RadishRose, they do a terrible job of introducing their characters, you have to be quite diligent and a real fan of something about the show to stay interested and very focused to keep it all straight at times or one will surely lose interest. It's quite understandable why some give up on the show. If I weren't already vested in some of the characters, I might have lost interest at some point, but, those characters whom I have an interest in, their dialogue and stories keep me intrigued enough to stay the course. I love all the nuances, witty humor and layers to many of the characters and appreciate how the writer here, doesn't sugar coat how human beings, for the most part, are and do behave toward each other, then and now. Of course I realize it's fiction, but, the humanity or lack of it people possess is captured quite well by this writer and brought to this series.
OK, almost time to put the dvd in, gotta go get my snacks ready for the next two or possibly four hours (more likely,) if I decide to watch a few the extra episodes. LOL.