the 4400

(S04E09) Have you ever wondered what ability you might have if you took the shot? I think I would be curious enough to think about taking it, but chicken enough not to take it. Maybe if I didn't have kids. We saw some seriously cool abilities in this episode (some of which we have seen before), and some of them seemed pretty great. For instance, one of my favorite lines of the whole episode was when Tess said, "Not if I don't want them to," in reference to people remembering dancing in a diner. Wow, it would be pretty cool to be able to compel people to do what you want them to do.

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Bones, Brothers & Sisters, Damages, Desperate Housewives, ER, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, One Tree Hill, Scrubs, Smallville, The 4400, and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

(S04E08) I love the multiple ways the title of this episode works: No Exit refers on the surface, and most basic level, to the scenario in which the characters find themselves. Many characters on both sides of the promicin issue wake up suddenly at NTAC when they started out asleep at home. Both sides think the other has brought them there for nefarious purposes, and they begin preparing to defend themselves when they realize that, like the Hotel California, they can't leave. So, of course, being bright people, they immediately start trying different scenarios that will help them leave despite the fact that there appears to be no exit.

(S04E07) If you ask me, this season is what Season Three should have been. In Season Two, Maia had visions about a war, about something coming, and then Season Three was a fundamental disappointment. However, it seems that Season Four is going to deliver. Juicy Tidbit: The title of this episode comes from William Blake's poem "Jerusalem." See what you can do with your English degree?

" And did the Countenance Divine/Shine forth upon our clouded hills?/And was Jerusalem builded here/Among these dark Satanic mills?" Very nice tie-in to the episode. Poetic even.

I'm combining Sunday's panel reports because neither the Women in Sci-Fi panel nor The 4400 panel was brimming with revelations unless you count as a revelation the fact that Lucy Lawless' fans bear a striking resemblance to the core audience of the WNBA, but you shouldn't.

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Bones, Ghost Whisperer, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, House, How I Met Your Mother, Jericho Prison Break, Smallville and The 4400. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

(S04E06) After last week's review, I had some really great and interesting email conversations with some of the commenters here. And decided that it's not the fact that The 4400 is having religion as plot lines that bothers me-- it's Jordan's fundamental hypocrisy that bothers me. Jordan claims to be good and to give people choices, but he doesn't think twice about having his goon squad use their abilities to harm people (he brought Tom to his knees in "Try the Pie"), with promises of more harm to come.

Do you really think Jordan had nothing to do with Hewitt's stroke? And what was the point of it anyway when they know that Shawn heals people? And that looked very impressive when Shawn told Hewitt not to thank him, just to "Change." Uh, yeah, because that is so easy. But on the whole, I loved this episode and I have really enjoyed this season tremendously so far.

(S04E05) (Author note: Sorry about the wrong title initially-- I was working quickly last night and trying to get ready for a six-day trip, and I missed that. I am sitting in the airport right now, correcting it. Thanks for the comments!) I was amazed by how quickly this episode moved things in the series forward. However, even saying that, I have mixed feelings about it. Taken by itself, all alone, the episode was simultaneously enjoyable to watch and also a little creepy. I was creeped out because a basic undergraduate education tells us that Utopias do not work. They just don't. They never have. Ultimately, they are not what people want.

Also, despite the fact that Utopias don't work, they are rather rampant lately, and I couldn't watch this episode without thinking about all of the other Utopian societies this episode conjured. The first one I thought of was Ayn Rand's secret society created by John Galt in Atlas Shrugged. The fact that all of the people in Evanston have abilities also made it very Rand-esque.

• The Andy Griffith Show marathon continues on TV Land all night.
• At 7, NBC has a new, two-hour Dateline.
• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother.
• Side Order of Life debuts on Lifetime at 8, followed by the debut of State of Mind and a new Army Wives.
• At 9, PBS has a new Mystery!
• USA has a new episode of The 4400 at 9, then a new Dead Zone.
• The ESPY Awards air on ESPN at 9.
• Also at 9: HBO has a new John From Cincinnati, followed by new episodes of Entourage and Flight of the Conchords.
• At 10, VH-1 has a new Gene Simmons Family Jewels.
• Food Network has a new Next Food Network Star at 10.
• Showtime has a new Meadowlands at 10 (repeated at 11).
• At 11:45, Cartoon Network has a new Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(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...

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: CSI: Miami, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Lost, One Tree Hill, Prison Break, Smallville, The 4400, and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Bones, Brothers & Sisters, CSI: Miami, House, Lost, Men In Trees, Nip/Tuck, The 4400, and Weeds. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

(S04E02) I don't really have any typical phobias like claustrophobia, spiders, snakes, or clowns. So, I am curious about what effect Brandon's ability would have on me. I don't think I would really want to find out. I had some mixed feelings about the end of this episode, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. So, let's start at the beginning.

(S04E01) I heard last year that the reason Jordan Collier wasn't around very much was because actor Billy Campbell was making a movie overseas and couldn't come back for filming. I don't know whether that is true or a rumor, but whatever the reason, I am glad that he is back. I thought last season was a little mixed in terms of quality, but I think this season premiere was strong. I am really looking forward to this season.

Do you think the opening dream sequence was a forecast of abilities to come? Did you see how Tom's keys flew off the counter into his hands, and Diana was able to stop time around her when Tom and Kyle were late? I knew it was a dream sequence, not just because Tom and Kyle were friendly and everybody had new abilities, but also because everyone present at Jordan's rally was wearing black, white, or gray. I love that -- it was subtle, but there if you were looking for it (and I was).

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Battlestar Galactica, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, House, Las Vegas, Nip/Tuck, Smallville, Supernatural, The 4400 and The Shield. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)