4400 3.10: "The Starzl Mutation"

Written by Amy Berg and Craig Sweeny
Directed by Allison Liddi


The season continues to march towards one hell of a confrontation in the finale, and if this episode is any indication, the battle lines are already drawn. Through two very different types of storytelling, the shape of the near-future is placed in relative focus, leaving more than enough room for debate. And of course, there’s the end of the episode, which sends the story into further chaos.

The main plot of the episode set up one side of the equation. Ryland’s stockpile of promycin, extracted from Isabelle, has been used to create the prototype for a new kind of army. This effectively fulfills Isabelle’s role as the agent designed for the destruction of the 4400. Not only is she the source of promycin used to create an enhanced army capable of taking on the 4400 and their mission, but she is nearly invulnerable, making it all too easy to keep creating reinforcements.

Two items come to mind as immediate implications. The short-term question would be the desire to stop the extraction of more promycin, to prevent the further creation of anti-4400 forces. Tom’s ability to take down Isabelle could play into that, especially if it’s seen as a way of limiting the scope of conflict that is sure to come. The other implication could play into the whole “catastrophe”. Once the anti-4400 forces eliminate the 4400, they themselves become a threat to humanity. Does Ryland have a way to deal with that possibility, or will the instability among the anti-4400 soldiers lead to the catastrophe itself?

Shawn’s plot thread may play into all of that. While I found the means of his visions to be somewhat annoying, since it easily could have been something that came from Maia instead, it served the purpose of leaving the audience very worried about the near future. It really does look like a choice between the lesser of two evils, and it all comes down to Shawn’s relationship to Isabelle.

If Shawn marries Isabelle, does that keep her within reach, so Tom can do what must be done? And does that, in turn, push Shawn to become more of a leader? There are a lot of open questions, but it also seems that Richard needs to take more control of the 4400 Center, and that leads to a “pre-emptive strike” against Ryland’s forces. That could be a necessary action to prevent the catastrophe. On the other hand, if Shawn doesn’t marry Isabelle, it could be that her wrath and instability leads to a widespread escalation of conflict, perhaps because she could not be eliminated early enough and the war between the 4400 and the anti-4400 leads to the gradual destruction of humanity.

I thought that the episode provided more than enough foreshadowing and maneuvering to last the rest of the season, but the return of Jordan Collier adds a wild card into the mix. Where will he stand on the whole issue of Isabelle and Shawn? If that relationship is so important to the fate of humanity, and Jordan is convinced that he is meant to shepherd the 4400 towards their proper destiny, Isabelle stands in direct conflict with his assumed goal.

Whatever the case, this series continues to deliver. Throughout the season, every episode has been packed with enough detail and potential for pages and pages of analysis and speculation. It’s exactly what fans of shows like “Lost” and “BSG” need in a summer series.


(As a sidenote: I also have a podcast associated with my various reviews called “Dispatches from Tuzenor”. Recent episodes cover the “The 4400”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)

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

Final Rating: 8/10