The 4400 season 1 v. season 2 (some spoilers)

[danzig138]

In the Heroes thread, someone brought up The 4400. I watched the 1st season a while back when someone loaned me the discs (Boy, was I surprised to learn it was only 6 eps). I recently watched it again to refresh my memory for the season 2 discs I have coming on Netflix.

So far, I've finished the first disc of season 2 (through Weight of the World with Robert Picardo - not a very good ep, and a waste of Picardo I thought). So please don't spoil anything beyond that episode. Thanks.

Is it me, or does there seem to be a difference in the show going into the 2nd season? Not just the cast changes (so far, I really dislike the woman in charge who replaced the older guy who was friends with the lead), but things like NTAC instead of Homeland Security references. That was one of the things I liked in the 1st season, the references to Homeland Security (arrested as terrorists/enemy combatants, ha!). Jordan Collier seems to be changing into a more stereotypical tv villain. Even the writing and direction seem different. It almost feels like a different show.

Has anyone else noticed this? And if so, does it continue throughout the season, or is it a beginning of the season warming up kind of thing?

Or am I just crazy and wrong?

 

[Ahnehnois]

so far, I really dislike the woman in charge who replaced the older guy who was friends with the lead

That would be Ryland, who figured prominently in the third season, although he certainly didn't go back to his old position. Collier also takes on a rather different role eventually.

I would agree that the tone of the show became different, largely I would think because of the differences between a miniseries and the creators knowing they have an entire season to work with. It seems like every episode new characters and plotlines are added, sometimes to the point where you just lose track of stuff. I still certainly find it worth watching.

 

[danzig138]

Collier also takes on a rather different role eventually.

Well, I'm interested in seeing how that develops.

I would agree that the tone of the show became different, largely I would think because of the differences between a miniseries and the creators knowing they have an entire season to work with. It seems like every episode new characters and plotlines are added, sometimes to the point where you just lose track of stuff. I still certainly find it worth watching.

Certainly it's still worth watching - I haven't cancelled the incoming discs or anything. The overall storyline is interesting, and I'm curious to know where they're going with the baby (Rose?). But as you said, the tone changed some. It probably does have something to do with going from a 6-ep season to having more episodes to work out and deal with.

 

[joshhg]

The second season is most definetly the slowest of the seasons. It has about fifty percent to do with the writers getting used to writting a whole season's worth of shows, ten percent to do with the fact that the writers didn't expect there to be a second season, and another fourty percent to do with the fact that in the second season they are wrapping up the threads from the first season and planting the seeds for the plots in the second and third season.
Hang with it, it'll pick up, and hang on for the third season.

And if you want to find out what songs they used in the second season, look it up on the 4400 official website. It is pretty cool.

And since you've seen the end of the first season, a little quote for you from the third season, hidden just in case:
[sblock]The war for the future will be fought in the past.[/sblock]

 

[danzig138]

Hang with it, it'll pick up, and hang on for the third season.

Cool. Then I'll just take this as a small bump in the road. No big, even my favorite shows have had those.

And if you want to find out what songs they used in the second season, look it up on the 4400 official website. It is pretty cool.

While I haven't heard anything from the second season yet that caught my attention, I've been trying to figure out a song from the first season, maybe the first episode. It played at least twice in the ep, with a female doing the vocals, but I haven't been able to track it down. I think it went something like "(something something) don't be long, I worry about you when you're gone".

 

[PhoenixDarkDirk]

That's "Worry About You" by Ivy. The "(something something)" is "Bye-bye, baby".

 

[Simplicity]

One of the things I like about the 4400 is that the characters develop over time. Jordan Collier and Shawn in particular go through massive changes through the seasons. I won't say any more than that though for fear of spoiling things.

The second season is quite a bit different from the first though. The first season was kind of like the X-files... Weird stuff from guy #1. Weird stuff from guy #2... Season 2 starts turning more into a serial superhero drama, I think.

 

[danzig138]

That's "Worry About You" by Ivy. The "(something something)" is "Bye-bye, baby".

Found a sample. Yep, that's the tune. Thanks.