Rene Echevarria, executive producer of USA Network's upcoming SF show The 4400, told SCI FI Wire that the limited series picks up where Close Encounters of the Third Kind left off, as 4,400 long-missing people suddenly reappear all at once without having aged a day. "They don't know what happened to them, who or what was responsible, and now they have to pick up the pieces of their lives," Echevarria (Dark Angel) said in an interview. "It's equal parts SF and nighttime soap, so there's something for everybody in it."

The 4400 features E.T. star Peter Coyote as Ryland, who heads up the regional office of a government agency formed to keep track of the 4,400 people after one of them commits a murder and others start to exhibit unexplained powers. The cast also includes Joel Gretsch (SCI FI Channel's original miniseries Steven Spielberg Presents Taken) as Tom, a government agent who discovers a link between his comatose young son and the return of the 4,400. Jacqueline McKenzie portrays Diana, a biomedical researcher who's partnered with Tom. Gretsch's Taken co-star, Michael Moriarty, plays Orson, a recent returnee devastated by all that's happened to his family, business and wealth in the 25 years he's been away.

"The show was originally developed as a weekly series, and that's still a possibility if audiences respond to the story," said Echevarria, who also wrote for and produced Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. "The challenge was in constructing a six-hour miniseries that builds to a satisfying conclusion, and at the same time leaves some questions unanswered so we could continue the story if there's interest in doing that." The 4400 will debut as a two-hour special at 9 p.m. ET/PT July 11 on USA Network, with subsequent hours airing Sunday nights until Aug. 8. USA Network is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.

Really looking forward to this one, SuprNova's bound to pick it up :thumbsup:

more news :)

McKenzie Talks 4400

Jacqueline McKenzie, star of USA Network's upcoming SF show The 4400, told SCI FI Wire that she wanted in on the limited series the minute she read the script. "I'm the kind of actor who looks for human stories," McKenzie said in an interview. "I like stories about the human struggle, and I saw a lot of that in this."

The 4400 explores what happens when thousands of people who've disappeared over the past 50 years all return at once. McKenzie, an Australian actress whose credits include Deep Blue Sea, plays Diana Skouris, a researcher at the biomedical division of a government agency. She's partnered with Tom Baldwin (Joel Gretsch of SCI FI Channel's original miniseries Steven Spielberg Presents Taken), an agent who, as the government begins an investigation to keep tabs on the returnees, discovers a connection between the return of the 4,400 and his comatose young son.

"I thought that my character, as drawn, was really at the front of the investigation and would be interacting with these people who had just returned to Earth, having disappeared for a long time," McKenzie said. "They're now integrating back into society. I felt the human stories of these people, the impact of returning to Earth on their lives and on them as people, were really interesting to me."

McKenzie said that the production was as fast-paced as it was challenging. But, she said, "It was not so tough, because I always felt I was in really good hands. For me, it's not so much about how long the days are or how much money you get paid. It's all about the art, for want of a better word. I felt the script was so wonderful and promised so much. The director, Yves Simoneau, was such a great guy to be with and to work with. And it was great working with Joel. He's a really sweet guy, a lovely and generous human being. We became very good friends on this. I hope it does well, so that we could all come back and do more. If it happens, I'm there." The 4400 will debut as a two-hour special at 9 p.m. ET/PT July 11 on USA Network, with subsequent hours airing Sunday nights until Aug. 8. USA Network is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.

Even more news :rolleyes:

SF Vets Fuel The 4400

Rene Echevarria, executive producer of USA Network's upcoming SF drama The 4400, told SCI FI Wire that the limited series comprises writers who are veterans of several SF TV shows. The writers include Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe, who, like Echevarria, worked on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Echevarria has also written for Dark Angel and Now and Again. Wolfe developed Andromeda and wrote for The Dead Zone and UPN's The Twilight Zone update, which Behr produced. 4400 writer Scott Peters, meanwhile, counts among his credits The Outer Limits and Animorphs.

Echevarria added that the group worked well together on The 4400, in which thousands of missing and presumed dead people return all at once, prompting the formation of a government agency to keep tabs on the returnees. "After USA ordered the series I had to step away from the project to shoot a pilot for Fox, but I was really glad that Ira Behr agreed to come in and executive produce the show," Echevarria said in an interview. "We'd worked together on Star Trek, and I knew he'd hit it off with Scott. Ira brought in Robert Wolfe, who'd also worked on Deep Space Nine with us. They did an amazing job developing the stories and put together a great cast [which includes Peter Coyote, Joel Gretsch and Jacqueline McKenzie] and a terrific director [Yves Simoneau]."

The 4400 will debut as a two-hour special at 9 p.m. ET/PT July 11 on USA Network, with subsequent hours airing Sunday nights until Aug. 8. USA Network is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.

Just heard, Sky have snapped up the limited series and any additional installments, there's a chance it'll go to a second season.

Good Stuff :rolleyes: (If you have Sky :unsure: )


Gretsch Counts On 4400

Joel Gretsch, star of USA Network's upcoming SF limited series The 4400, told SCI FI Wire that the show about returned abductees resembles his previous SF epic, SCI FI Channel's original miniseries Steven Spielberg Presents Taken, in its emphasis on characters. "SF makes you think bigger, [in terms of] the possibilities beyond what we normally think of," Gretsch said in an interview. "I have done a few SF shows, and what intrigued me the most was that they were all character-driven stories. That's what compels me: human drama and obstacles that one can relate to, such as the love for your child and feeling helpless when they need you and you need them."

The 4400 deals with thousands of missing and presumed dead people who have returned all at once, leading to the formation of a government agency that's tasked with keeping an eye on them. Gretsch portrays Tom Baldwin, one of the government agents, who is partnered with Diana Skouris (Jacqueline McKenzie), a biomedical researcher.

"A comet is hurtling towards Earth, and it looks to be the end of civilization, when it suddenly slows and finally stops," Gretsch said, elaborating on the story. "It explodes, and 4,400 people come out, people who've been missing throughout the decades. They have no recollection of where they were, why they were missing and what date it is now. My character has a son, Kyle [Chad Faust], who has been in a coma for three years. I have no answers as to why he's in a coma and whether he will ever come out [of it]. What I do know is that he was with my nephew, Shawn [Patrick Fleuger], at the time and that Shawn has been missing since that date. When the 4,400 reappear, Shawn is one of them. Hopefully, Shawn will have the answers I need to help my son." The 4400 will debut as a two-hour special at 9 p.m. ET/PT July 11 on USA Network, with subsequent hours airing Sunday nights until Aug. 8. USA Network is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.

Yay for Sky :thumbsup:

Just had a look on www.torrents.co.uk and the Pilots up for D/L :)

4400 Abducts Viewer Record

USA Network reported that the July 11 premiere of its SF limited series The 4400 was the highest-rated and most-watched new series premiere ever on basic cable. The series, about the return of thousands of abductees, nabbed a 5.7 household rating, representing 7.4 million viewers watching in 5 million homes, the network reported.

The 4400 now leads USA's The Dead Zone (with a 4.7 household rating and 6.4 million viewers) and Peacemakers (a 4.0 household rating and 5.2 million viewers) as the most-watched original series premieres in basic-cable history. The 4400 was also USA Network's most-watched original event since the miniseries Moby Dick in March 1998, which averaged 10.4 million viewers over two nights.

The 4400 airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. USA Network is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.


(Still haven't got round to d/l it :unsure: )

I've d/l it but haven't watched it yet. The Angel viewing to finish first and then the premiere of Atlantis tomorrow hopefully ;)

Let us all know what it is like once you get chance to view it then, Angel!

Watched this, last night, well, this morning I guess.

First impressions, I'll definitely be back for the second part. It started off like an episode of The Outer Limits, no bad thing in itself. The writing is superb. By the end of the first episode the characters are established as are their relationships and it would appear that Behr/Echevarria and co have lost none of their character-writing skills.

The series itself is kind of the flipside of TAKEN, however offers a quality of storytelling that just wasn't there in Spielberg's mini series.

Joel Gretsch of the aforementioned TAKEN heads the cast rather impressively in somewhat of a different role, abley assisted by a relatively unknown yet impressive cast.

One episode in, the series is intruiging, throwing up numerous questions that needs answering over the course of the series. Given the subject matter it's also somewhat of a relief that this doesn't really come across as being too derivative. It kind of picks up where CLOSE ENCOUNTERS left off.

Overall, I found it fascinating. USA may pick up the series for additional episodes, on this evidence my fingers are crossed. Impressive.

I watched this yesterday - a little too much like Taken which I liked a lot (more than most I admit) but still intriguing nonetheless.

Of course it would have been pretty short if they'd just came back with no effects :)

What I'd like to know is if the creators have a goal in mind. They are only concentrating on 4 or 5 of the 4400 so far and with things like this they could drag the wait for answers out too long imo. I know theres talk of another season but I hope thers some kind of ending this time around even if its not the full revelation of the aliens plans or whatever.

Given that Ira Behr's behind the series I don't have too many concerns about where the show's going. Overall he did pretty well resolving the multitude of threads that had adorned DS9 for the majority of it's run. Another aspect of DS9 that made it so successful was the planning. If Behr brings that to The 4400 I'd well imagine that we won't be disappointed.

One thing I would say about the pilot episode, just as I did with the opening episode of Five Days to Midnight earlier in the year, I spent a lot of it thinking "This would make a great episode of The Outer Limits".

Sky are looking to continue their current trend of buying into shows. If The 4400 goes to a second series Sky One will co-fund it.

Just heard that a 21st December release date for Region 1 DVD has been pencilled in for the series.

I watched the 2 hour pilot last night. I didn't want to start watching, till I had all the episodes. I loved it. Very pleased that this will probably get a second series. :thumbsup:

I'm reading J Michael Straczynski's Rising Stars at the moment, they're very similar, but both, very enjoyable !!

As you say, delighted that it looks like going to a second season. Given the massive numbers and the fact that Sky will be stumping up cash towards the cost, surely there's no way USA can turn it down.

Just watched the finale - don't worry no spoilers :)

All I will say is that the "season" was too short and I want more. The revelations/setup at the end for the continuation of the story leads in a very intrigiung direction and one that I hadn't thought of. More please.

Just watched the finale. Wow, that went in a completely different direction, than the way I thought it would. I guessed Kyle was going to be pivotal. I'm having an ongoing 'discussion' with hubby about Jordan though. Is he really one of the 4400? (he's obviously set that whole place up to gain access to them)

I have to say I've loved The 4400 and desperately hope it returns, but is it just me or is it more than just a little similar to JMS' comicbook series Rising Stars ??