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The 4400: Life Interrupted

by Sarah Gilbert, posted Jul 19th 2005 3:29AM

the 4400 life interruptedTen minutes into this episode, I was wondering: what did they do with my nice back-to-the-future sci fi show? They've turned it into a parallel universe thingy! I didn't sign up for Sliders: the series. I nonetheless sat raptly through the show, enjoying the love story developing between Tom and Alana, the mysterious foreign-accented stunner, the only other person in this alternate universe who has heard of the 4400. And who also happens to be his wife of two years.

The new versions of Kyle and Shawn are lovely, and although I couldn't stand Diana's new hairdo (gahh! the future doesn't do bobs well), she and the boss-lady were nice in their crisis-free modes, too. But the references to the 4400 reality kept coming back, and in the end, we realize what's happened. Tom has a bad (premonitory?) dream and the alternate universe begins to wink out, piece by piece.

Looking back on the episode, I thought it was well-done but a bit sappy, creating a love story for Tom and Alana in under an hour (and only a second of "real" time) that will, supposedly, carry them through the time of great crisis ahead. The writers are clearly preparing us to see some death and destruction for Kyle, and the opposite of happy-go-luckiness for Shawn. And somehow, I'm guessing that Tom doesn't end up as head of NTAC. Ya know, I'm just saying.

All in all, it was a nice break from the routine. Next week, it seems, we'll be back to the fast-paced, blood-strewn plot. The question is not, will someone die, but how many...

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Tony

Didn't like it, notsamuch. Tangents rarely lead to anything worthwhile. Ah'm jes' sayin'.

July 25 2005 at 12:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
TvQueenz

I didn't think it'd work. I didn't even think I like the prospect of a romance in the show. But boy, did the show make me go gooey in the end. It's so romantic and I'm glad that Tom has something to be happy about for once! (Wrote my reflections here: http://www.tvqueenz.com/archives/2005/07/hot_mushy_love.html

July 23 2005 at 4:02 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ooda

God damn it this episode was so much better than it initally thought it would be, and a tie where the alternate reality episode fits into the plot instead of being just a sidetracked episode (Nip/Tuck, I'm looking at you). Kyle was actually tolerable this episode, instead of sounding like he was speaking with a mouth half full of water.

July 20 2005 at 6:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Adam

#4 - You are correct sir; the STTNG episode was called "The Inner Light." Picard lives a lifetime in 30 minutes, and retains all those memories after the fact. I, as you did, picked up on the similarities about 10 minutes in.

July 19 2005 at 2:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Man

I'm not a Trekkie but didn't this happen to Picard in one episode or was I dreaming.

July 19 2005 at 2:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
vince

You say: "Tom has a bad (premonitory?) dream " that's wrong it wasn't exactly a "dream" it was something he actually lived but it just didn't happen in reality it was more of a test and gift for Tom from the people of the future.

July 19 2005 at 9:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Gina

I wasn't overly thrilled, I would have much reather have had him meet her last season and have a "real" relationship develope. It all seemed so last minute... (in a back room somewhere)... W1: "you know we should give Tom a love interest." W2: "What about Diana? There's already some undertone there" W1: "No, that's too predictible, let's make it a 4400!" W2: "We have too much planned the season to ad a romance in" (my hope) W1: "let's do it in one episode!!!"

July 19 2005 at 9:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jen Segrest

See I rather liked it too, it's one of the few times the hated alternate reality actually worked for me. It had a nice pay off.

July 19 2005 at 8:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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