By Jennifer Larson

What would you do if you had the ability to astrally project? Would you go to faraway and exotic places, or would you grab the opportunity to sit front row and center at the concert of your favorite band?

In this episode, the latest non-4400 to acquire an ability is faced with this thrilling prospect. Audrey Parker (Constance Towers) — riddled with crippling arthritis in her old age — chooses to transport herself to benign places, such as an art gallery. Once a daring and beautiful woman, Audrey has become somewhat of a recluse, and her greatest desire is just to be a part of the world again. Unfortunately — for me — it would have been a much more exciting episode had she chosen that rock concert instead. It was a sweet story that played on the independence of a woman from a bygone era, but it just didn’t capture my imagination, and that’s what I look for in THE 4400. To be perfectly honest, while I enjoy the fact that they have individual stories that are tied up as neatly as a Christmas day package each week, I prefer the ongoing story lines, and tonight they were hard to find. There were, however, some intriguing elements to the show.

Midway through one of her astral projections, Audrey Parker is murdered right before the NTAC (National Threat Assessment Command) caches up with her. Because Promicin is illegal and Audrey has blatantly boasted — in a blog, no less — about her use of the substance, NTAC is looking to capture this corrupt granny, lock her up and throw away the key. Even in the fantasy world of TV, the government can’t get it right.

Now this poor woman’s spirit is stuck in limbo, and must find a way to let the authorities know that she did not commit suicide, which is their immediate conclusion. Here’s where I got really confused. Somehow, based on a message they are able to hear once they clean up the mysterious static on Diana’s (Jacqueline McKenzie) phone, the crack technology team at NTAC immediately figures out that granny had the ability to astrally project, and that her spirit must have somehow gotten locked out of her body once she died. It’s a stretch to think that any governmental agency can come up with an answer that quickly, even in a sci-fi drama.

While Tom (Joel Gretsch) and Diana are hot on the heels of a killer, Shawn (Patrick Flueger) has decided to use his ability once again by reopening his healing foundation, regardless of what the law says. As you can imagine — once the word got out — this drew quite a crowd. I think Jordan Collier (Bill Campbell) may have a fight on his hands for leader of the world, with this guy around. I mean, Shawn can heal the sick and infirm, he’s a noble man who wants nothing more than to help people, and he’s hot! But, Shawn may have to go through his cousin, Kyle (Chad Faust) first. It turns out that Kyle’s imaginary friend, Cassie (Tristin Leffler), has returned, and claims to be the ability he acquired from taking Promicin. I guess she’s supposed to be some sort of guide; showing him the way to his future, which includes helping Jordan lead the world to salvation. Sounds like kooky stuff, but according to “The White Light Handbook,” this has all been prophesized, so it must be true. Things do start to take a turn for the weirder when Cassie informs Kyle that an event which will take place later that night will be the catalyst.

Kyle meets Cassie at the place and time she has insisted, and witnesses a car crash involving a police van. When he runs to check it out, who do you think is frantically attempting to break free from her shackles … Isabelle (Megalyn Echikunwoke). When we last saw her, she was in jail for the attempted murder of her fiancé, Shawn. Apparently, the inhibitor she was given has rendered her allergic to Promicin. This leads the authorities to believe she is no longer a threat. She was supposed to be on her way to a lower-security prison, but it seems as if she may have more important things to do. I don’t know, but it strikes me that the trio of Jordan, Kyle and Isabelle will lead to nothing but trouble, and I — for one — am eagerly anticipating the outcome.