I wanted to know what other viewers think of season 4 in relation to the first 3 seasons.

So far, I am loving season 4, I think it is starting to answer (or at least really hint at the answers) long-standing questions and is setting up teh rest of the Lost story in a terrific way. I like the freighties story so far and really enjoy the new actors.

For me, season 3 was the weakest. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but I feel like the story progression was way too slow and the entire season and the story it told could have been cut in half. Oh, and way too much time spent on that silly triangle that takes away from the real story. Jack and kate, Kate and Sawyer, just pick someone already and stick with it. I wouldn't mind a romance, but just get them together and make the romance be a background to the real story.

Season 1 and season 2 were both amazing and I flip flop constantly as to which I enjoyed better.

However, if season 4 keeps going the way it is going, it will surely give 1 and 2 a run for their money.

Any other thoughts?

I'm the exact opposite of you on seasons 2 and 3...season 2 was, imho, very sloppy and slow. Some of the biggest continuity annoyances were in season 2 as well. While some have decried the Claire not grieving for Charlie thing, a brief look at season 2 shows all sorts of issues with Sawyer's duplicity being easily overlooked soon after, the utter disappointment/dropping of "Jack's Army," the all too sudden, all too forced emotional attachment between Sayid and Shannon and any number of other sub-par bits of charater development. Season 2 was also the season where the show's pace slowed to a grounding halt--the first three episodes were fantastic, the Eko episodes were solid, and there were a couple of other strong moments (most involving "Henry Gale") but every time we thought it was about to get good, nothing happened (ie. The Hunting Party was a disappointing climax, and "Live Together, Die Alone," was a huge fake out--everyone was gearing up for awesomeness, and then our heroes got hit with poison darts, and don't even get me started on the stupid tree frog episode). On top of all of this, I find season two especially frustrating in retrospect (unlike season 3, which got better with repeat viewings) because so much of the season was dedicated to meeting the tailies, all of whom (except for Bernard) were killed by the fifth episode of season 3...It makes a lot of season two feel like a waste of time. Of couse, with Harold Perrineau popping up in the opening credits again, maybe the deaths of Ana Lucia and Libby will become more relavent.

That being said, after the initial slow and bumpy start to season 3 (and a couple of stray missteps (Nikki and Paulo and "Stranger in a Strange Land") it really got the story telling back on track. In fact, I could easily have seen season 2 being about half of a season, and season 3 being about 3/4 of a season. So really, it feels like "Through the Looking Glass" could have been a solid mid season cliff hanger for season 3 had some of the fluff from season 2 and early season 3 been trimmed.

But yes, Season 4 is definitely shaping up to be a heck of a strong season. If the quality keeps up, it will easily rival season 1 as the best, start to finish.

I think I should probably wait for the minihiatus coming in a few weeks, rewatch the episodes and digest everything.

But since we're talking about half season marks... Maybe it's because I watched season one in a 20 hour marathon and then marathoned through season 2 from MOSMOF to The Hunting Party, but the first half of season 2 is still my favorite stretch of the show. I thought it was better, tenser, tighter and more interesting than the same batch of episodes in season 1, which was wonderful from a getting to know you point of view, but season 2 brought the thrills for me. Season 1 didn't really take off sky high in the action department until the awesome two hours that are Raised By Another and All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues, but season 2 knocked me off my feet right from the start. I think those first 11 episodes, minus What Kate Did (shocking, I know :rolleyes: ) were very coherently written and were more intense than season one. No matter what happened to the tailies or how the writers got bored with their story, those episodes do not lose anything in hindsight as far as I'm concerned.

After the premiere and the introduction of Otherville, I thought season three was going to blow everything else out of the water. Sadly, we know what followed. The previous hiatus question, "What's in the hatch?" was replaced by "Who will Kate bang?", Locke torched polar bears with freakin' hairspray, Hurley walked around making fruit salad, Ben put fake pacemakers in Sawyer to score himself some softcore videotaped cage action, Nikki was the smart one and had to point out stuff to Locke and a horribly CGIed Smokey whacked Mr.Eko aroudn like a pinata. The season improved significantly later on, but still...

This season is fast paced and the freighties are much better new characters than what we've had so far. I've been entertained and I adore the flashforwards. Love them. They are a huge bonus point this season gets from me, but I still have to see next weeks episode and rewatch everything else before I make a definitive ranking. (Wow, I'm such a nerd... :biggrin: )

Let’s review season 4 so far.

Episode 1: Nice good guy Hurley is unhappy and re-institutionalized. Writing for characters consists of recapping and exposition. Critics and online fans love it. Viewers are lost for the next episode.

Episode 2: Meet the freighter folk. They turn out to be unengaging and charmless, so socially retarded that the critics and online fans really like them. Viewers lost for the next episode.

Episode 3: Sayid is an unhappy assassin who kills the woman he loves. After three seasons of island story redeeming him for being a torture who tortured the woman he loved. O, goody, critics and online fans love it. Viewers are lost for the next episode.

Episode 4: Kate has a ridiculous trial, spends the episode being selfish and crazy and is rewarded with Aaron. Obviously, unhappiness and doom in store for Claire. Three seasons of storylines of Claire as the good mother are thrown away. Critics and online fans marvel at the plot twist. Viewers are lost for the next episode.

Episode 5: The world outside of the island turned into a science fiction creation. At last a happy scene, Desmond contacting Penny, but in an episode of pure old fashioned science fiction, a format despised by the general audience. Critics and online fans love it.

Episode 6: How will they repel viewers who care about Juliet? To be continued…

Thank goodness for the writers strike that gives the writers time to rethink the mess they are making this season. The first lesson they should take is to ignore online feedback and critics. They need to do real market research if they want to know what the audience thinks. Second lesson, happy stories are needed.

So far so good for season 4.
I'm rewatching season 2. As much as I loved being in the Swan and the dynamic of pushing the button. I forgot how F-ing annoying Michael was with finding Walt. It's the worst, a little worse than Claire's season one "The baaaabyyyyy, the baby...etc....."

F Michael.

I think I should probably wait for the minihiatus coming in a few weeks, rewatch the episodes and digest everything.

But since we're talking about half season marks... Maybe it's because I watched season one in a 20 hour marathon and then marathoned through season 2 from MOSMOF to The Hunting Party, but the first half of season 2 is still my favorite stretch of the show. I thought it was better, tenser, tighter and more interesting than the same batch of episodes in season 1, which was wonderful from a getting to know you point of view, but season 2 brought the thrills for me. Season 1 didn't really take off sky high in the action department until the awesome two hours that are Raised By Another and All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues, but season 2 knocked me off my feet right from the start. I think those first 11 episodes, minus What Kate Did (shocking, I know :rolleyes: ) were very coherently written and were more intense than season one. No matter what happened to the tailies or how the writers got bored with their story, those episodes do not lose anything in hindsight as far as I'm concerned.

After the premiere and the introduction of Otherville, I thought season three was going to blow everything else out of the water. Sadly, we know what followed. The previous hiatus question, "What's in the hatch?" was replaced by "Who will Kate bang?", Locke torched polar bears with freakin' hairspray, Hurley walked around making fruit salad, Ben put fake pacemakers in Sawyer to score himself some softcore videotaped cage action, Nikki was the smart one and had to point out stuff to Locke and a horribly CGIed Smokey whacked Mr.Eko aroudn like a pinata. The season improved significantly later on, but still...

This season is fast paced and the freighties are much better new characters than what we've had so far. I've been entertained and I adore the flashforwards. Love them. They are a huge bonus point this season gets from me, but I still have to see next weeks episode and rewatch everything else before I make a definitive ranking. (Wow, I'm such a nerd... :biggrin: )

totally agree about the first episodes of season 2.

you made me laugh with what you wrote about season 3. I only like ATTC, FBYE, TTID, E77, TMFT, TB, TMBC, GH, TTLG. So, season 3 a wash for me, except for the strong ending.

Season 4 is going to kick toukas.

I like season 4 better than 2 or 3. Maybe it's because the flash forwards make it feel like it's going somewhere. Or it could be because we know how many more episodes are left and I don't get the impression (mistakenly or not) that some episodes are "filler". They also have given a decent amount of focus on the main storyline through all the episodes so far this season and haven't introduced anything that seems like it'll slow things down.

I'm glad they addressed Desmond. I really wanted them to finish the time travel thing up with him or kill him off. He was a frustrating loose end for a bit.

Season 4 is INCREDIBLE. One awesome ep after another! The only letdown was Eggtown--Kate's trial seemed anticlimactic after years of buildup.

Season 4 is INCREDIBLE. One awesome ep after another! The only letdown was Eggtown--Kate's trial seemed anticlimactic after years of buildup.

I agree with you about the trial, but I also feel that I probably would have been disappointed with the trial no matter what. It has been built up, and everything that we learned about Kate centers on her crime and everything that happened after. I wonder what kind of trial would have wowed me?

With the exception of the Kate parts in Eggtown, I've loved every minute of S4. My favorite season so far is the third season, but this season may bump that one down a notch.

I have found out first hand that there is a BIG difference between watching a show during its first run and catching up on DVD. The DVD watchers didn't have to sit through long breaks only to have the show's return fall short of high expectations. Who can forget the nail biting finish to RBA and ATBCHDI only to have to come back to WTCMB. It was so anti-climatic and frustrating! When you watch it on DVD its just another episode...

Plus the fact that you are watching without prejudice. Most DVD watchers don't have the benefit of interviews and spoilers and fan discussions. All of these things can be a blessing and a curse!

I just did the catch up thing with Battlestar Galactica. I didn't know which episodes were the cliff hangers before the breaks because I could just pop in the next DVD. No nail biting and anxious anticipation or high expectations. I didn't know that certain episodes were supposed to be 'good' or bad'. I just knew what I liked... and I wasn't 'poisoned' by the opinions of anyone else.

So when someone runs straight through Season 2 and thinks its the greatest it probably is for someone who is watching it for the first time without distractions. Sometimes I wish I had seen it that way!

I have found out first hand that there is a BIG difference between watching a show during its first run and catching up on DVD. The DVD watchers didn't have to sit through long breaks only to have the show's return fall short of high expectations. Who can forget the nail biting finish to RBA and ATBCHDI only to have to come back to WTCMB. It was so anti-climatic and frustrating! When you watch it on DVD its just another episode...

Plus the fact that you are watching without prejudice. Most DVD watchers don't have the benefit of interviews and spoilers and fan discussions. All of these things can be a blessing and a curse!

I just did the catch up thing with Battlestar Galactica. I didn't know which episodes were the cliff hangers before the breaks because I could just pop in the next DVD. No nail biting and anxious anticipation or high expectations. I didn't know that certain episodes were supposed to be 'good' or bad'. I just knew what I liked... and I wasn't 'poisoned' by the opinions of anyone else.

So when someone runs straight through Season 2 and thinks its the greatest it probably is for someone who is watching it for the first time without distractions. Sometimes I wish I had seen it that way!

S'funny, because as I read through all the responses I was thinking that everything is different when you watch it on DVD. Season 1 and 2 I watched in the first few months after my almost-two year old was born. I didn't really like season three for the same reasons that others have stated, but when I watched it on DVD (and without three month's break inbetween, lol) I actually liked it a whole lot more. It still bugs me that we don't know what Cindy and the children and all the other Others were "here to watch" and I was really sad that Smokie killed Eko, and of course Nikki and Paulo made me want to scratch my eyes out, but on the whole it was better than I'd actually thought watching it as it aired. Having said that, rewatching Season 2 for the 3rd time, I still can't handle Micheal or AL.

But I love this season so far, I'm glad they have an end in sight so that they can keep things coherent and not throw in fillers (MHO, of course) ... oh and I'm so glad that it's on Thursdays so that I don't miss Idol :roflmao: