The 4400

A grabber from the start, quickly moving beyond the sci-fi label to uncharted drama territory. Its tale - executive produced by Francis Ford Coppola - takes place on Earth and in the present day, which should help attract sci-fi-resistant viewers. Even better, its situations are viscerally relatable, hardly as removed from our daily lives as so many other out-there allegories. [11 July 2004, p.11]

Spooky and intriguing and almost everything that a science fiction series should be.

If the concept is captivating, the execution, at least in the pilot, leaves something to be desired. [12 July 2004, p.e37]

[A] smartly crafted show.

What distinguishes The 4400 is its representation of the sense of alienation that pervades post-9/11 America.

There is -- so far -- nothing remarkable about the miniseries, which is full of things you have seen before, sometimes tweaked and sometimes not. (There is nothing new under the sci-fi sun.) It’s fairly corny and way too serious, given the manifold opportunities it offers for humor. It plays strictly by the rules, so that one completely understands what one should feel about these characters without necessarily actually feeling it. But if you’re in a charitable mood, or indeed are an active connoisseur of B-grade science fiction, that may be enough. And there may be surprises ahead -- some revelation beyond expectation. I’m willing, even hoping, to be surprised.

Feels like a retread.