The 4400 has certainly evolved as a show. The first season was just cool because it introduced a new concept. But it kind of had that Star Trek Freak-of-the-Week thing going for it. The second season became more intense and started to further the plot. Unlike The Dead Zone, which I also review, there are few episodes of The 4400 that don't somehow have a point and drive the series toward the promised apocalypse. The third season has become darker, more sinister in ways, and more intense, like Lost.

Let's see what has happened since "Blink."

(S03E09) "The Ballad of Kevin and Tess"

In this episode, we see that the crazies, mad scientist Kevin Berckoff, and the former inmate Tess are in cahoots. Tess now works in a bookstore, and claims to want to be left alone. But she is secretly working with Kevin, who has been giving himself injections of promycin, in the hopes that he will develop 4400-like powers.

Kevin looks like death warmed over: His skin is bubbling up, he walks with a cane, his fingernails are gone. He looks like he is about to die. There is action and excitement! Kevin and Tess run from NTAC troops! Kevin gets shot! But then we find out that the promycin has worked. His body forces out the bullet and fills the hole. He gets up and totters off. Later, in a gas station bathroom, he sheds his skin like a snake, and he is reborn. He is new. He is healthy and restored. And he has 4400 powers-- he has the power to heal himself.

We also find out in this episode that he and Tess have been injecting Diana. Tess's ability is to make people do whatever she wants, without their realizing it, and against their will. Diana has been feeling sick, tired-- is she pregnant? No. She has been injected. We'll see if her skin starts flaking off and she develops any powers...

(S03E10) "Starzl Mutation"

What in hell is Starzl mutation? That is the whole reason the 4400 showed up on a Seattle beach. A bunch of people developed mutations after leaky CT scans at a hospital. If they breed with a 4400, their child will have powers. It is this mutation that started the whole power business to begin with. Do you think maybe when the 4400 were taken, they were just injected, got bad skin, flaked the skin off, and then came back?

Shawn has been occupying himself with smoking these neat little hand-rolled cigars given to him by a 4400 whose hand secretions reveal the future when eaten. Ew. He sees the future, smokes a little, freaks out, stubs it out. Rinse, rather repeat. In one sequence, Richard is a bad guy, causing Armageddon! No, wait, Ryland is evil and Richard is just defending the 4400! No, wait! Tom dies!

(S03E11) "The Gospel of Collier"

We also finally find out what has happened to Jordan Collier. Oh, he came back all right, just like we saw him at the end of Season Two: The new, hairy and improved Jordan Collier. He decides to show up in the middle of a crowd when Shawn and Isabelle are getting married. He says, "Do you know me? Do you know who I am?" Then he runs off again. So, naturally, Tom and Diana track him down.

Jordan lives in a van down by the river! No, seriously, he lives under a bridge. Down by the river. Really.

A homeless guy claims to know him, and they find a huge mural with a painting of Collier, a modern-day Jesus Christ (Jordan Collier, JC, Jesus Christ-- get it?) on the side of a two-story building, arms outstretched. The geeky NTAC guys find out there are murals like this around the country. Jordan has been busy. And he has build a small cult of homeless followers all over the country.

He shows up to visit Kyle-- with a newspaper. He asks Kyle, "Did you kill me?" Kyle has always behaved kind of like his face had too many botox injections-- but he did a pretty decent job of freaking out and demanding that Jordan reveal that he is not dead.

Jordan has lost his memory. Alana to the rescue! She restores Jordan's memory. He has seen the future-- and the apocalypse. He has come back to save the world.

Poor dorky science guy. He gets thrown over for Diana's new beau, Ben. Who had been dating her sister. Wait, is this a soap opera? Anyway, Diana has a love life now, good for her. We still don't know why that is important-- but he might have the Starzl mutation! And she might have 4400 powers! I bet that's it!

Anyway. In the meantime, Isabelle has been working with Ryland, giving him vial after vial, room after room of promycin. Ryland, who is pure evil, is developing a super army with it. A bunch of scaly, scary marines. Poor, dumb Isabelle. She is so unpredictable. She sometimes tries to do the right thing, but then she will go and kill someone just because she doesn't like them. She goes to Jordan and asks what she can do to help-- there is an apocalypse coming and she has these god-like powers (will they just KILL HER ALREADY???). Jordan tells her that she is pure evil, and to leave. So, where does she go? To Ryland of course, to become his personal body guard. Nice going, Collier.

(S03E12) "Terrible Swift Sword"

This is the last episode we have seen before the finale. Everyone at NTAC is sleeping at their desks-- Tess, maybe? Then, the nova group escapes, and they steal all the promycin. Jordan wants to give it to everybody. That sick feeling you felt on Monday morning? It wasn't the beginning of the new work week. It was the promycin.

This Sunday is the Season Finale, so tune in here on Monday to talk about what happens next.

Poor geeky science guy. Will he ever find true love? What are they going to do after this war takes place anyway? Go to the future and start taking these people from the past?