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| Over the last century thousands of people have gone missing and were presumed dead. When a meteor impacts over Earth, suddenly and inexplicably all 4400 people are returned at once as they were on the day they vanished; however a chain-reaction of events is set in a motion that will alter the destiny of mankind forever.
This first series establishes the premise that the 'missing people' of varying age's and backgrounds, have been away from anything between a week and 60 years. Their return prompts a government investigation to piece together where they've been and why they've been returned. It becomes apparent that the individuals have not aged or been harmed in any way and have assumed paranormal skills that they did not have before disappearing.
Drawing together plot-lines that include paranormal and cultural undertones, The 4400 is a thought-provoking and superbly constructed series of stories following the 'returnees' as they attempt to resume a normal life once more. The dramatic content of each carefully constructed and beautifully filmed plot-line is enhanced as the discovery of abnormal powers in some of the people begins to generate widespread and unwanted interest, resulting in further alienation and trauma. A young man has the power to restore life or bring about the onset of death in people; a young girl has the ability to see into the future and a pregnant woman carries an unborn child that may unlock the secrets to the universe.
The series introduces various themes of social alienation and cause-and-affect, but among the most intriguing and diverse is the unique way The 4400 explores the relationships between people and how pre-conceptions of the paranormal and fate construct a world underpinned with both hope and fear.
Each plot-line is infused with an undercurrent of ambiguity that leaves the audience second-guessing what they are seeing and in what to trust, and the introduction of multiple characters ensures that each story is enriched with a sense of suspense and freshness that transcends the genre. Produced in association with Francis Ford Coppola, the series is an incredibly compelling and intelligent drama that will inspire and enthrall fans of drama and sci-fi alike. The 4400 is available to rent online in a two-disc DVD set that includes over six hours of gripping plotlines and three-dimensional characters that superbly bring each story to life.
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Here's what our members thought of this title. 5 stars = very good, 1 star = poor.
 |  | Over the past 50 years, thousands of people have disappeared. Now...they’re back.
A mysterious meteor appears as if by magic in outer space, huge and hurtling towards Earth. China blast their nukes at it, then America, finally England. Most hit their target but none do any good. The big, bright ball of death appears unstoppable. Loved ones are called. Sins are repented. The end seems nigh yet suddenly the meteor changes trajectory. "meteors can’t change trajectory," exclaims a Seattle science bod. "Then it isn’t a meteor," barks another. So what the hell is it? Five minutes in and already a massive twist...
The 4400 is instantly compelling. Rarely does a TV pilot grip its audience so quickly and so powerfully, yet within the first few minutes you’ll find yourself poised at the edge of your sofa wondering what on earth is going to happen next. A clever blend of styles and ideas culled from a variety of successful sci fi shows and movies, The 4400 looks set to dominate telly fantasy for years to come. Fingers crossed, anyway.
Back to the story. As the strange, flaming object approaches Earth it slows its descent before coming to a gentle, floaty standstill in the mountains, a vast shimmering sphere of worryingly unknown origin. Suddenly there’s a blinding flash. The ball disappears, replaced by a dense fog which, as it lifts, reveals something new: thousands of confused and disoriented people, some kids, some elderly, all previously abducted and presumed dead, now returned without a clue as to where they’ve been or what they’ve been up to.
Some have been missing for years. Others, for decades. Either way, none have aged a day since they first disappeared. And many of them, possibly all of them, have spooky new powers, both good and bad, from telekinesis to second sight. Charged with protecting and policing the 4400 are the brave boys and girls of Homeland Security. Much like The X-Files’ Mulder and Scully, ace agents Baldwin (Joel Gretsch) and Skouris (Jacqueline McKenzie) investigate every odd occurrence involving a “returnee”, all the time trying to figure out where these people came from, who took them and why they brought them back.
Besides the many obvious similarities to The X-Files, not only in premise but the look and feel of the show as well, The 4400 is also a lot like The X-Men, in that the returnees, out of synch with the modern world and possessing powers that further set them apart, are treated like outcasts, both feared and abused, just like Professor Xavier’s motley mutant crew. And there’s a little bit of Smallville in there too. Whereas Clark Kent’s friends and neighbours are routinely transformed into superbeings by radioactive Kryptonite, enabling a new freak to hassle our heroes every single week, the 4400 have their own set of powers with which to give Baldwin and Skouris a hard time. It’s the perfect formula for unlimited strangeness, which is always welcome.
If you want to find out where they got their powers from, though, not to mention what they’re doing back on Earth, you’re going to have to watch the entire first season for yourself. Which would be easy even if it wasn’t so short - just five episodes and a double-length pilot – because it’s everything a great fantasy show should be: ingenious and exciting and atmospheric and involving, very well made and played with a huge cast of fascinating characters and a infinite number of plot possibilities. In other words, must-see TV.
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