"The4400"isatelevisionseriesthatfollowsthestoriesof4,400individualswhowereabductedbyaliensandthenreturnedtoEarth.Theexecutiveproducersdescribethesestoriesastalesofpeoplegrapplingwithtraumaticchanges,drivenbythemysteryofwhathappenedtothemandwhy.Someoftheabducteeshavebeenaffectedinmysteriouswaysanddevelopcertainabilities,bothgoodandbad,soasignificantpartofthedramarevolvesaroundwatchingthemadapttothesechangeswithinthemselves.TheseriesbeginswithaballoflightdescendingtowardsEarth.However,insteadoftheexpectedcatastrophicevent,thousandsofabducteesareleftwithnomemoryoftheirotherworldlyexperiences.Theseindividualshavebeengoneforvaryinglengthsoftime,rangingfromafewmonthstoseveraldecades,yettheyhavenotagedaday.Intheaftermathofthebeacheventthatledtothereturnofthe4400,theworldundergoessignificantchanges.Afteratensemedicalexamination,TomreturnstotheNationalSkillAssistanceCenter,whereheisassignedtoadministrativeworkduetohislimitedabilities.Heultimatelyprotectshissonfromasimilargovernmentstudyandisthrilledattheprospectoflivinganormallifeagain.Professionally,heyearnstoworkwithDianaoncemoreandreturntothisfield.Diana,afteraseriesofunsuccessfulattempts,managestofindawaytoreinstateTomtohisposition.Duringthistime,shealsoofficiallyadoptsMaia.Meanwhile,Richard,Lily,andtheirchild,asix-month-oldwithextraordinaryabilities,continuetoliveinseclusioninacabinfarawayfromJordanCollier.CollierhasshutdownArcadiaEstatesandestablishedhisownresidence,aswellasasanctuaryforthe4400,whilealsoplanningtoopenthe"4400Center"whereotherscandelveintothesecretsofthe4400.AfterColliertouchesLily'sabdomen,harmfulechoesemerge,butShawnhealshim,leadingtoaclosefather-sonrelationshipbetweenthem.CollierbecomesShawn'sguardianandaninstrumentalfigureinassistingthe4400Center.Thepublicisintriguedbythe4400andrumorsabouttheirmysteriousabilitiesspread.Publicopinionisdividedintotwocamps-someembracethem,whileothersfearthem.Asthe4400strivetorestarttheir"interruptedlives,"eachindividualwillplayacrucialroleintheupcomingeventsthatwilldeterminethefateofhumanity.