There was a major improvement of this show starting with the 2nd episode, but I think maybe some damage was done to it by its pilot episode. The pilot had some characters which we never see again, which actually made the series more tight and focused. I think that one problem that arc-based stories in general make is that they try too hard to keep the deep dark secret a secret. They may even try to keep it a secret right through the whole season, and people just don't have the patience to wait for the secret to be revealed. They should just reveal it in the first episode, and hook the people. If you hook them in the pilot, then the series has a chance of survival. Unfortunately, they didn't do this early enough in this series, and as a result its viewership has suffered.
However, for those viewers who had the patience to wait for the secret to get revealed, they were treated to some amazingly gripping stories. I just wish science fiction writers wouldn't try to be so clever about guarding the secret. You have to entertain right from the first episode to the last. If the first episode feels boring, then the whole series will fall off the cliff. Watching this series on DVD might be the best way to watch it though.
However, for those viewers who had the patience to wait for the secret to get revealed, they were treated to some amazingly gripping stories. I just wish science fiction writers wouldn't try to be so clever about guarding the secret. You have to entertain right from the first episode to the last. If the first episode feels boring, then the whole series will fall off the cliff. Watching this series on DVD might be the best way to watch it though.