I watched it. It was okay. It had a lot of issues (plot holes, ending doesn't provide much closure), but it also had a lot of interesting ideas and explored them to a decent extent. It's good for a SyFy Original, but it's also a SyFy Original.
Yep it's definitely different - loved the ending of the x-o ending up on a different world - he's totally in the position of WTF?!!! Where the hell am I?
I think the big problem with the show is the whole editing of the story (not the editor Paul who I've met on several occasions - nice guy too! Lives in my town).
If it was me I would have done it more:
Opening - Ascension is our last best chance for hope
The Aniversary - showing 51 years
Then the murder victim
Then the flashback outside the office - "Did you hear about Ascension?" "No idea what you're talking about." followed by "We have a problem."
Then bring in the ship exterior and what they're doing to it and the people inside and then all the other stuff.
They are doing such a radically different Tv show that they really need to work with the audience on this one and bring them into it. Trying to figure out wtf was / is happening in the first espisode was sheer stupidity - especially the flashback of the entire swimming scene. Even my wife, whose easy going, said, "Didn't we see this same thing five minutes ago?"
The premise of the show is good, very good but they really have to work hard to get it into tip top shape - if they can work out the bugs then they could have an excellent series on their hands. Here's hoping they get picked up for season 2.