Over a period of 60 years, 4,400 people were declared missing or dead. But all at once, they were returned in a fantastic ball of light not far from Seattle with absolutely no memory of where they had been.

None of them have aged, and some have even returned with amazing new abilities that will change the course of human development. And while dealing with a hostile world intent on persecution for the simple reason that they have returned, most are simply trying to reconnect with their lives and start afresh.

You have to admit, thats a pretty ambitious concept for a series to take on, and four years ago when the series made its debut, I thought it sounded a little too much like the SciFi Channel original mini-series Taken. That might actually be the reason I missed the first couple of episodes and rashly decided there was no point to tuning in if Id missed the beginning.

I cant even begin to express how wrong I was!

At Christmas I bought the first two seasons for my father, who constantly raves how great the show is. Recently, I decided to fill some free time by watching the first season. I popped the disc into the drawer and sat back with no expectations whatsoever ... and I was completely blown away with what I saw.

To begin with, it looked like Tom (Joel Gretsch) and Diana (Jacqueline McKenzie) were just another Mulder and Scully clone. But I quickly learned that simply wasnt the case. Together they brought a new and exciting dynamic to the screens, with an enigmatic son (Chad Faust) who has an otherworldly purpose and the adorable Maia Rutledge (Conchita Campbell) with the ability to predict the future.

After rattling through their adventures in Season 1 at breakneck speeds, I jumped straight into the second season and continued to watch episode after episode -- I was hooked. I dont even want to think about the number of nights I spent watching the series into the early hours of the morning muttering "just one more episode."

Twists followed turns followed twists, and the story sent me through so many loops and twirls that I could easily have been on a roller coaster.

From the very beginning when I realized that this was going to be one of those shows where my arms need to stay inside until I reach a complete stop, I was instantly fascinated by the character of Jordan Collier (Billy Campbell) and his backhanded tactics to get what he wants. Out of all of the 4400, he was the one with a vision and with some kind of advanced knowledge about what was going to happen next. Each episode had me asking the questions, "Is he good, is he bad, whats his final agenda?" with no sign of an answer in sight.

And just like that, he was assassinated and removed from the equation completely. That particular episode caused quite a lot of noise, as even with the assassination being proclaimed at the beginning of the episode I was still thrown off balance that it actually took place. But before I even had a chance to think about what the series would be like without him, the killer was revealed as none other than Kyle Baldwin.

Even in his absence, Collier left behind a legacy that would dictate the course of action several of his followers would take. Particularly, Sean (Patrick Flueger) and Richard (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali), who both slowly stepped up to become leaders within the 4400 community. Sean very quickly took control of the 4400 religious society, using his personal charm and charisma to reach out and heal the souls of everyone he touched. And then when things are at their darkest, Richard reverted to his military background in order to lead all 4400s to freedom when the government was ready to classify them a threat to national security and force them back into quarantine.

Amongst all of this excitement, I was completely taken aback by the sheer number of familiar faces who make their presence known on the series: Summer Glau, Robert Picardo and Jeffery Combs are among my favorites.

At no point does the series grow cold, even after solving the tantalizing mystery at the end of Season 1, and then throwing in what the producers call a tree-bending moment, the series successfully rebooted in a way that continued with the natural progression of the characters without the feeling of something completely unfamiliar and unnatural. As Season 2 came to a close, the producers managed to throw in yet another tree-bending moment as Collier was resurrected by a ball of light and baby Isabelle instantly became an adult, shattering the mythology once again.

The third season DVD set is now sitting on my desk calling my name, and Season 4 episodes are already being accumulated on my Sky Plus box waiting for their chance to dazzle me. Looks like Ive got another few sleepless nights ahead of me.

SyBits

So James Nesbitt might be taking over the role of Doctor Who huh? I hope Im not alone, but I am a little afraid of what this means for the series. Nesbitt is a brilliant actor, but he is not a Doctor.

Christopher Eccleston reinvented the series, and he was a fantastic Doctor (and my favorite), and David Tennant has done a brilliant job of continuing with the role. But Nesbitt just doesnt sit well with me as the next occupant of the Tardis.

Its also been a triumph for "Jericho" fans this week as CBS admitted that the show's cancellation was nothing more than an oversight on their part and the reruns of the first season are holding their own. Its good to hear the show will be continuing for another season and that CBS is giving it the chance that so many other shows were denied.

Do you love a series that was cancelled before it had a chance to finish its story, or maybe a show that had only just begun to find its feet? If so, please drop me an e-mail with your opinions and they might get a mention in next week's SciFriday column as Michael Hinman continues in his well-deserved August vacation.

But until then, heres this week's mail:

Like a lot of people, I use my computer all day for work. As a result, when I get home I can't bear the thought of even turning it on. That doesn't mean that I'm not interested in saving a show like "The Dresden Files," which has a good premise and a wealth of rich material in the novels to draw on. By contrast, the episodes of "Masters of Horror" that I was able to sit through seemed to be gruesome for its own sake and not particularly interesting. Perhaps if I used the Internet for personal stuff, I would know better how to find the boards and campaigns that you mention in your column. Any suggestions.

- - Anonymous

You know, that is an excellent point. With TV shows dropping like flies, it is amazing to see fans drawing together to express their passion for the shows they tune in to each week. But those fans online represent only the tip of the iceberg (as the network executives are most likely aware) when you consider all of the countless fans out there who dont have the Internet or who find no pleasure in surfing the web after a long day glued to a computer screen. Take Farscape for example, where one of the tactics adopted by the Save Farscape campaign was to expand the seriesreach by donating DVDs to local libraries and community centers in the hopes of drawing more fans to the series.

While you mention the "Farscape" cancellation, you were only telling half of the story. When the ratings went down, it was because SciFi Channel caused it. They moved "Farscape" from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., and a lot of the younger fans missed the show because of their bed times. And that not withstanding, it is the way they told lies to the fans that made us angry.

First SciFi Channel said they were scaling back to a half season. OK, fine. Then, at the last minute, they say, "Nope, we are not doing any thing," very similar to when 'Angel' was cancelled. With all the outcry, they said they would do a couple of telemovies to finish out some of the storylines, then after the series finale, guess what? They changed their minds.

I have been a big "Stargate SG-1" fan since its days on Showtime, but as big of a fan I am, I plan on not buying or renting either of the two DVD movies. I feel they are doing a great disrespect to the fans, by making us pay $19.95 for a two-hour television show when you can buy a whole season for the same price. There were at least two shows in the last season that could have been cut, and not affected the storyline.

-- Pappy Maverick

I have to stop you right there. Farscape may have had a younger audience, but at the heart of it, the series featured some pretty adult content and that was part of what made the series unique. When Kirk flew from planet to planet trying to seduce a new alien in "Star Trek," it was always kept decent. Farscape on the other hand was no-holds barred, violent and in some places cruder than any science-fiction series I know. There were several episodes featuring some rather interesting scenes between Chiana and DArgo which were just missing some really bad saxophone music before they became X-rated. Farscape was an adult show.

But I do agree with you on the Stargate front. I have watched the series since the third season (yes, that was another show where I was late to the party) and it does seem like after all my support over the years I am being asked to pay just to see the ending. However, you should look at it this way. Unending was the end of the series. The Ark of Truth and Continuum are a bonus continuation that my money will pay for -- the more people who buy the telemovies, the more chance we have of seeing future adventures from the SG-1 team.

I'm here for another week, and Michael will be back doing SciFriday again Aug. 17. See you then!

Alan Stanley Blair is the assistant news editor of Airlock Alpha, contributing from his home country of Scotland. He can be reached at ablair@airlockalpha.com.