4400 Libertarian Activists

[dalebert]

Anyone watching 4400? In case you're not, this is a very libertarian show. The last episode had this wise elderly woman quoting Ben Franklin.

4400 people who had vanished over the years suddenly reappeared in a ball of light and started exhibiting strange powers. There is an intrusive government agency that was started to investigate disturbances that some had caused by their abilities. As of this season, the government has completely banned any use of their abilities that doesn't have specific government approval, even if it's beneficial. One guy offered to heal a bunch of people and was threatened with arrest.

There is a clear analogy about gun control. When they discovered a substance that could cause anyone who took it to develop an ability, the government started experimenting on soldiers to create a super army. Meanwhile, someone else stole the substance and gave it to EVERYONE around the world, being careful to warn them about the repercussions.

I highly recommend this show.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Due to Porcfest, I think, I missed the beginning last year, so, I passed on the entire season.  I will have to catch up on netflix or something, before I will watch this season.  I did watch 'the dead zone' that followed 4400.  I guess I missed most of the last season of that show, too!  If Sunday's show was any example, I think it has jumped the shark.

[Dreepa]

Looks like this is season 4.

[toowm]

I've got the first three seasons on DVD and am Tivoing the fourth. We're about 10 episodes behind.

The libertarian message on the 4400 is sort of dystopian. The main characters, the folks you're supposed to like, are federal cops who frequently do "what's right" by initiating force, lying, etc. It's just some of the 4400 who have a freedom message.

[dalebert]

I've got the first three seasons on DVD and am Tivoing the fourth. We're about 10 episodes behind.

The libertarian message on the 4400 is sort of dystopian. The main characters, the folks you're supposed to like, are federal cops who frequently do "what's right" by initiating force, lying, etc. It's just some of the 4400 who have a freedom message.

But the main characters are developing. They didn't start off perfect and knowing everything that's right or wrong. That's good story-telling. Just this last episode they went after someone who had taken the illegal substance and gained a harmless ability and was posting a very pro-freedom blog about it, and one of the "cops" was making smart-assed remarks to her boss comparing their actions to those of a police state.

[toowm]

Now Quark-
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had some very libertarian themes.

Although the Gene "we outgrew the need for money" Rodenberry was more of a UN-utopian.

[Dave Ridley]

i'm glad to hear the show is still going....i like the way it has that babylon 5 type complex characters who are each part good and part evil.     i've only seen season one tho

[error]

I've never watched The 4400. Is it really worth bothering?

[burnthebeautiful]

I loved the first season of 4400. It was intended to be a 5-part miniseries, and that's what the first season was: A miniseries. Then they decided to turn the miniseries into a TV show and ordered a second season.  About halfway through the second season, I got bored of the show and stopped watched.

[error]

BitTorrent, here I come!

[dalebert]

About halfway through the second season, I got bored of the show and stopped watched.

I thought they were 2 shows into the second season. Am I mistaken?

[Dreepa]

About halfway through the second season, I got bored of the show and stopped watched.

I thought they were 2 shows into the second season. Am I mistaken?

I think it is season 4.

[Lloyd Danforth]

3 or 4.  I had made a decision not to get involved with it when it first ran. Then I watched a marathon of the first season and got hooked.   

[Dreepa]

About halfway through the second season, I got bored of the show and stopped watched.

I thought they were 2 shows into the second season. Am I mistaken?

I think it is season 4.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_4400

[KBCraig]

I'll be sure to not watch it, in order to save it from the fate of Jericho, which was the last series I cared about.

At least they're shooting 7 more episodes as a mid-season replacement for next fall, but only after fans sent over 40,000 pounds of nuts to CBS in response to the cancellation.