Reply #5: Kinda tough though to get into any of those dramas late into the series

[fujiyama]

especially LOST and to a lesser extent, The Sopranos. I only saw a few episodes of the WW but I think it was a similar case with continuity and character development.

I think with sitcoms it is a lot easier to watch individual episodes, since they aren't usually serialized the same way. That's probably why they kept those you listed around longer past their shelf life (and because they're cheaper to produce and a lot easier to write than complex dramas). I'm not dissing comedy writing - but it's easier to write a fairly predictable sitcom which doesn't rely on the sort of plot twists and emotional attachment to the characters as dramas often do.

Some have speculated that for that reason, LOST may be not be as successful as most sitcoms when syndicated. And that makes sense. I've found it tough to watch serialized shows once syndicated since they aren't always shown in order.