speck
Jul 2002
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quote:
July 23, 2004 -- USA has a hit on its hands with "The 4400" - and there could be more episodes on the way.
The six-episode, sci-fi-flavored series shattered cable records in its July 11 debut and did well in its second outing - leading network and show officials to begin thinking about a second season.
"The concept has legs and the story engine has a couple of cops on the case so we know where it goes after six episodes," says Jeff Wachtel, USA's executive VP of longform and series entertainment.
"Our intention was always to treat it as an 'event' and as an extended pilot for a series."
Although there's nothing definitive yet, it's also likely that, should USA renew "The 4400," it would also air on one of USA's sister networks in what's called "re-purposing."
USA is now part of the NBC-Universal family, whose other networks include SCI FI and Bravo. Bravo's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" has been "re-purposed" on NBC, while USA's "The Dead Zone" also aired on SCI FI.
"The 4400" revolves around thousands of people who've vanished over the last 50 years - only to suddenly reappear after a brilliant flash of light near Mt. Rainier in Washington State.
The series averaged 7.4 million viewers in its premiere and was the highest-rated, most-watched new series premiere in basic-cable history.
Last Sunday's episode fell slightly to 5.6 million viewers, an average percentage dropoff for a new show's second episode.
"This is a clean and compelling concept so [the viewer] gets it right away," says Wachtel.
"And it's a big idea with a human face to it. Internally, we called the show 'Life Interrupted' ... it's the combination of a big concept and the humanity behind it that seems to be striking a chord."
"4400" executive producer Ira Behr says there's been some thought given as to where the show's plot could go if it's renewed for a full season.
"Of course, among ourselves, we theorized where we could go [with the show]," he says. "And there are certainly places I believe the show can go that are extremely interesting.
"If we felt it was 'six-and-out' [episodes] it would be difficult to get a jones for the show," he says. "But we could keep extrapolating various paths."
Behr feels the show's appeal to a more diverse audience - rather than only appealing to sci-fi fans - is a key to its success.
"It seems like everyone has an opinion on this subject," Behr says. "Basically it's about something that happens to people - there's not a lot of hardware and jargon involved and people don't feel gun-shy about tuning in ...they understand it."
http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/00011.htm
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07-12-2004 12:11 AM
Pretty good so far. I don't understand how they'll come to any sort of conclusion in 5 episodes.
