(S04E04) I'm sorry I wasn't here to review last week's episode, but I was in a minivan driving to Indiana when the episode aired, and I didn't get to see it until today. But that episode and tonight's confirmed something for me: This season started out well and has continued so far. Even though two of my favorite characters weren't on this episode, I still thought this episode was strong. Tonight's episode was a great blend of the comic and the serious. I was a little disappointed that they resolved the April storyline so quickly, though I am hopeful that maybe Natasha Gregson Wagner may become a more regular feature of the show. With her ability, they could practically build an entire show around her. They could call it The Closer. Oh, wait...
Even though sexual humor is kind of cliche, I still laughed when April showed off her ability by asking Diana and Tom both very personal questions, particularly because the actors were so skilled in their performances when they answered her. And then Tom's line, "You can come." Very nice. (Am I the only one who still sort of wants to see Tom and Diana get together? Yes? Okay, just checking.)
I wasn't sure in previous episodes why they had the whole April storyline to begin with this season. I thought it was a contrived way to get Diana back to Seattle, but I was satisfied tonight with Diana coming to terms with the fact that she doesn't want to give up her career. She tried to make a go of family life without career, but she is drawn to life at NTAC, and this season in particular seems to be heading toward End Times, the ultimate battle between good and evil. Really, who would want to miss that if you have had a career like she has had? Maia has said they will get married, and they say, "And Maia is never wrong." Is that true though? Have things ever changed to make one of her visions not come true? I also review The Dead Zone, where that happens all the time, but I don't think Maia has been wrong yet. I may be confusing the two shows though.
What do you think of the show's religous overtones? And this document that Kyle and Isabelle are translating? The chosen ones? A list of 200 people who have to take promicin, including Tom? I think Tom's ability will turn out to be that he can go back and get Alana somehow. I seriously doubt they are plotting to kill him. And I think Alana not only wrote the document, but started the cult, and made that list. The cult was started 85 years ago, and that is years after Alana posed for the portrait from the museum-- but she would have still been alive, I think.
The show has some really disturbing themes too, that are an interesting commentary not only on our culture, but also on religion. There will be need for sacrifice, and to take the promicin to be chosen-- even though it has a fifty percent fatality rate. Wow. Would you take it? I may have before I had kids, but how could I do that to them now? (I love the disclaimer on the website: Please be aware that promicin is not a real substance.) Okay, okay, I know it's not real. But would you take it?
As much as I like Kyle, I don't think Jordan Collier is a Messiah, so I guess that puts me on NTAC's and Shawn's side. This divide between Kyle and Shawn is very interesting too-- they are sort of the Cain and Abel, brothers but not brothers, who will be pitched against each other in sort of a civil war. (I still don't get Kyle's talent, by the way). Shawn is very Christlike too, though, with healing by laying on of hands. So, is he the real Messiah? Or is all of this just really, uncomfortably, traipsing toward blasphemy?
I love the fact that none of the abilities is uncomplicated and that none of the abilities change who people are or make their lives significantly better. There is an undercurrent of warning there. The promicin might seem really cool, but you'll still be a screw up, even if you get a really cool ability. You'll just sort of be like Kool Aid with Vitamin C: It may have vitamins in it, but it still isn't good for you. If that is the case, then are people on promicin really the Chosen ones? Are they going to change or transform the world? Or is this all just a very seductive and sinister plot? Who is the devil here?
Speaking of devils, what do you think of the new and improved Isabelle? Wow, strip of her abilities, and she's sort of nice. I don't know what to make of that. The jury's still out on Isabelle (though, it must be nice for the actress not to have to play sheer, unadulterated evil all the time).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-09-2007 @ 1:43AM
Bill said...
I love that no government agency even blinks at the idea of completely violating people's fifth amendment rights.
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7-09-2007 @ 4:02AM
Trina said...
I think it's *way* too soon to say that Isabelle is "nice" now. She's played long games before, and I have a feeling that she may be doing so now. Are we truly sure that she can't take Promicin? Who's to say that wasn't a trick on her part? Or on the government's part - what better way to convince her to never take the shot and get her abilities back?
I never thought she was "pure, unadulterated evil" either. She was a person who developed into physical maturity *long* before she could have reached emotional maturity, and with powers that let her have any and everything she wanted. An emotional two-year-old lacking boundaries and a moral compass? Certainly. Plain old evil? I'm not so sure.
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7-09-2007 @ 7:35AM
Mike K. said...
While last night's episode was pretty good, in general I've been kind of bored with this season so far. Maybe it's just me. I'm still watching every week, though.
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7-09-2007 @ 8:21AM
mail4bh said...
I'm bored with this season, too. one more like last night and I'll be gone.
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7-09-2007 @ 9:50AM
Ryan said...
Well I've loved this season so far because I really do find all of this promicin dilemma very intriguing. Add to that the Shawn vs. Jordan and now the this whole prophecy.
I hadn't thought of Alana starting the cult. Intriguing. Did you ever think of Isabelle purposefully adding Tom to the list to maybe get revenge for trying to kill her? She m may be thinking, "This way he'll die or know what it's like to be persecuted." I mean it's possible.
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7-09-2007 @ 11:12AM
Will said...
Give it time.. I think we're looking at the slow boil here. I imagine episodes 10-13 will be intense - the "final battle". You're virtually a third of the way through, don't give up now!
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7-09-2007 @ 11:28AM
David said...
I found last season to be very boring and I started skipping some episodes and still understood what was gonig on. These episodes I enjoy, they are showing that the government is out of control and more people are taking the 4400s side. The government will jail anyone who takes a shot, even if their powers don't do anything, but they will use them or blackmail them into orking for the government if the power is good enough to them.
Plus this weeks episode was the last of the "freak of the week" stuff.
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7-09-2007 @ 5:26PM
Ian said...
If Tom gains an abilty to go back in time and get Alana then she will never write the book which enables him to go back in time.....
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7-09-2007 @ 9:28PM
Discosis said...
I've been enjoying this season a lot, last week's episode especially.
No mention was made of *why* those on the list, are on the list. I'd be willing to bet that some of the names are there to ensure they die, rather than to give them an ability. 50% mortality rate, remember...
I don't think Isabelle is allergic to promicin, I think that was a ruse on the govt's part to ensure she never takes a shot. I can see her later in the season going downhill and taking the shot as a way out, with some surprising results. Perhaps by that time though, she'll have learned to use her powers for good?
When is Richard coming back?
As for the slow complaints, 4400 always seems to do a slow burn til the last few eps of the season become really engaging. What show have you been watching?
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7-09-2007 @ 10:17PM
LC said...
"I don't think Isabelle is allergic to promicin, I think that was a ruse on the govt's part to ensure she never takes a shot."
I think so too, but for a different reason. I think those working to get Isabelle moved were not working with ENTAC, but rather lied about her allergy so that they would release her into their custody.
I believe they had plans for her. Maybe even staging her accident for Kyle to find since it may have been written in that book.
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7-10-2007 @ 2:02AM
Discosis said...
"I believe they had plans for her. Maybe even staging her accident for Kyle to find since it may have been written in that book."
I like that theory :)
Who's to say they're not pulling the strings still? ;)
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7-11-2007 @ 12:49PM
Michelle said...
I'm sort of turned off by the religious tones the show seems to be taking. As my husband & I were watching, we were seeing Shawn as The Prodigal Son, but more importantly, Kyle as John the Baptist - the crazy prophet. I'm really not liking Kyle this season. I feel like he's always doing what other people/beings tell him to do, and I'm not overly sure if he has exercised free will in quite some time...
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7-12-2007 @ 6:23PM
Bill said...
I think Isabelle is still working for the "bad" future folks and Kyle's Cassie is really them using Kyle again. Also, the book Isabelle translated was created and planted by the them.
I think NTAC is the wet dream for Homeland Security. How do they have jurisdiction on the murder of a con man or the "evil businessman" assassination plot? I thought they were created to round up and control the 4400 and now the promicin takers. I bet Seattle PD and the FBI love NTAC.
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7-14-2007 @ 9:10PM
Will said...
I really liked this episode though I didn't care much for the previous 2. Now I'm starting to believe that the people who had powers in the first scene of the premiere actually will get powers this season.
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8-03-2007 @ 3:40PM
melissa said...
Hi, sorry for commenting so late. I'm only at this episode.
I'd like to first mention that I'm really enjoying this season. It's so different from before.
I'm pretty enlightened by some of the theories you guys have mentioned. That Alana was the one who started the cult - interesting! And that Isabelle could have added Tom's name to the list. I mean, how can Kyle just blindly trust Isabelle in translating that script?
But if Isabelle translated it accurately, it could have been the future that sent someone back in time to write that book with the names. It's just another one of their attempts to save the future. It may not have been Alana. But, aha! I doubt that Tom will take the shot, hence wrecking the plans of the future and causing the world to end! Ah!
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