By Jennifer Larson

THE 4400 is one of those rare commodities in the television world: a summer hit. Not only is it a hit, it’s worthy of being put up against the — oftentimes overhyped —  fall lineup on the major (non-cable) networks. In the first three seasons, writer-creators Scott Peters and Rene Echevarria brought us an amalgam of sci-fi, mystery and human drama, and from the looks of it, the fourth season will be much of the same. That’s what makes this show so compelling to watch. Better yet, the show provides answers to its mysteries along the way, as opposed to other sci-fi shows that never leave the viewer feeling satisfied … can anyone say LOST, or perhaps remember THE X-FILES?

In this week’s installment of THE 4400, Tom (Joel Gretsch) and Diana (Jacqueline McKenzie) are reunited when Diana comes back from her sabbatical in Spain, and they are on the hunt for a person who has the power to make people’s phobias come to life. The episode opens with scenes of people falling victim to some of life’s common fears — claustrophobia and a fear of clowns. (This is what makes THE 4400 so great! A fear of clowns? Come on, you have to admit the writers have tapped into everybody’s psyche and fleshed out a storyline that just about anyone can relate to. Well, at least anyone who’s seen POLTERGEIST can relate to it.)

Meanwhile, Shawn (Patrick Flueger), who has just awoken from his three-month coma, is coming to terms with the fact that his mentor, Jordan Collier (Bill Campbell) has been handing out free Promicin like it was candy on Halloween.

One of the compelling aspects of this show is that in addition to ongoing story lines, there are weekly plots that get tied up by the end of each episode. And, two episodes in, we are beginning to realize that Promicin may work on the 4400 abductees differently than it does on everyone else. It appears that the average citizen who takes this substance gets a power, or ability, that comes from their subconscious.Tonight, we see little Brandon — who is autistic — unwittingly create a horrific reality of fear for those who come into contact with him. (The terror that his victims face must be just a glimpse into the reality of everyday life for an autistic.) Brandon was given a shot of Promicin by his father, who was hoping for nothing more than a hug and a loving word from his son. But, that’s the problem with this green elixir; one never knows what will transpire after taking it. And, considering that there is a 50/50 chance of dying from it, Shawn is none too pleased when his brother, Danny (Kaj-Erik Eriksen), advises him that he plans on testing it out on himself.

Of course, because there has been a bitter rivalry between the two since Shawn came back from the future and fell in love with Danny’s long-since-forgotten girlfriend; it seems pretty obvious Danny’s real motivation is to crawl out from under his brother’s long shadow. Despite that, Shawn decides to give in to his brother’s pleas; before the episode ends, he hands him a vial to use at his own discretion.

And, what of Jordan, the self-proclaimed leader and messiah of the 4400? Is he to be trusted or feared? Tonight, we may have gotten a little more insight into just that.

Kyle’s mysterious new friend Cassie (Tristin Leffler) has taken him on a quest to find the answers he is searching for. This new twist is actually pretty cool. We find out that more than 100 years ago, a religious cult called The White Light prophesized a messiah raising from the dead and leading his people. Hmm, sound familiar? Maybe Jordan isn’t an evil nutcase after all. But, here’s the kicker: it turns out little miss Cassie isn’t real. We realize this near the end of the episode, when she freakishly appears in Kyle’s bedroom only to be seen by him but not his father. Could she be one of the notorious people from the future? Or, maybe she is one of the cult followers from the past? We’ll just have to see how this one unfolds.

Sadly, the love of Tom’s life, Alana (Karina Lombard) is still missing. However, he has found a painting that bears a striking resemblance to his ladylove. One problem: it was painted in the 1800s. This could mean one of two things; either the future yanked her away and plopped her down in the past, or she came from the past and our present is her future. OK, that's a little confusing. Maybe it’s just better to stay tuned and find out.