Television

The truth is out there, it just might not be revealed for a while. TV's wave of Lost-inspired sci-fi shows asks us to suspend satisfaction, as well as disbelief. Taking a cue from the just-spotted, real life giant squid, we've created a Squid-o-Meter scale (a lowly 1 to a magnificent 5) to navigate these murky waters.

LOST
8 p.m. Wednesdays, ABC (Channel 8)

Setting: Mysterious, uncharted island
Metaphor: Faith vs. science as karma plays out in a kind of purgatory
Sea monster: Not until a couple of episodes back, and so far it's just a sideshow
How to spot the bad guy: If they kidnap your son, it's a strong hint; otherwise, it's hard to know on a show that thrives on contradiction.
Influences: Survivor, Lord of the Flies
Laugh lines: When his lady friend says she likes bald guys, a still-hirsute Locke says he's not bald. She replies, "I can wait."
Squid-o-meter: 4 squids – After spending too much time catching up new viewers, the genre's model issued its first huge revelation last week, and it was a doozy.

INVASION
9 p.m. Wednesdays, ABC (Channel 8)

Setting: The Everglades, south of Miami
Metaphor: Healing in the aftermath of 9-11
Sea monster: Not exactly, but there's something bright and orange in the water
How to spot the bad guy: He's played by William Fichtner.
Influences: Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Laugh lines: Sheriff to reporter wondering about jurisdiction: "God's in charge. I just handle the paperwork."
Squid-o-meter: 2.5 squids – It's creepy that "Mommy smells different," but why? Executive producer Shaun Cassidy promises answers are forthcoming shortly.

SURFACE
7 p.m. Mondays, NBC (Channel 5)

Setting: Around the globe, from Antarctica to Lake Travis
Metaphor: Sometimes a sea monster is just a sea monster
Sea monster: Most definitely. The near-cuddly baby version looks like a rabbit with a bad case of eczema while the grown-up resembles a scaly whale with a serious overbite.
How to spot the bad guy: He has a beard and an Eastern European accent.
Influences: E.T. , Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind – pretty much anything by Spielberg
Laugh lines: Lake Bell's oceanographer during the evacuation of a beach town: "I think there's something fishy going on around here."
Squid-o-meter: 2 squids – The '70s look is appealing, as is the relatively straightforward storytelling style. But it needs to move beyond its Spielberg obsession.

THRESHOLD
8 p.m. Fridays, CBS (Channel 11)

Setting: Behind closed doors with government spies and science geeks
Metaphor: Aliens represent our darker selves
Sea monster: No, but the aliens did attack a ship and their presence makes fish swim in circles
How to spot the bad guy: Their DNA is altered and they try to kill you.
Influences: Dawn of the Dead
Laugh lines: "What, don't you date men, uh, smarter than you?" diminutive Peter Dinklage asks Carla Gugino, who answers, "I don't know. Never met one."
Squid-o-meter: 2.5 squids – Humorous banter supplements the cool special effects and psychological thrills.

NIGHT STALKER
8 p.m. Thursdays, ABC (Channel 8)

Setting: A newsroom. How scary is that?
Metaphor: Childhood's boogeyman-under-the-bed
Sea monster: Not yet, but give it time
How to spot the bad guy: They kill their wives and try to get you to do the same.
Influences: Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The X-Files
Laugh lines: Kolchak questions killer's motive, unaware it applies to him, too: "A man doesn't just break from reality, kill his wife and then tell some crazy story to explain it."
Squid-o-meter: 3 squids – Much improved by the second episode, it has begun to take on the sophisticated tone of the original.