Whether you’ve loved “Falling Skies” from the very beginning, or you’ve found that it’s grown on you in more recent weeks, one thing is difficult to dispute: season finales traditionally put bodies in seats, as they offer a satisfying conclusion for curious viewers as well as a Pandora’s Box of questions for the die-hard speculators. In both those regards, the two-hour of finale of “Falling Skies” does not disappoint. It is a thrilling conclusion to a summer’s worth of science fiction drama that has turned out to be a fairly entertaining ride, despite its faults. Although I maintain my problems with the show, I can now firmly say that I am looking forward to what the second season brings thanks, in part, to these last hours of the season.

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In the short span of two weeks, “Falling Skies” turned around a flailing science fiction enterprise and infused it with a much-needed burst of energy, both in its plot and its characters. While this week sees a reversion to some of the series’ earlier problems, particularly those related to structure and timing, the show seems to have found its footing as an entertaining hour of drama counterbalanced by its fair share of thrills. For sure, the growing mythos surrounding the invading aliens is enough to maintain a detail-oriented sci-fi fan’s interest. With a two-hour season finale left to go, “Falling Skies” is aiming towards ending its debut season on a decidedly epic note.

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Last week’s episode of “Falling Skies” saw a marked improvement in the development of its previously snooze-worthy plot. While the series is still riddled with the hallmarks of formulaic science fiction and unfeeling, action-oriented thrillers, the goings-on within the 2nd Mass were starting to get interesting, and some characters, particularly Anne, were beginning to come into their own. But the question has remained all week long: can “Falling Skies” sustain this upward movement in the second part of the “Sanctuary” story arc? Although I had made up my mind about the series early on, I’m happy to report that this week’s “Falling Skies” is nearly a whole different animal from previous episodes. Although not without some flaws, it has evolved into a much more engaging, thoughtful, and wholly exciting piece of sci-fi drama.

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While “Falling Skies” has not had the most promising track record of delivering on its promises since the second episode, beginning with last week, things have been mainly on the up and up. The show has found its rhythm, and with this episode, the plot is beginning to take on a life of its own, moving away from the clichés of science fiction. “Sanctuary: Part 1” improves upon the mistakes of earlier episodes and is a solid hour of a series that is just now finding its footing.

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“Falling Skies” is proving to be a disappointing series so far, plagued by trite writing and characters as well as a plot that is not doing much to reinvent the science fiction genre. But I am not ready to throw in the towel quite yet, given that the show has only taken its first steps into the world with four episodes. Fortunately, its fifth episode seems to be one decidedly bold step in the right direction. “Silent Kill” is an example of just what “Falling Skies” can become with some more tweaking as the season progresses.

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The debut season of “Falling Skies” is well underway, and while it has plenty of kinks to iron out, it certainly has shown promise in its first three episodes. Unfortunately, things come to a screeching halt in the fourth hour when the hackneyed writing kicks into overdrive and the episode’s almost total lack of action fails to keep the viewer’s interest for a full sixty minutes. As much as I hate to say this, given my affinity for science fiction, the quality of “Falling Skies” seems to be going the way of many a show with a solid concept, but poor execution. Although it has been touted as comparable to other science fiction greats for weeks prior to the premiere, this is certainly no “Battlestar Galactica.”

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Great science fiction has not been hard to come by in recent years, adding all the more pressure to freshman series “Falling Skies” to get things right. While the show is a solid effort with its own merits, the formula is just not quite hitting the mark, even as the series enters its third hour. It is nonetheless plagued by clichés and a pacing problem that make it difficult for those of us spoiled by “Battlestar Galactica” to watch it with open minds. Unless the blueprint is fine-tuned in the coming episodes, “Falling Skies” looks to be falling prey to the common problems of high-concept television.

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Steven Spielberg can attach his name to just about any sci-fi project, and people will tune in to the finished product in the hopes of watching something richly complex and compelling. “Falling Skies,” which he produced, was no exception; the show, about the aftermath of an alien invasion, pulled in 5.9 million viewers during Sunday’s two-hour premiere event, taking the title of the year’s most-watched cable premiere. While hype and viewership do not always translate into quality, we managed to get lucky on all fronts. In an industry where high-concept shows and movies have a long way to fall – and often do – “Falling Skies” is a gift of well-executed science fiction infused with human drama.

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Noah Wylie is taking a break from The Librarian movies to settle into another television show called “Falling Skies.” The new sci-fi series will appear on TNT and is produced by Steven Spielberg (no surprise there). It has everything you’d expect: aliens, explosions, family, and desperate people. Those guys always surface when the sh*t hits the fan. Check out the trailer to see what has everyone running scared.

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