The 4400 - Season 1 (www.the-usher.com)

A rouge comet is on a collision course with Earth. With the World's defences on high alert, they calculate that it is going to hit just outside of Seattle. The comet doesn't strike the Earth however, it stops and releases a brilliant light. When the confusion clears 4,400 people are left.

Pilot
Everyone on Earth is excited about a comet passing by, but as soon as its trajectory changes to a collision course everyone starts to panic. The comet turns out to be a giant ball of light that when explodes it leaves behind 4400 people. They are missing persons who have been gone from a few months to 60 years and none have aged a day. The 4400 are put in quarantine and eventually released. Some of the returnees begin to exhibit strange and uncontrollable new abilities. Tom Bishop (Gretsch) and Diana Skouris (McKenzie), two Homeland Security agents, are appointed to find out what happened to them.

The New & Improved Carl Morrissey
Carl Morrissey is a lowly supermarket employee who happens to be one of the 4400 returned abductees. He uses his new found powers - enhanced reflexes and strength - to become a vigilante and fight crime in his neighbourhood. However, crime fighting proves to be dangerous even for someone with such skills. Meanwhile, after moving together with Lily (Allen), Richard (Karin-Ali) tries to find work and has a hard time dealing with Lily saying that her baby can communicate with her.

Becoming
Tom and Diana are sent out to investigate a homicide that resembles the m.o. of a serial killer who was never caught 25 years ago. The first suspect is Oliver Knox, a member of the 4400, however, Knox has an alibi for the night of the murder and another man confesses to all the crimes. Tom and Diana suspect that Knox is luring people to kill for him and try to lay a trap to tempting for the. Meanwhile, people begin to turn hostile toward the 4400, and on of the 4400, millionaire property tycoon Jordan Collier (Billy Campbell) decides to organize his fellow returnees but Richard feels uneasy about Collier's interest in them.

Trial By Fire
The 4400 are attacked by a series of fire-bombings after Barbara Yates made their names and addresses known to the public. Tom, Diana, and Homeland Security director Ryland (Coyote) try to put an end to the bombings at the same time as Tom tries to deal with the disturbing behaviour of Kyle (Faust), and Diana tries real hard to be a good substitute mother to Maia (Campbell). However, the arrival of a Homeland Security agent from Washington, Warren Lyttel, makes their work even harder. Jordan Collier tries to provide his followers with safe shelter, but Richard and Lily begin to question his intentions as the bombings intensify.

White Light
Tom is furious upon finding out that Lyttel took his son Kyle into custody. Diana offers to him help getting Kyle back. Meanwhile, Richard suspects that Collier is trying to take control of Lily's life, and as soon as Collier reveals his intensions, Richard and Lily leave Arcadia Estates. Elsewhere, Danny snaps at Shawn (Flueger) when he finds out that he and Nikki have slept together. Tom and Diana finally find out what really happened to the 4400, which leaves a disturbing question: is this the end - or just the beginning?

Once is a while a new science fiction TV series comes along that really sparks the imagination but does The 4400 have the heat to ignite that spark? Yes it definitely does.

Drawing on many influences such as The X-Files, The X-Men, Taken, the Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits, The 4400 successfully sets up a premise that has infinite possibilities. The idea of 4400 people who have been reported missing over the last 60 years suddenly been returned and none of them have no notion as to where they have been or have aged at all, gives the writers a very broad pallet to work from. Then when you add in that each of the returnees have abilities beyond anything anyone had every dreamed, then you have a show that is instantly intriguing. The first season of The 4400 is really a mini-series that introduces the characters and the situation (before a full series is produced in 2005).

Over five parts we are introduced to the principle characters that will drive this part of the story. Chief amongst these are Homeland Secruity agents Tom Baldwin and Diana Skouris played excellently by Joel Gretsch and Jacqueline McKenzie. Comparisons with The X-Files' Mulder and Scully were inevitable, but these are very different characters. Tom Baldwin is a strong driven agent that has a larger stake in finding out what the 4400 actually are than most. His son has been in a coma ever since his nephew was taken three years early and he is desperate to find out why. Joel Gretsch portrays this exceptionally well, as the character is dragged between duty and finding the answer to all his questions. Diana Skouris is also a very strong character, driven to finding the truth. At first she is weary of the returnees but she soon releases they are more than just test subjects to be studied but normal human beings that have been through something extraordinary. Jacqueline McKenzie plays this with great vigour and her scenes with Maia are very heart felt.

The show isn't just about the two Homeland Security agents however; this is more of an ensemble show. We have Lily and Richard, a pair of returnees who get together through their shared experience. Played by Laura Allen and Mahershala Karin-Ali, the pair struggle to come to terms with how the world has changed since their disappearance and how they are going to fit back in, especially when Lily gets some surprising news. Shawn, played by Patrick Flueger, also has a hard time adjusting. He is now the same age as his younger brother and has to go back to school. The biggest change is his new ability that soon gets him into trouble. There are also pivotal roles for Billy Campbell as Jordan Collier and Peter Coyote as Dennis Ryland.

'The 4400' is excellent science fiction and the mini-series shows great potential for a fully-fledged series. With an interesting mix of continuing storylines and a 'power of the week' returnee plot, the show has the mix just about right by answering some questions and posing a lot more. The revelation in the final episode 'White Light' opens the series right opens and sets it into a completely different direction to what you initially might have suspected. Compulsive viewing from the off, this is a Sci-Fi show well worth watching.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 16:9 Anamorphic with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is very good. The picture quality is crystal clear throughout, highlighting the North Western American setting and the dark intensity of the programme. The sound quality is also good, especially during the dramatic arrival of the 4400.

BONUS FEATURES

None

OVERALL

While the episodes are presented extremely well, the complete lack of extras is inexcusable. It is reflected in the price of the package, but fans of the show will be very disappointed as the science fiction medium is one of very intense and loyal fans who want to know everything about their favourite show. This should not put you off checking out the show however as it is one of the best new science fiction shows to come along in a while.

DVD

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