The 4400 - "Ghost in the Machine"

This week was certainly better than last week, but I have to say that with every moment that passes on this show, it becomes more convoluted as to who is on which side. The producers probably think that those gray areas are interesting and that it puts them in line with similar dynamics on a show like Battlestar Galactica, but where its interesting to not know whether to identify with the Cylons, the complexities on this show simply push the viewer further and further away from any point at which they cared. And with the revelation at the end of this episode, it seems like the writers aren't done complicating their story lines. Hint: It's okay to give the viewer multiple people to root for, its not okay to make them hate everyone. I think Shawn Farrell is the last remaining character who has an arc and a position that makes any sense in the long range scope of the series.

This week, we unnecessarily start with NewBoss topless in bed. Evil Tom is awake and watching her sleep and she's creeped out by it. The next morning, Maia reminds us again while walking with Diana that she's not a little girl any more. They come across people freaking out in the streets because the ATMs are spewing money everywhere. It comes along with a message that sounds very much like Collier's M.O. At NTAC, nobody is sure. Diana tries to write it off to hackers and Marco has to disagree because its a ridiculous theory. Evil Tom wants to interview Collier, but says he's sneaking off to get another CAT scan. At Promise City, Jordan is hitting walls with convincing one of the names in the Book of Collier to take the P-shot, all due to Shawn. Cassie sets Kyle off on a mission to “take care of” Dr. Kevin Burkoff.

In reality, Tom was going to check on a captive Isabelle. She's being held at one of Tom's many properties (?), but she's not enjoying the view. He tells her that she needs to take her abilities back for her father's sake. She brings up the Promicin allergy, but Evil Tom can take care of that. He doesn't want to just stop the movement, but to eliminate all P-positives. Isabelle has finally caught on that this isn't Tom and he admits that he created her. It's her destiny to stop all the 4400 from destroying the world.

Cue obsolete credits.

At Promise City, Evil Tom and Diana interview Jordan and Kyle about the cash machine fiasco. Evil Tom has a daydream of going medieval on everyone's asses just to give USA fodder for red herring television spots. Back in reality, Collier doesn't take credit for the cash machines, but he endorses it.

At NTAC, Marco informs us that the computer viruses have spread to every facet of society. Every single one of them used the software of Evil Marked Bill Gates, I mean Emmeroff. Marco introduces the new hot nerd girl member of the Lone Gunmen, and every one in the room is uncomfortable with the stunt casting.

At home, Maia gets a call from one of her old 4400 buddies who tells her to come to Promise City to get an early birthday present. Maia agrees, despite being instructed to stay away from Jordan and his followers. At Microsoft, Evil Bill is attempting to placate high ranking members of the government. He's furious that Collier is behind all of this and he puts on a great show for Diana. He chews out Tom and gives them a binder of known enemies of his company and himself. Steve Jobs is the first suspect on page one.

At the 4400 Center, Shawn tries to get Kevin to relax, but he's at the end of his rope. His computer crashed, losing lots of data, and he isn't interested in massages or anything else Shawn has to offer. At NTAC, Diana takes Tom to task for going easy on Evil Bill. She's already getting suspicious of him. She follows him (good friend!) and observes a clandestine meeting between Tom and Evil Bill.

At the 4400 Center, Kevin is tricked out of his room by a thug impersonating River Tam's voice. Why was that necessary? At Tom's lake house, Isabelle tries to make an escape, but doesn't get far with no abilities. Who are these henchmen? They're not government or Jordan followers. Are they Marked? Doesn't seem like it. It's odd that they're just hired hands.

Tom comes clean with a cover story to Diana, but is pulled away when he gets a call about Isabelle's escape attempt. At the 4400 Center, Shawn finds that Kevin has been abducted. He immediately knows its Collier because “he knows about the compatibility test”. But he went public with it. Everyone knows about the compatibility test!

Isabelle tries to wax poetic about how she's much happier without any abilities at all. Evil Tom does a little convincing and Isabelle doesn't need much of a push. At NTAC, HotNerd cross-referenced the manifestos from the computer virus with Evil Bill threat letters and has found a match. They believe its a guy named Trask that Evil Bill ripped off. This has nothing to do with the Marked at all.

At Promise City, Maia's birthday present is a vision of her parents. They appear the same way Lilly did, still 1950s and everything. I don't have any idea where this is going. NTAC tracks down Trask, only to find out that he's had a stroke and is capable of very little. Of course, we saw how that didn't matter just earlier this season. NTAC isn't fooled, but Trask's daughter encourages him to continue. They figure that his life support systems must be connected to the internet for monitoring and he's able to get into the system somehow.

Back at Promise City, Dr. Kevin is impressed by Collier's work. Extinct butterflies and so much accomplished from the movement he helped start. But he's uncomfortable with Collier's religious status. Kevin's work cannot be allowed to continue and Collier tells him that he'll have to hold him until he agrees.

At NTAC, they're out of options, but Evil Tom is panicking, raising the suspicion of the women in his life. Back at home, Maia hides seeing her parents from her new mommy. Evil Bill is worried, but Evil Tom has a plan. He rams a stolen car into a power pole, shutting down the whole neighborhood. Trask hangs on, but his daughter can't get through on the phone. Without his life support, Trask slips away.

In the morning, NewBoss brings everyone up to speed and Evil Tom does the requisite emotions. The company and the economy rebounded and Evil Tom has to awkwardly explain away the gash on his head. At Jordan's, Shawn's finally come to visit. How many days has it been now since Kevin was kidnapped? Collier tells Shawn again to throw support behind the P-shot, and when he doesn't, he's banned from Promise City.

Diana examines the car Evil Tom used on the power pole and manages to find a piece of blood stained glass. Evil Tom checks on Isabelle and gives her the P-shot. He also informs her that she was embedded with a “kill switch”. If she gets the wrong idea or doesn't obey, he can take her out in an instant. Elsewhere, Marco secretly meets with Diana to give her the results from the blood. There's an eighty percent chance that it's Tom Baldwin's. Music sting. Which is pointless, because we know that there's a one hundred percent chance that it's Tom's!

At NTAC, Diana rats on Evil Tom to NewBoss. NewBoss drops the bomb that they were sleeping together. They start to make plans right when Evil Tom shows to creep them out. Does he know? Or not? They make excuses and skedaddle, but Evil Tom looks as if he's not fooled in the least. Later, he pays a visit to Evil Bill Gates and tells him that he's through. There's too many eyes on him now and he has to take care of it. And there's only one way. At Promise City, Maia continues to meet with her fictional parents, explaining what ipods are. I hope this is setting up... something. Shawn makes plans to use Tess to get Kevin back. Isabelle returns to Collier's fold and smooches with her ex-fiancee's estranged cousin who is also the son of the Evil version of the man who re-P'ed her. Evil Bill Gates kills himself, but as we hear Tom telling an unseen Marked, it's all for the best. Because soon he will be Actually Evil Jordan Collier.

NEXT WEEK: Not for two weeks... and it's a break from this show that this recapper could certainly use.