Mahershala Ali, known for his compelling performances in roles such as Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes in Luke Cage and the Prowler in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, will not be bringing Blade to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as the film has been officially scrapped. While Ali's superhero aspirations with Marvel are currently on hold, fans can revisit his earlier breakout performance in the largely overlooked science fiction series, The 4400, now available for free streaming on Tubi.
The series, which originally premiered on CBS in 2004, stars Ali as Richard Tyler, a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who mysteriously reappears in present-day Washington alongside 4,399 other individuals who had previously vanished without a trace and have not aged.
Contrary to typical mystery-driven narratives, The 4400 resolved its central enigma within its five-episode first season. The revelation was that a clandestine group from the future had abducted the 4400 from various points in history, administering a neurotransmitter called promicin to imbue them with extraordinary abilities. Their return to 2004 was intended to avert an impending global catastrophe.
The emergence of these powers was gradual, with only a few characters exhibiting abilities in the initial season. The show's second season exposed the duplicity of Dennis Ryland, the head of the government agency tasked with managing the phenomenon. Ryland was aware of promicin and had secretly administered an inhibitor to the 4400, intended to suppress their powers. This truth surfaced when the inhibitor began to exhibit dangerous, potentially fatal side effects, prompting a search for a cure. Actor Peter Coyote, who portrayed Ryland, defended the character's motivations, emphasizing the perceived necessity of prioritizing public safety over the welfare of the 4400.
Following the discontinuation of the inhibitor, most of the 4400 began to manifest their abilities. Richard Tyler developed telekinesis, though he initially struggled with its control. Ali departed the main cast at the conclusion of the third season, following a storyline that saw his character's powerful daughter, Isabelle, evolve into a primary antagonist. His return as a guest star in the fourth season, showcasing his character's mastery of abilities and a morally ambiguous plan for Isabelle, highlighted the charismatic menace that has defined many of his villainous roles.
While The 4400 incorporated elements of superhero action, its core strength lay in its exploration of the societal impact of superpowers. The series delved into the motivations of individuals with extraordinary abilities, some of whom sought to improve the world, like Shawn Farrell with his healing powers, or Jordan Collier's ambition to establish a utopia for powered individuals. Simultaneously, the narrative addressed the societal fear and control exerted by governments and other factions, as well as the dangerous allure of promicin for the general populace, despite its high mortality rate.
The 4400 concluded with a decisive ending, despite its cancellation after four seasons due to low ratings and the Writers Guild of America strikes. Show creators René Echevarria and Scott Peters successfully brought the series' conflicts to a dramatic resolution, depicting a world irrevocably altered by the presence of superpowers and the complex consequences that followed. The finale did not shy away from tragedy, underscoring the uneven distribution of justice and the often-unforeseen outcomes of extraordinary circumstances.
The 4400 is currently available to stream on Tubi.