I recently downloaded the episodes and after a few nights of watching I was hooked.
I do, however, fear that the show is starting to go downhill. The mystical stuff(as well as the revelation that there are others on the island) makes it somewhat convoluted, I think. Especially with Walt and his "powers". I was expecting it do veer off at some point, since there's really only so much you can do with a show about a bunch of people stranded on an island. Eventually, you have to create something new that keeps the show going.
The best parts of the show, in my opinion, are the flashbacks, because they give it an entire other avenue to tell the story through.
My favorite character is Locke. I thought starting out that he would end up being a badguy(probably because of the other roles Terry O'Quinn has had), but it seems like, despite the fact that he manipulates absolutely everyone, and clearly has some agenda entirely his own, the survivors all love the guy. I still have the feeling that, at some point, it's going to be Jack vs. Locke, and that Locke's slowly recruiting and reprogramming people to his cause(which isn't quite clear yet, perhaps it's to remain on the island, since it's where his "miracle" happened), fully aware of that impending conflict.
My least favorite character is probably Charlie. I thought he was going to be the comic relief, but he's really more like the annoying guy who makes all the other characters seem interesting by comparison. Frankly, I think it would have been better if Ethan had killed him off(though it was obvious that Jack had to save Charlie to redeem himself, given how that particular show started).
I also find Boone a bit grating. Not necessarily because his character is boring.....but because his fucking eyebrows drive me nuts. It's almost Scorsese like. I don't remember noticing them when he was on Smallville.
