Life Interrupted
Encyclopedia
"Life Interrupted" is an episode of the science fiction
television series The 4400
.
who is exceedingly happy, and arrives to work at NTAC that morning to standing applause from his co-workers. Diana
is perplexed at Tom's fantasies, assuring Tom that no one has ever "come back" in a ball of light. Tom questions Diana and attempts to understand what has happened. NTAC raids the "Jordan Collier
Museum of Art".
Tom and Diana are back at the office, Tom attempts to do a search on the 4400 but finds nothing, Tom tries looking for the 4400 individuals themselves, but discovers that most of them are deceased and were never taken.
Nikki and Danny announce to Tom that they are engaged, and Tom finds out that he is married to a woman named Alana
. Jarred, Tom is unable to piece together what is wrong.
Diana finds Tom sleeping at the 4400 centre turned art centre and proceeds to sneakily sedate
him; he is then taking to a physiological ward. Alana reveals to Tom that none of this is real and that he needs to play along. 72 hours later Tom reveals to the doctor that he knows his behaviour is totally out of line, and he wants to apologize and fix it.
Tom and Alana meet up to "see if they can figure out what the hell is going on." Tom speculates that Alana may be the cause. Alana shows Tom that her life has been erased.
At the Collier Museum, Tom wanders away and looks through a door's window, seeing a covered table in the middle of the room. Tom walks into the room and is about to lift the cover from the table when he hears his name called. The scenery around him drops to complete darkness, Tom then awakes to Alana shouting and nudging him, Tom reveals to Alana he needs to get back to the mysterious room in the museum.
One month later, Diana
brings Tom a coffee
wondering what he is doing looking at art so much. Diana wonders why Tom would want to get back the bleakness of "his reality," and attempts to get Tom to make the best of the life he has got.
Tom returns home to a worried and upset. He and Alana contemplate if they will ever get back. As they talk, they embrace, kiss, and then make love. As the scene fades from their bedroom, they are taking the first steps towards psychological and emotional acceptance that they may never return to their previous lives.
Eight years later, Tom is preparing his suit, putting on a bow tie, and Kyle
tells his father about life as a resident surgeon. Tom and Alana are going to renew their vows; she affectionately calls him "Thomas". They contemplate on their old lives during a dance at the reception.
Nina
reveals to Tom her plans to leave NTAC to enter the private sector, and discloses to him that she has been asked to present the name of possible replacements. She will be giving only one name: Tom Baldwin.
At the Collier Museum, Tom returns to the door where he first saw the table. After eight years, it has returned. Tom believes it may be a way back, but Alana asks Tom if he really wants to go through the door. They both leave and go home, leaving the door unopened.
Back at his house, Tom has a nightmare about his son Kyle, awakes in a sweat, and returns to the museum. The door is still there. He walks through it, to the table, and lifts the cover. Underneath is Alana's body. An image of Alana congratulates Tom and reveals that they are in the future place where the 4400 where given their abilities. The future gave Alana her ability—creating a virtual reality
environment—as a sanctuary for Tom, and the Alana he is speaking to is part of the program they instilled in her. In order to return to reality, the real Alana must will-out the virtual world, but when Tom tells her about this, she questions whether they should, even though Tom was assured that their feelings for each other will carry over.
Tom and Alana host a small get-together to say goodbye to their friends and family, and to tell them how much they love them. Tom tells them they are not going far, and gives a toast, Alana then begins willing things out of their virtual reality.
Back at NTAC, Tom awakens to Diana asking him to email her a file. Tom asks Diana if the ball of light really happened, Diana assures Tom that it did—they'd just interviewed a 4400, Alana Mareva. The eight virtual years had passed in the blink of an eye. Tom thanks Diana, and runs off to catch up with Alana. Outside, she is walking away, and Tom shouts to her. She stops, turns around, and smiles at him: "Thomas." They embrace.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series The 4400
The 4400
The 4400 is a science fiction TV series produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with Sky Television, Renegade 83, and American Zoetrope for USA Network. The show was created and written by Scott Peters and René Echevarria, and it stars Joel Gretsch and Jacqueline McKenzie...
.
Plot
Tom awakes to a strange KyleKyle Baldwin
Kyle Baldwin is a fictional character in the USA Network science fiction television series The 4400.- Season One:Kyle Baldwin is Tom and Linda Baldwin's son and Shawn Farrell's cousin. The two were drinking beer at Highland beach in 2001 when Shawn was abducted. After Shawn's abduction, Kyle is...
who is exceedingly happy, and arrives to work at NTAC that morning to standing applause from his co-workers. Diana
Diana Skouris
Diana Skouris is a fictional character in the USA Network science fiction television series The 4400.-Season One :Initially portrayed as somewhat cold and removed, Diana Skouris was partnered with Tom Baldwin in the pilot episode to investigate the 4400 returnees. She expresses displeasure at being...
is perplexed at Tom's fantasies, assuring Tom that no one has ever "come back" in a ball of light. Tom questions Diana and attempts to understand what has happened. NTAC raids the "Jordan Collier
Jordan Collier
Jordan Collier is a fictional character on the USA Network science fiction television series The 4400. He is portrayed by American actor Billy Campbell.-Character Profile:...
Museum of Art".
Tom and Diana are back at the office, Tom attempts to do a search on the 4400 but finds nothing, Tom tries looking for the 4400 individuals themselves, but discovers that most of them are deceased and were never taken.
Nikki and Danny announce to Tom that they are engaged, and Tom finds out that he is married to a woman named Alana
Alana Mareva
Alana Mareva is a fictional character in the USA Network science fiction television series The 4400.- Background :Alana was born October 17, 1969, in Tahiti, and disappeared September 5, 2001, from Seattle, Wash. Prior to her abduction, her husband and only son Billy had been killed by a drunk driver...
. Jarred, Tom is unable to piece together what is wrong.
Diana finds Tom sleeping at the 4400 centre turned art centre and proceeds to sneakily sedate
Sedation
Sedation is the reduction of irritability or agitation by administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure or diagnostic procedure...
him; he is then taking to a physiological ward. Alana reveals to Tom that none of this is real and that he needs to play along. 72 hours later Tom reveals to the doctor that he knows his behaviour is totally out of line, and he wants to apologize and fix it.
Tom and Alana meet up to "see if they can figure out what the hell is going on." Tom speculates that Alana may be the cause. Alana shows Tom that her life has been erased.
At the Collier Museum, Tom wanders away and looks through a door's window, seeing a covered table in the middle of the room. Tom walks into the room and is about to lift the cover from the table when he hears his name called. The scenery around him drops to complete darkness, Tom then awakes to Alana shouting and nudging him, Tom reveals to Alana he needs to get back to the mysterious room in the museum.
One month later, Diana
Diana Skouris
Diana Skouris is a fictional character in the USA Network science fiction television series The 4400.-Season One :Initially portrayed as somewhat cold and removed, Diana Skouris was partnered with Tom Baldwin in the pilot episode to investigate the 4400 returnees. She expresses displeasure at being...
brings Tom a coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
wondering what he is doing looking at art so much. Diana wonders why Tom would want to get back the bleakness of "his reality," and attempts to get Tom to make the best of the life he has got.
Tom returns home to a worried and upset. He and Alana contemplate if they will ever get back. As they talk, they embrace, kiss, and then make love. As the scene fades from their bedroom, they are taking the first steps towards psychological and emotional acceptance that they may never return to their previous lives.
Eight years later, Tom is preparing his suit, putting on a bow tie, and Kyle
Kyle Baldwin
Kyle Baldwin is a fictional character in the USA Network science fiction television series The 4400.- Season One:Kyle Baldwin is Tom and Linda Baldwin's son and Shawn Farrell's cousin. The two were drinking beer at Highland beach in 2001 when Shawn was abducted. After Shawn's abduction, Kyle is...
tells his father about life as a resident surgeon. Tom and Alana are going to renew their vows; she affectionately calls him "Thomas". They contemplate on their old lives during a dance at the reception.
Nina
Nina Jarvis
Nina Jarvis is a fictional character on the USA Network science fiction television series The 4400.Nina became the director of NTAC in season two after succeeding Dennis Ryland; Ryland took his role back temporarily while Nina recovered from a gunshot wound...
reveals to Tom her plans to leave NTAC to enter the private sector, and discloses to him that she has been asked to present the name of possible replacements. She will be giving only one name: Tom Baldwin.
At the Collier Museum, Tom returns to the door where he first saw the table. After eight years, it has returned. Tom believes it may be a way back, but Alana asks Tom if he really wants to go through the door. They both leave and go home, leaving the door unopened.
Back at his house, Tom has a nightmare about his son Kyle, awakes in a sweat, and returns to the museum. The door is still there. He walks through it, to the table, and lifts the cover. Underneath is Alana's body. An image of Alana congratulates Tom and reveals that they are in the future place where the 4400 where given their abilities. The future gave Alana her ability—creating a virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
environment—as a sanctuary for Tom, and the Alana he is speaking to is part of the program they instilled in her. In order to return to reality, the real Alana must will-out the virtual world, but when Tom tells her about this, she questions whether they should, even though Tom was assured that their feelings for each other will carry over.
Tom and Alana host a small get-together to say goodbye to their friends and family, and to tell them how much they love them. Tom tells them they are not going far, and gives a toast, Alana then begins willing things out of their virtual reality.
Back at NTAC, Tom awakens to Diana asking him to email her a file. Tom asks Diana if the ball of light really happened, Diana assures Tom that it did—they'd just interviewed a 4400, Alana Mareva. The eight virtual years had passed in the blink of an eye. Tom thanks Diana, and runs off to catch up with Alana. Outside, she is walking away, and Tom shouts to her. She stops, turns around, and smiles at him: "Thomas." They embrace.
Featured music
- "Time After Time" by Chet BakerChet BakerChesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...
- "You and Me" by LifehouseLifehouse (band)Lifehouse is an American rock band from Los Angeles. The band came to mainstream prominence in 2001 with the hit single "Hanging by a Moment" from their debut studio album, No Name Face. The single won a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year, beating out Janet Jackson and Alicia...
External links
- "Life Interrupted" at the official 4400 website provided by USA NetworkUSA NetworkUSA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
. - "Life Interrupted" at The 4400 wiki.