# The 4400 on USA **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728 "2004-07-12T16:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/1 "2004-07-12T16:57:34Z")
Who else is (and/or will be) watching? Looks pretty good, sort of an alternate followup to _Close Encounters_ in which 4400 missing people are returned but nobody knows what’s going on. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/2 "2004-07-12T17:18:12Z")
Saw it last night. Big fat “Ehhh”. Some of the character plotlines intrigued me (Orson Bailey, the two Homeland Security folk, even the little girl to some extent) and the others just left me cold. Way too many commercials. I might tape them and watch with my thumb firmly on fast-forward. ---
**Author:** ![AmericanMaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@AmericanMaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmericanMaid)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/3 "2004-07-12T17:28:52Z")
“Taken” was better and had a better mystery pregnancy/spooky girl/alien powers. The acting and direction are plodding but I might tune in to figure out what the high schooler’s powers are. Shades of Rogue I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/4 "2004-07-12T18:27:03Z")
> [@Priam](#): > > Some of the character plotlines intrigued me (Orson Bailey, the two Homeland Security folk, even the little girl to some extent) and the others just left me cold. What about Lily and her gestating baby of unknown origin? Of course, we viewers are thinking “hybrid” but if the writers are smart they’ll surprise us. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/5 "2004-07-12T19:45:47Z")
I kept expecting Lily to turn out to be the black guy’s grand-daughter. If so, that’ll make next week interesting, as it looks like (from the previews) that they kiss. :eek: Also, I thought the effect they did on the bully, as his life force (or whatever) was being sucked away was pretty creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/6 "2004-07-12T20:56:55Z")
Shoot! That was last night? Are they rerunning it? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/7 "2004-07-12T21:08:01Z")
I like it so far. OTOH, I thought that Taken was fairly boring. I’ll be watching the rest of this short series. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/8 "2004-07-12T21:10:24Z")
According to the [USA site](http://www.usanetwork.com/series/the4400/), the pilot will re-run on 7/14 at midnight; on 7/15 at 8pm; on 7/16 at 2pm; on 7/17 at midnight; and on 7/18 at 1pm (all times EDT). I missed it last night, too. The premise sounds way cool…I’m disappointed to see that some folks were disappointed. Thanks to **Priam** ’s comment, I’ll tape one of the midnight or afternoon airings so I can zap through the ads. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/9 "2004-07-12T21:22:25Z")
I liked it. Some plotlines were a bit predictable, but it’s watchable. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/10 "2004-07-13T02:00:34Z")
My main complaint _was_ the predictability. Actually all the commercial breaks PLUS the predictability. Lily and whats-his-name (blanking right now. Someone help me out here) just never clicked with me. Maybe it’s a personal thing more than a plotline issue, but their dialogue seemed kinda stilted. Very little chemistry. And the highschool one, outside of his powers, is just a bunch of cliches put in a pot and simmered. Well-acted or not, I could almost read his lines for him and figure out the relationship shifts that’ll happen the moment I saw his entire family. Not bad but nothing for me to get excited about seeing. He’s got a pretty face and that’s all I look forward to in the scenes. Whereas Orson Bailey actually had me really upset for a good two hours afterwards. I have a soft spot for good souls trapped in horrible circumstances. Plus he gave off that “everybody’s grandpa” kinda vibe. And the little kid is good at being slightly creepy. The eyes help. The relationship between the two agents, while well-worn, at least was amusing and seemed to have a spark of life. ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/11 "2004-07-14T22:24:16Z")
Haven’t made up my mind on this one – I was looking forward to it, and it has potential. (I don’t know why, but somehow I had the idea that this based on an a real-life incident.) My first thought was, oh here we go again – another “kidnapped by an UFO” thing with people having paranormal powers, blah, blah. But I liked some of the relationships. I got frustrated because none of the 4400 profiled so far were willing to TELL anyone what the hell was going on! I’m sitting there, watching Peter Coyote (nice to see him again) chatting up the little girl, and being nice as shit, and he gets nothing from her. And Bailey, apparently, would rather die than tell the FBI guy/gal what the hell he’s going thru. The high school kid would rather suffer alone than tell even his brother what he’s experiencing. Not believable to me. If I’d disappeared for umpteen years, and couldn’t remember what transpired during that time, then suddenly discovered I had unique powers…I’d run like hell to the nearest loved one or any person I thought could help me! But, no doubt, it will come out that the “aliens” somehow convinced the 4400 that they shouldn’t talk about their experiences. So far, I think it’s predictable, but the acting is good, and the relationships are interesting and have potential, so I’ll keep watching. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/12 "2004-07-15T22:22:25Z")
[Cross-posted](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=266630) with apologies - I hadn’t realized there was a precedent thread: > [@Ogre](#): > > I may be too much of a gearhead, but the opening sequences really turned me off. I did think the humanization of the DHS agents when they thought the “comet” was going to strike (basically, they were all on cell phones saying tearful final goodbyes to loved ones) was a nice touch. All too often, government agents and agencies are depicted as faceless killbot ciphers. > > But then they fucked it up. When the nukes were launched, and shortly thereafter, the announcement “15 seconds to impact” came up, I thought “OK, the comet is just really close.” Then, the next sequence after the impact, they clearly showed the comet PASSING THE MOON’S ORBIT. I then rolled my eyes, thought, “Wow, FAST missiles,” and changed the channel. > > As I said, I tend to be quite judgemental about these things, since they’re so damned easy to get right. It just comes off as laziness to me. I may not be giving it a fair shake. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/13 "2004-07-15T22:52:10Z")
Grar. I really, really, REALLY want to see this seeing as how its producers are the same people responsible for my most favoritest show ever, Star _Trek: Deep Space Nine_, but I’ve recently moved and won’t have cable for months yet. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/14 "2004-07-16T12:53:44Z")
I was feeling a bit lonely in the thread I started, so I’m joining this one. They replayed it last night. And what is up with Michael Moriarty? He looks like he’s been ridden hard and put up wet. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/15 "2004-07-16T12:59:59Z")
I was wondering about him. Is he supposed to be playing the character older than he (MM) is IRL? I know the character is sort of losing it on the show, but even before that, when Orson was taken, he looked bad. Has Moriarty had a stroke or something? ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/16 "2004-07-16T13:45:02Z")
> [@Priam](#): > > Whereas Orson Bailey actually had me really upset for a good two hours afterwards. I have a soft spot for good souls trapped in horrible circumstances. Plus he gave off that “everybody’s grandpa” kinda vibe. > > And the little kid is good at being slightly creepy. The eyes help. I found the Orson Bailey character to be _way_ more creepy than the little girl. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/17 "2004-07-16T13:53:33Z")
The hubby and I thought it would be a good kickoff for a supers game—but have the the player characters be the non-super agents. We watched it on ReplayTV, so we more-or-less seamlessly skipped all the commercial breaks, but the predictablility was a bit wearing. Not a single curveball in the whole pilot, really. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/18 "2004-07-16T15:00:27Z")
My attention was divided fairly evenly across “The 4400”, “Down to Earth”, “Big Brother”, and “I Love the 90s”. And I was playing computer games on my laptop at the same time. I was able to follow the movie with no problem because of its predictability. ---
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/19 "2004-07-16T15:10:10Z")
> [@FaerieBeth](#): > > I found the Orson Bailey character to be _way_ more creepy than the little girl. Um, no. The first time we watched it through, I turned to my lovely wife and said, “She’s behind the whole thing, you know. They should cut off her head and burn the body.” And for every subsequent scene with her, " Why aren’t they cutting her head off and burning the body?" She’s the key, I tell you! ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728/20 "2004-07-16T16:58:28Z")
> [@Stonebow](#): > > Um, no. The first time we watched it through, I turned to my lovely wife and said, “She’s behind the whole thing, you know. They should cut off her head and burn the body.” > And for every subsequent scene with her, " Why aren’t they cutting her head off and burning the body?" I don’t think that would do any good. I think they’re all robots (like _The Stepford Wives_) or genetically-engineered copies of the people who were originally stolen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-4400-on-usa/254728.md?page=2)