For what it’s worth, I find myself tending towards the opinions expressed at the yellow/red end of the reviews gathered by Metacritic. Opening episodes are never straightforward – too many characters, too much exposition – so maybe I’ll dip back in around show five and see if it makes any more sense.
Positives? Dushku is surprisingly good. Also: this was the second stab at an opening episode. I’m hoping the execs meddled more here than in the rest of the series, and left Whedon to get on with the rest of it.