Fallen: So Far, So Not Terrible

After having seen the first two episodes of the new series of Fallen, which aired Saturday night on ABC Family, I can at least say I'm coming back for the remainder (Sunday night at 8 p.m.). Dawson's Creek alumnus Hal Ozsan, as the pleasure-loving Fallen angel Azazel, is the best thing about the new episodes so far – largely because he's the only one around with a sense of humor.

Aaron's mission and his questions about whether he's doing the right thing are really weighhing him down, and Paul Wesley is giving us every ounce of angst and earnestness he can. But can't he at least crack a smile once for his girlfriend, Vilma (Fernanda Andrade, more winsome and welcome than last year now that she's turned nephalim as well), instead of keeping a stone face even when he's telling her he's happy to see her?

It's a more serious undertaking this year, and on the whole that's a good thing; the tone is even and the production values are fine, though the quality of CGI varies wildly between exceptional and exceptionally fake. The darker tone has the unfortunate side effect of making the occasional asides of Aaron's happy-go-lucky dog, Gabriel, a bit out of place. But in the midst of all this turmoil the show has accomplished its central task of putting me right at Aaron's side, feeling his anger and uncertainty. And that's where I'll be tonight.