“Suffer The Children”

“Suffer the Children” does what most good episodes do. It may be filler as the overall arc certainly doesn’t advance a whole lot, but it doesn’t matter. The connection between people are optimal and serve the story well.

We open with Jordan having another attack and Shawn healing him. Jordan blames it on Isabella, but instead claims that he is now happy it happened. Isabella judged him and found him wanting. Now he is reborn. It’s an interesting attempt to give humanity to Collier. It instills plausible doubt as to his intentions.

Lily and Richard are on the run still. Lily dreams of interacting with her first daughter and her ex-husband. It’s obvious the road is wearing them all down, and to be honest…it’s wearing down on me as a viewer too. It’s getting a little old.

The 4400er of the week is Heather Tobey. A junior high teacher whose gift is reaching those with talents in the arts and developing them super quickly. For example, she gave a young kid a violin and in two weeks he was scholarship worthy. It’s an interesting gift indeed.

While at a 4400 press conference at a local park, a few homeless kids crash it, stealing some food, and rustling up security. Shawn sees them and immediately sympathizes with them, telling security to let them go.

Meanwhile while at a gas station, Richard is recognized by a police official and is arrested. He motions Lily to drive off without him, which she does. Soon after Richard gets a surprise visit from Collier. Collier wants to make an offer to Richard who is unsurprisingly not interested, initially.

Shawn goes to where the homeless are gathering and buys them pizza. Liv, the girl from the park, acts out, both trying to seduce and insult Shawn, but he wears her down and they hang out together. Shawn tells Collier about his plans to help them, and Collier seems all for it but warns him not to reveal his powers.

In the just so we remember you moment, we see Kyle hanging out with Danny. When Danny starts a fight with an older college kid, Kyle experiences a blackout and is suddenly at home pouring juice.

Back at the homeless area, Shawn and Liv are getting close again after Shawn buys them jackets and Liv a guitar. Suddenly Liv’s cracked out boyfriend shows up making trouble, and turning Liv into a meek, controlled woman who tells him to leave.

Meanwhile Tobey is reinstated despite some parents balking at it, one in particular who has gone so far as to refuse his son to go back to the school. This kid Greg snaps and brings in a gun to school, trying to force Tobey to make him special, like she made the others. Unfortunately her gift doesn’t quite work in that fashion. There has to be a talent to unearth, and Greg is not skilled in that realm.

Tom and Dina bring in Greg’s father to talk him down via intercom. It is handled a little too quickly for my tastes, lessening the overall drama, but the 4400er of the week is not the central story…and that is the problem, it’s hard to tell what the central story is. If I was forced to pick one, it’d be the Collier-Tyler-Lily storyline but it’s not a given.

Back to that tale Collier wants Richard and Lily to return home and he suggests that they meet with Isabella and let her judge him. Tyler is intrigued because he knows how well she can protect herself.

Meanwhile one of Liv’s friends shows up at the 4400 center seeking Shawn’s help. It turns out Liv’s boyfriend sold her guitar and used to it buy heroin, which he overdosed on. Shawn hesitates but then heals him revealing his powers and sure enough, fulfilling Collier’s prophecy, all of the homeless ask for healing, in a sequence reminiscent of Jesus Christ Superstar. He is forced to leave quickly.

Collier meets with Richard and Lily. Isabella greets Collier with a smile and approves of him. So it looks like life on the road is over. And just in time.

All in all it was a better episode than the second season had offered thus far, although it still is slow to advance any overall arc. There is a lack of focus in the second season that needs to be addressed. But even without the overall focus, and while it did tread water, it went by inoffensively.

B-

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