4400 2.7: "Carrier"

Written by Douglas Petrie
Directed by Leslie Libman

In which one of the 4400 discovers that her ability is to wipe out large populations by releasing a plague when she is agitated, while nearly everyone else deals with personal distractions…


This is the mid-point of the season already, sad to say, but the series has hit its stride. After a couple of episodes that took the story in completely unexpected directions, this episode settles back into the format that worked so well at the series’ inception. At the center of the tale is the discovery of a lethal 4400, but the real impact is what happens while everyone is running around on the job.

I happen to like that a lot better, especially now that the subplots are more interesting than the ones at the beginning of the season. No more endless road trips through the most bigoted regions of the Northwest, at least! Instead there’s more of a focus on how dealing with the 4400, on a personal level, is far more unusual than one can predict.

I’m glad that the writers didn’t assume that Alana was simply part of the gang now. Her integration is being handled nicely. I like the fact that her “knowledge” of Kyle has only served to demonstrate how much his condition has stolen away his choices. He’s just a lot more aware of it now. He also knows that he shot Collier, which the previous episode suggested would be discovered shortly. It’s a great place for Kyle’s character to be in at the dramatic mid-point of the season arc.

Sean’s travails are also strong narrative ground. It would have been easy to have him proceed with only a few token doubts, but the writers take the more difficult road. Adding a lobbyist with a personality and look very similar to Collier just adds to the tension. Now it’s not just a pseudo-religious movement; it’s also a movement with designs on steering political currency. I’m actually sad that the writers only have six more episodes this season, since this part of the story alone is worth spending hours exploring!

It was inevitable, perhaps, that April would try to use Maia as a gambling device. That was probably the most predictable part of the episode, because it centered more on genuine human emotion than the more fantastic elements of the series. April should have seen it coming a mile away…but then again, that’s inherent to her character. She’s so wrapped up in her own world that it’s easy for her to see Maia as a tool rather than as a person.

Not as interesting, but probably just as important in the long run, is this crush that Marco has on Diana. The writers seem to be trying to avoid the obvious Tom/Diana pairing by offering other possibilities (or quickly writing them into place). As disturbing as the whole Alana thing was, this is actually a lot more creepy. Marco is trying way to hard to get on Diana’s good side, and that fake diary is just asking to be discovered. Season finale, anyone?

The case this time was nerve-wracking on two levels: the modern fear of all things microbial, and the fear of unfettered religious zealotry. Jean Lynn Baker is about as mentally unstable as a person can be, so why would the “future humanity” give her the “ability” to unleash a “death field” through sores in her hand. Once more, the whole idea that the 4400 are preparing humanity for a better and brighter future is under question. (And any future that manages to make the lovely Sherilyn Fenn look so ragged can’t be 100% benign!)

Another strong episode with a relative minimum of predictable moments. Tom and Diana continue to be on paths that promise conflict down the road, and both are making choices to protect loved ones against their own abilities, good or bad. Sean is beginning to see how corrupted and corruptible the 4400 Movement can be. No wonder this is one of the most acclaimed genre series around!

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10