Chaplin
Better off silent
i know I'm chiming in late here but the reason they weren't coming back for so long was because the show was in chaos after the network saw cuts of the first four episodes. They ended up blowing out the show-runners after the first four episodes and shut down production, brought in new show-runners and some new staff and completely re-broke and re-wrote the rest of the season. That place was apparently a HUGE clusterfrick back in November.
curious if the people who watch it from the first four to now can see any differences in how the show's written, better, worse, no different.
I think you may be partially right, but to outright dismiss my original speculation is a mistake, IMO.
As for a difference, I think the first four had more action, the recent ones have been more in a groove. I'm watching the show (as I work for the company that produces it), and it's keeping my interest, but it's nowhere near the level of Lost. I still have no doubt whatsoever that this was intended to be ABC's Lost replacement. There's still a chance for it to get renewed, but you gotta think that ABC has some high-concept pilots coming in the fall.