Synopsis:
Over a span of many years, 4400 people mysteriously disappeared — only to be returned to Earth all together in a ball of light. Though these people had not aged a day, many of them have reappeared with dramatic abilities ranging from a healing touch to clairvoyance. NTAC (National Threat Assessment Command) is a new division of Homeland Security responsible for keeping track of the returnees and investigating all things related to the 4400. As the battle lines are drawn between those who fear the 4400 and those who believe in them, NTAC works with the more peaceful members of the 4400 to bring down those who are working towards their own, more sinister, goals.
Why We Watch:
Heather and I got hooked on “The 4400″ after watching a catch-up episode last year that helped fill us in on the story so far. We were almost instantly hooked, and immediately began to DVR the show. With it’s varied cast of characters, and a hook-you-instantly plot, “The 4400″ is must-see TV. Similar to now-classic show “The X-Files,” “The 4400″ reveals a bit more of the mystery with every show. With 4400 people to get to, the viewer probably won’t ever meet all of the abductees, but a few recurring characters really help make the show, including:
- Shawn Farrell (Patrick Flueger), a returnee who posesses a healing touch
- Maia Skouris (Conchita Campbell), a 9-year-old returnee with clairvoyance who was one of the first to disappear, and has recently been adopted by NTAC agent Diana Skouris
- Richard Tyler (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali), a pilot who disappeared in 1951, who is now a telekinetic and the father of the first 4400 baby, Isabelle
- Alana Mareva (Karina Lombard), who was abducted in 2001 after her husband and son were killed in a car crash, is now able to create alternate realities from people’s memories, and has married NTAC agent Tom Baldwin
- Jordan Collier (Billy Campbell), a businessman, opened the 4400 Center, where 4400’s could live in peace. Assassinated by Kyle Baldwin, he has since returned as a 4400 messiah
- Isabelle Tyler (Megalyn Echikunwoke) is the first baby born to a 4400. She sprouted into a grown woman almost overnight, and can not be hurt by conventional means. At one point, she planned to marry Shawn Farrell, but has recently been working with Dennis Ryland.
- Kyle Baldwin (Chad Faust), NTAC agent Tom Baldwin’s son, was supposed to be one of the 4400, but his cousin Shawn Farrell was taken instead while he was trying to protect Kyle, which left Kyle in a coma for 3 years. Once Shawn used his healing power to bring Kyle out of his coma, Kyle was inhabited by a being from the future. He has since become himself again, and is awaiting trial for the (apparently unsuccessful) attempted murder of Jordan Collier
- Kevin Burkhoff (Jeffrey Combs) was a world-renowned scientist who suffered a mental breakdown. He was hired by the 4400 Center, and helped discover the promicin inhibitor that NTAC was using that almost wiped out the 4400. He has recently been injecting himself with promicin (the chemical substance that gives the 4400 their abilities), trying to become the first non-4400 to develop an ability
- Tom Baldwin (Joel Gretsch), an NTAC agent who helped uncover Dennis Ryland’s promicin inhibitor experiments, partners with fellow agent Diana Skouris to track down the renegade 4400’s. He’s also personally involved, as his wife and cousin are both 4400s, and his son is awaiting trial for the apparently unsuccessful attempted murder of 4400 Jordan Collier
- Diana Skouris (Jacqueline McKenzie) is an NTAC agent who, along with her partner Tom Baldwin, helped expose the promicin inhibitor experiments. She has adopted a 4400, Maia.
- Dennis Ryland (Peter Coyote), the original supervisor, then deputy director, of NTAC, he was arrested after NTAC agents Tom Baldwin and Diana Skouris uncovered his involvement in the promicin inhibitor experiments. He now works as an executive at the Haspel Corporation, and has created an army of “super soldiers” by injecting them with promicin, supplied by Isabelle.
With these main characters, and new 4400s being discovered each week, “The 4400″ keeps getting better and better.
