The 4400 - Graduation Day Reviewed
By John Crawford

It wasn't until I watched the episode a second time did I realize where they came up with the title (Graduation Day). I'm glad we finally get to see what Isabelle can do. Maybe the people that abducted the 4400's in the first place are the bad guys. This temporal cold war going on in the future has allot of twists left in it I'm sure. But the line between the good guys and the bad guys is not so clear when it comes to Isabelle. Why would they want her killed? Let's hope those questions are answered sometime in the series lifetime.

The episode opens with Diana telling Tom to come with her. A confused Tom follows Diana to an interrogation room where Isabelle is seated. Tom says to go ahead and get this out of the way, they have a long day ahead. Tom takes the syringe and sticks the needle into Isabelle’s forearm, she lets out a frightening scream. Tom wakes up startled, goes to his safe and checks to see that he still has the syringe.

They cut to Shawn who is all bloody and now delusional because he cannot find the bug. He says he's going to get a full body x-ray. On the way he runs into Maia, rather she runs into him face first and falls down. She is shaken, but not really hurt. Shawn, in his delusional state, tries to heal her but he only makes her worse. We later find that Shawn has Disorganized Schizophrenia after being examined by Dr. Clayton (Rob LaBelle aka Crazy Eddie from First Wave).

The storyline with Alana and Todd Barstow are very good. Here's this junior high aged teenager giving therapy to a grown woman. Seems that when he talks to someone he can feel what he or she feel, and why he or she feel that way. He says he can feel the sadness-rage inside her. He tells Alana that he can feel the loss of her husband and son to a drunk driver, and later reveals the name of the drunk driver (Keane Driscoll).

Alana finds the man at an AA meeting. She doesn't tell him right away, but allows him to tell his story of how he hit bottom, and how he pulled himself out of it. Eventually she confronts him about the incident that killed her husband and son, she tells him that she will never let him forget about what happened. To Alana's shock, she reads in the newspaper that Mr. Driscoll was seriously hurt in a car accident, and she knows she caused it.

Meanwhile Tom and Diana are trying to figure out what happened to Shawn, and have strong suspicions it was Daniel Armand from the NOVA Group. Although Diana is a bit more skeptical, Tom sees the cause and effect, and is sure Daniel is behind Shawn's sudden mental breakdown.

Richard gets a tip from Zachary Gidlund who says he was approached about 6 weeks before about joining NOVA. He gives the name of Jane Nance and leaves. Isabelle confronts him a few minutes later... Isabelle goes to Shawn's room to pack some of his clothes, Matthew comes in and tries to stop her, they argue. He reminds her of what her mission is, to kill all 4400's. He tells Isabelle "You need me", but they are his last words as she causes him to have a massive stroke that takes his life. Isabelle remarks "I don't think I do... It's graduation day."

Isabelle takes Shawn from the Abendson Psychiatric Care Institute, the same place that we found Tess Doerner (Summer Glau, Dr. Kevin Burkhardt (Jeffrey Combs, and Dr. Clayton.

Isabelle's first stop is Jane Nance's house. By the time NTAC agents arrive at Jane Nance's house, she is dead. She then goes to Jorge Molina's business, kills him and torches the place. Isabelle tracks down Daniel Armand and convinces him to "release" Shawn. She then turns his ability on him, as she did to the others. She contends she did not kill them. NTAC shows up, but Richard convinces them to allow him to go in first and get control of the situation. Richard is able to convince Isabelle to go quietly.

Isabelle is later released after they find no proof that she killed Matthew, Jane or Jorge. She is not a 4400, and has no known special abilities. When Richard gets her back to The 4400 Center and into her room, Tom is waiting for her with the syringe given to him by Sarah. He tells Isabelle the lady that gave it to him said she (Isabelle) was evil, and he had to kill her (Isabelle). She tells Tom what Matthew said, that she was to kill all 4400's. She said she has turned her back on what she was told to do. Isabelle challenges Tom to inject her, but he refuses, not until he has more evidence.

The last scene is about Isabelle checking in to the front desk of the Haspell Corporation, and that she has an appointment with our old friend Dennis Ryland.

About the Author