It's a summer of the supernatural

Column

Geek alert: Television is being invaded.

Aliens, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, time travelers, demons and more are coming our way during this couch potato summer of the supernatural.

Two big ticket items that have sci-fi fans salivating are Steven Spielberg's "Falling Skies" on TNT and "Torchwood: Miracle Day" on Starz.

Arriving Sunday at 9 p.m. with a two-hour debut, "Falling Skies" follows the survivors of a vicious alien invasion. Cities are in ruin and people are on the run from spider-like creatures that take children as slaves.

Noah Wyle stars as a former history professor now with a ragtag group struggling to stay alive and fight back. "Falling Skies" falls flat and is surprisingly unexciting and predictable.

The scenario is somewhat like AMC's life-after-zombie-apocalypse series "The Walking Dead" (returning in October). After the debut, "Falling Skies" will air at 10 p.m. Sundays.

"Torchwood: Miracle Day," debuting July 8 on pay cable Starz, is far more interesting and gruesome.

Something mysterious happens one day and people no longer can die. This "miracle" quickly turns nightmarish when days pass and the severely injured live on in pain — even severed heads. No deaths means the planet will soon be overpopulated.

Can the immortal and bi-sexual (John Barrowman) save the day as he did many times on the original BBC series "Torchwood"?

Jack is reunited with Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles), the only other surviving member of the Wales-based Torchwood paranormal investigative team. This thriller has mystery, suspense, action, sex and violence as well as social, religious and political commentary — and Bill Pullman as a creepy child killer turned messiah.

MORE WEIRDNESS: MTV's "Teen Wolf," debuted last week and continues at 10 tonight. Nothing like the 1985 Michael J. Fox comedy, this sexually-charged werewolf drama stars Tyler Posey as a misfit who gains confidence and a lot of strength when the moon is full. Unfortunately, this wolf is a dog.

• "The Nine Lives of Chloe King," debuts at 9 p.m. Tuesday on ABC Family. Attractive teen Chloe (Skyler Samuels) comes back from death with special powers and discovers she's from an ancient race that protects humans from evil spirits.

• "Outcasts" debuts at 9 p.m. Saturday on BBC America. Pioneers flee Earth and struggle to start a new civilization on another planet.

• "Wilfred," debuts at 10 p.m. June 23 on FX. Elijah Wood stars as Ryan, a shy, nerdish guy who befriends his neighbor's dog, Wilfred. While everyone else sees Wilfred as a dog, Ryan sees him as a man in a dog suit (Jason Gann).

• "Alphas" debuts July 11 on Syfy. This new series follows a secret government team of dysfunctional people who have extraordinary abilities including super strength, enhanced senses and mind control.

THEY'RE BACK: Syfy's quirky duo "Eureka" and "Warehouse 13" return July 11 and Syfy's "Haven" offers new mysteries beginning July 15. That mind-reading, vampire-loving Louisiana waitress Sookie will tangle with witches on the fourth season of HBO's "True Blood" beginning June 26.