More Billy Campbell Lowdown

SciFiWire has a great and highly spoilery article regarding the mysterious re-appearance of Jordan Collier (Bill "Call Me Olly" Campbell) at the end of the second season of The 4400.

Although Collier was assassinated halfway through the second season, certain events—including the disappearance of his body and the subsequent appearance on a beach of a mysterious figure resembling him—led to speculation that he might not be gone for good.

Read the rest of the article here.

You can see even more recent and very nice pictures of Bill, Megalyn, Joel and Jacqui at ComicCon last week here, posted by findle on LiveJournal.

New Bill Campbell Article

There is a new and very, very awesome interview/article on MSNBC, with Bill Campbell about his work on The 4400 and Jordan Collier's future on the show. It also features many of Bill's cast members and Ira Steven Behr talking about Bill and Jordan. It's a terrific article and a great read, but obviously, there are many spoilers, too. You can read it here.

Comic Con Pictures!

I finally got my Comic Con pictures up and on-line at 4400Spoilers. (And don't worry, the post linked here, contains Con pictures, but no spoilers. Unless you consider the fact that Billy Campbell has a beard a spoiler ;)

Here's a teaser for you. :D

There are also some Comic Con related pictures up at WireImage. (Just search on the name of one of the stars, for example, Joel Gretsch, and it will take you to a page of pictures.)

Comic Con!

Hi, I'm literally just back from San Diego, and I bring fresh information on The 4400 Panel at ComicCon. Ira, Greg and company gave us some spectacular clips from upcoming episodes to mull over, and other good stuff too.

The panel took place yesterday and consisted of Ira Steven Behr, Greg Sweeney, Joel Gretsch, Jacqueline McKenzie, Megalyn Echikunwoke and Billy Campbell. Patrick was not there, :( and no reason was given for his abscense. But it was absolutely marvelous to have Billy there.

I got a spot in the fourth row center, and will have pictures in the next day or two, with the disclaimer, that I don't have the greatest camera in the world.

Billy, BTW, is still sporting his beard. And in case I forget to mention it, the cast is GORGEOUS in person, especially Jacqui. And I must say that Ira is quite fetching, blue beard and all. ;)

For more spoilery info and a detailed description of the clips go to 4400Spoilers on LJ!

New Megalyn TVGuide Interview

TVGuide has a new interview with Megalyn Echikunwoke, covering all kinds of topics such as her past roles, whether or not Isabelle is evil, whether she'll see Jordan again, and what it was like to make out with Patrick Flueger. Don't worry, most of the questions aren't that no-brainer. :)

You can read the entire thing here. Be aware, there are a few spoilers toward the end, including a huge honkin' spoiler for the season premiere of 24, apropos of nothing. Megalyn has some interesting thoughts about Isabelle and her approach to characterization which should mollify some of her many recent critics. (It made ME feel better, I should say.)

Jacqui's "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" Eppie!

"Umney's Last Case," the episode of TNT's mini-series Stephen King's Nightmares and Dreamscapes starring Jacqueline McKenzie and William H. Macy, premieres tonight on TNT at 9PM EST. I know it's short notice, because it completely slipped my mind to post it this morning, but the good news is, it'll be rerun tomorrow, Thursday, at 11PM EST, so those of us who missed it can see it then. To find out more about the series and Jacqueline's role on it, visit the official web site.

Ten Questions with Kaj!

A few weeks ago, I wrote to Kaj-Erik Eriksen ("Danny Farrell") and asked him if he'd agree to be interviewed for this blog. He agreed, and here are the results! My questions are in bold, and his answers are below them. Many thanks again to Kaj for taking the time out to do this!

*** THERE ARE SLIGHT VERY MINOR SPOILERS CONTAINED BELOW. PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.***

1. Okay, I totally realize this interview is supposed to be about "The 4400." But I'm a longtime closet Trekkie, and I thought your story arc on "Enterprise" was the best one that show ever had, so I have to get this out of the way first: what was that like for you? What can you tell us about having worked with Brent Spiner?
Aside from having to wear that horrible wig, Star Trek: [Enterprise] was great! I never watched Enterprise but I knew Brent Spiner from watching [Star Trek: The ]Next Generation when I was a kid. It was cool to see how comfortable he was on the set. I guess the crew has been the same on most of the Star Trek shows so he knew everybody.


2. Are you a sci-fi fan too, or is it just coincidence that you've gotten some roles on those kinds of shows? Is it a genre you'd like to do more of in the future?
It's a bit of a coincidence. I've never really done any sci-fi shows until The 4400, and now it's like I've been initiated into the sci-fi world. Right after I started working on The 4400 I booked The Dead Zone and then Star Trek shortly after that. I do like the sci-fi genre. I think the story lines in sci-fi shows are quite strong and they have a different structure than most hour-long dramas.

3. What else can we look forward to seeing you on in the near future? Are you working on anything right now? How long's your stint on Saved for?
I'm in a new Al Pacino film called 88 Minutes that's coming out soon. And I'm not sure how many episodes of Saved I'll be doing just yet. My character depends a lot on Misha (the bookie that Tom Everett Scott owes money to).

4. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How'd you get into acting in the first place? Is there an interesting story behind that? Did you always set out to be an actor or did you just kind of stumble upon it?
My mom got me into modeling when I was very young. When I was 6, I decided that I didn't like the whole modeling thing anymore. So my mother and I went to tell my agent that we were done. When we were sitting down with him he asked me if I wanted to try acting. It sounded like fun, so I gave it a shot and when I booked my first job, I was hooked right away.

5. And now on to the 4400-related questions. Danny, your guy on the show, irks some fans, but then, a lot of people totally feel his righteous indignation, too. (Me, I'm in the latter camp. Shawn done him wrong!) My question is - do *you* like Danny? Do you find him sympathetic and/or understand where he's coming from? Do you think your understanding of the character has come through on the show as much as you wanted?
I wish that Danny was a bit happier, yeah! He does come off a bit angrier than I wanted. I do have sympathy for him, though. I don't know if I like him, but I do understand where he's coming from. I tried to put myself in his shoes with the whole Nikki thing. That's a horrible thing to have happen to you, so of course he comes off a bit pissed. But there also has to be conflict right? Makes for good T.V.! I'm trying to play him a little happier in the new season (and since Shawn and him have made up).

6. What can you tell us about where your role on the show is going this year? What do we have to look forward to with that?
I haven't been around much this season. A lot of my stuff on the show last season was with Kyle. Since Chad Faust isn't around this year, there isn't as much for me to do. But I can say is that the family will be together very soon. (Well. Mom, Shawn and Danny anyways.. what the hell happened to Dad?!?)

7. Are he and Shawn going to patch things up? I'm guessing no, so if not, what do you think it would take for that to happen?
As far as patching things up, that little water fight they had at the end of last season is as much as they have addressed any kind of reconciliation vocally. Things are better between the two of them since then.

8. So, the Nova Group, NTAC, Ryland & Co., the 4400 Center people...Who are you rooting for to get their way at the end of it all? Who should be the last ones standing?
I'm rooting for the 4400s! They were taken for a reason.

9. What was your favorite episode to do? Which one was your least favorite? Why?
I think everybody's favorite episode to do was the pilot. The show was new, we were all excited and getting to know each other. It was a lot of fun. In terms of my favorite episode to watch... I like "The New Improved Carl Morrissey" episode. My least favorite would have to be "Life Interrupted," 'cause of that horrible little mustache I had to wear!!

10. Finally, if you were a 4400 returnee, with what crazy/ amazing ability would you want to come back?
I used to say x-ray vision but now I think I'd like to be able to control time!

2006 ComicCon Information

According to the web site, Ira Steven Behr and some members of the cast of The 4400 will be available for a panel discussion and autograph meet-and-greet at this year's ComicCon in San Diego,CA on Saturday, July 22, 2006. Here are the details of their appearance:

4:30-5:30 The 4400— Get a sneak peek at upcoming scenes from CBS Paramount Network Television's hit sci-fi series The 4400 for USA Network, followed by a panel discussion with series stars Joel Gretsch (Tom Baldwin), Jacqueline McKenzie (Diana Skouris), Patrick Flueger (Shawn Farrell), and Megalyn Echikunwoke (Isabelle Tyler) and executive producer Ira Steven Behr (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and producer Craig Sweeny (Medium). The third season of The 4400 sparks a new beginning for the 4400 people who, over a span of years, mysteriously disappeared—only to be returned to Earth all together in a ball of light. Though the returnees have not aged physically, many of them reappeared with dramatic abilities ranging from enhanced reflexes to precognition. NTAC (National Threat Assessment Command) is the government agency responsible for keeping track of the returnees and investigating all things related to the 4400. Craig Tomashoff, West Coast Bureau Chief at TV GUIDE, will moderate.

According to Jennifer, it will be difficult to go to the autograph session if you go to the panel, as they are back-to-back and by the time the panel's done, the autograph line will be too long for you to get a chance to meet them. Decisions, decisions! If anyone attends and wants to pass on any stories, anecdotes, transcripts, pictures or anything else about ComicCon, please do drop me a line at randomabductee at gmail dot com.

"Diana" paints for "Marco"

New eppy tonight! And in the interim, I hopped onto MySpace this morning and found this little note broadcast to everyone by Jacqueline McKenzie:

Please stop by my website for your chance to bid on a piece of art by yours truly!... I painted it specifically for Richard "Marco" Kahan to auction off in an effort to raise funds for his independent theatre company. I come from the theatre myself- and know what a hard slog it can be- particularly with no corporate backers etc etc

So do stop by and take a look at the piece. It's a 30" x 30" oil on canvas and it's called "first trip to the theatre". I painted up here in Vancouver, Canada. It will be signed/autographed to the lucky bidder.

The chance to bid should pop-up when you log in to: http://www.jacquimckenzie.com
Cheers and for those who can manage it, good luck!

You can also bid on it directly on the eBay.ca listing - anyone can bid on it anywhere in the world, and it's for a good cause. :) There is a photo in the eBay listing and the painting is really lovely. I sadly do not have $300 to spare, but maybe someone out there is interested in this!

***

The cast of The 4400 has its panel and autograph session at ComicCon next week in San Diego, so I should hopefully have some reports (and with any luck, pictures!) from various sources ASAP. If you have anything you'd like to share about the show or its cast, please be sure to email it to randomabductee at gmail dot com.

The 4400 Rocks USA's Ratings

The Futon Critic has posted a press release from the USA Network which reveals that The 4400 is one of the reasons that the network has held on to its #1 position in basic cable channels in all key demographics.

THE 4400 and THE DEAD ZONE continue to maintain USA's position as the #1 network for original series on Sunday night, with the two programs taking the top two spots in basic cable prime on Sunday among P25-54 (2 million in P25-54 for THE 4400 and 1.7 million in P25-54 for THE DEAD ZONE).

Read the entire press release here. A fourth season's pretty much in the bag, I'd say! (And on an only semi-related note, I couldn't possibly love Psych more than I do and am considering starting up a blog like this one for it. It's the best new show of the summer, IMHO.)

Stay tuned for some 4400 related ComicCon news! Cujoy, Jennifer, y'all better give me first dibs on whatever goodies you get from there ;)

I'm Back! And Wondering: Does Isabelle Work For You?

I try to blog something here at least every other day, but that all fell by the wayside when I got knocked on my tuchus by a killer flu. Sorry y'all :(

Needless to say, I have a LOT to catch up on, including ComicCon news and updates and spoilers and articles. A few tidbits:

SpoilerFix has spoilers all the way through episode 3.11, which only leaves two episodes to the season. If you're into that, go catch up and see what's happening. Maia's diary also has some interesting clues, explored and discussed here.

This is a little old, as it was posted a week or so ago, but Zap2It has an interview with Garrett Dillahunt, who played Matthew. I was pretty happy to see him die in "Graduation Day," I have to say. The actor is really handsome and everything, but damn, Matthew was paper-thin as a character.

I wanted to love her, but it seems as though Megalyn Echikunwoke's portrayal of Isabelle is falling flat, and for an awful lot of people. I have to admit that though she is beautiful, she is dwarfed in screen presence by Maharshalalhashbaz Ali, who is a powerfully charismatic actor, or even Patrick Flueger, with whom she really doesn't have nearly as much chemistry as I'd hoped she would (they sure make for a pretty picture, at least). I can see, through the writing, what they're trying to do with her, but Megalyn just rushes full speed ahead through all her dialogue with little inflection, emotion and even less enunciation. I say this as someone who liked her on Supernatural and Veronica Mars and was looking forward to seeing her on this show; I can't imagine the amounts of bile that must be coming from people who didn't enjoy her performance in those roles.

I think what really hit this home for me is when, in "Graduation Day," Diana talked about how whenever Isabelle looks at her, she gets the feeling that she's looking at ants she's considering pulling the legs off of. Jacqueline McKenzie could read the phone book and tell a good story in the process, so she sold that line as believable, but... that's not what we're seeing on screen, I'm sorry. We're seeing a scatter-brained, expressionless teenager. Other characters

That showdown between her and Tom should have been the episode's climax, but it just fell completely flat and was anti-climactic. It was like a dramatic vacuum. He became increasingly agitated and ambivalent, and she just stared blankly back at him. I think with that scene, the Isabelle subplot has officially become a rough patch in the show's mythology, and as someone who was really looking forward to this storyline, I find that really disappointing. I'm hoping that Jordan and Kyle and all the other subplots make up for it, and I AM invested in which of the two FuturePeople sects is The Real Evil, despite Isabelle being the focal point of that.

And it bears repeating: lack of Marco and lack of Kevin in the same episode hurts us, preciousssssss.

What do you think? Do you think Isabelle is effective as a character? Am I missing something here? Is she ruining the show for you? Are you somewhere in the middle? Tell me in the comments!

Thank Heaven for Little Blogs

According to Kaj-Erik Eriksen's blog, the first-season 4400 trading cards have been sent out to the actors for signing, so it does look like the July launch date is still in place for that. Kaj has some very vague spoilers about his upcoming participation in season 3, for those of you who are allergic to spoilers. And, awww, what an awesome post, and not just because Mr. Mister is love.

Over on Jacqui McKenzie's blog, she tells us that Bill Campbell is back on land from his wacky ship misadventures. The blog post is a little spoilery for you spoiler-avoiders among us. It is too cute to see her root for her hometeam for the World Cup.

I hadn't noticed this before, but the ship's web site has a picture of Bill Campbell in their crew manifest page. You have to scroll down to where it says William "Ollie" Campbell. All I'll say is that I hope "Ollie" shaves before he makes it back on to the show. ;)

New Article gives a sneak peek into "Gone, Part 2"

IGN has posted a positively glowing review of the second part of "Gone," set to air this Sunday on USA Network.

I thought I'd miss the "4400 of the week" set-up that past seasons have incorporated into the show, but when The 4400 pulls out these kinds of stories and performances, I could really care less now if I ever see one of those episodes again[.]

You can read the rest here.

I have a lot of articles to post this weekend. I'm way behind on the posting, 'cause I've had a cold, so bear with me. =)