting and well played part, and I was really unhappy when it appeared that he'd been killed off. But seeing Shawn, who in the first season annoyed me with his largely stock teenage angst issues, grow into one of the strongest characters on the show as he rose to fill Jordan's shoes made up for it. Seeing Jeffrey Combs sans Weyoun makeup and hanging out with Summer Glau, playing basically the same character as River in her first appearance, was a lot of fun too, and I was glad that both of them came back in later episodes.
The only real problem I had with the season was Alana. Her introductory episodes is one of those "it's really obvious that this isn't really happening, it's a dream or a hallucination" episodes that bore me, and I never bought into her relationship with Tom.
The season ended on a pretty solid note with the "Promicin Inhibitor" storyline, which brought back one of my favorite side characters from the first season, Ryland, who worked better as a villain than he did as Tom and Diana's boss. Having Isabelle suddenly be a 20-something brought about flashbacks to the first episode of Earth Final Conflict's second season, and I found the idea just as silly this time too, but I guess it was unavoidable.
Season 3 had its ups and downs. I liked the new adult Isabelle and the way she changed the dynamic of the show. I didn't care for her one-sided romance storyline with Shawn. Having the future-people actually appear on the show didn't exactly work for me either, though it paid off in later episodes via Tom's orders to kill Isabelle. Showing at least one of the people responsible for altering the 4400, and have Tom talk to her, diminished the show's central mystery a great deal, but I suppose it opened up the possibility for new stories at the same time. Mysteries can't last forever.
Even though the season as a whole felt slightly weaker than the preceding year, the season finale probably stands as my favorite episodes, or if not my very favorite certainly a contender for the spot. Devon's death scene shocked me in ways that television deaths rarely approach, even though the character was a minor and not terribly sympathetic one. The budget restraints seemed to show more than usual during the confrontation between Tom, Diana and Richard with Isabelle, but I liked the emotions involved and felt that it ended in the best way it could.
Season 4 started out kind of "off" but ultimately turned out to be the best of the bunch in my opinion. The season premiere seemed less ambitious than the previous seasons' premieres, and much of "Fear Itself" came off as silly. Tom's angsty search for the missing Alana bored me, and Diana's near instant return from Spain made that entire storyline kind of pointless.
But I loved that Jordan Collier was back, and the story really took off with the introduction of "Promise City" and "The Marked". Though the later allowed for a few more tired body possession cliches than I would have liked, it did provide a tangible threat from the future without stripping away too much more of the mystery involved.
I understand that the season finale was never intended to be the end of the series. But, having just watched it, I think that it works as a largely satisfying series finale anyway. No, the story isn't over. But I'm not sure if the series could ultimately tell the story of the 4400 working together to stop a global cataclysm a.) on its budget and b.) in the same format it has used for its first four seasons. The closing moments of the last episode seem to change the story to search a permanent degree that I'm almost glad it ends where it does. Leaving the rest to the imagination works for me.
So, yeah, very cool little show. I was surprised to see so many Deep Space Nine alumni writing for it. It seems that most everyone who didn't go to Battlestar Galactica pitched in for at least an episode or two.
The double-length pilot introduced the characters and concepts well, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the rest of the first season. The other "freaks of the week" weren't as interesting as Orson Bailey was in the pilot, and most seemed to be something of a B story in each episode, with much more time being paid to the principal cast and their stories (which I absolutely didn't mind). The series really picked up with the introduction of the great character of Jordan Collier.
But the big reveal in the season finale feels like it comes way too early, even if the show's future was in doubt. If there had been just a handful of more episodes where the origin of the 4400 abductees was a mystery, I think I would have been sold on the show's ultimate answer a little more.
Season 2 was a big improvement. I liked the development of the 4400 Institute, which became my favorite part of the show. Jordon Collier continued to be an interesting and well played part, and I was really unhappy when it appeared that he'd been killed off. But seeing Shawn, who in the first season annoyed me with his largely stock teenage angst issues, grow into one of the strongest characters on the show as he rose to fill Jordan's shoes made up for it. Seeing Jeffrey Combs sans Weyoun makeup and hanging out with Summer Glau, playing basically the same character as River in her first appearance, was a lot of fun too, and I was glad that both of them came back in later episodes.
The only real problem I had with the season was Alana. Her introductory episodes is one of those "it's really obvious that this isn't really happening, it's a dream or a hallucination" episodes that bore me, and I never bought into her relationship with Tom.
The season ended on a pretty solid note with the "Promicin Inhibitor" storyline, which brought back one of my favorite side characters from the first season, Ryland, who worked better as a villain than he did as Tom and Diana's boss. Having Isabelle suddenly be a 20-something brought about flashbacks to the first episode of Earth Final Conflict's second season, and I found the idea just as silly this time too, but I guess it was unavoidable.
Season 3 had its ups and downs. I liked the new adult Isabelle and the way she changed the dynamic of the show. I didn't care for her one-sided romance storyline with Shawn. Having the future-people actually appear on the show didn't exactly work for me either, though it paid off in later episodes via Tom's orders to kill Isabelle. Showing at least one of the people responsible for altering the 4400, and have Tom talk to her, diminished the show's central mystery a great deal, but I suppose it opened up the possibility for new stories at the same time. Mysteries can't last forever.
Even though the season as a whole felt slightly weaker than the preceding year, the season finale probably stands as my favorite episodes, or if not my very favorite certainly a contender for the spot. Devon's death scene shocked me in ways that television deaths rarely approach, even though the character was a minor and not terribly sympathetic one. The budget restraints seemed to show more than usual during the confrontation between Tom, Diana and Richard with Isabelle, but I liked the emotions involved and felt that it ended in the best way it could.
Season 4 started out kind of "off" but ultimately turned out to be the best of the bunch in my opinion. The season premiere seemed less ambitious than the previous seasons' premieres, and much of "Fear Itself" came off as silly. Tom's angsty search for the missing Alana bored me, and Diana's near instant return from Spain made that entire storyline kind of pointless.
But I loved that Jordan Collier was back, and the story really took off with the introduction of "Promise City" and "The Marked". Though the later allowed for a few more tired body possession cliches than I would have liked, it did provide a tangible threat from the future without stripping away too much more of the mystery involved.
I understand that the season finale was never intended to be the end of the series. But, having just watched it, I think that it works as a largely satisfying series finale anyway. No, the story isn't over. But I'm not sure if the series could ultimately tell the story of the 4400 working together to stop a global cataclysm a.) on its budget and b.) in the same format it has used for its first four seasons. The closing moments of the last episode seem to change the story to search a permanent degree that I'm almost glad it ends where it does. Leaving the rest to the imagination works for me.
So, yeah, very cool little show. I was surprised to see so many Deep Space Nine alumni writing for it. It seems that most everyone who didn't go to Battlestar Galactica pitched in for at least an episode or two.
