>he said that Hank was at his wildest only in the first
>season.

...he was out wild-ed by Lew Ashby. Who I loved.

>you're saying you only enjoyed that first
>season, and nothing else after.

First and second. Second more than first. The rest I liked for the love of the characters.

>it's kinda nihilistic
>and cynical

Yes. The spirit of the character. I liked him better as a self-destructive, Bukowski-type character. And I know he had to over come that for his growth as a character. But realization, redemption then death always seemed to be the poetic way he'd burn out.

>and completely goes against the
>spirit/theme/message of the show, which is that, despite how
>screwed up people are, they do and should get chances to start
>over, to make amends, to do the right thing by those they
>love.

Yep. CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE.

> To me, that's more realistic and "logical" than having
>a so-called happy ending ripped away because it's allegedly
>what the character "deserved."

You thought that ending was "happy?" I'd say it's optimistic more than happy. Happy would've been much worse (Karen unrealistically takes him back or they get married). But they way it ended (to me) seemed more like the end of a chapter, not the end of the story.

I just didn't enjoy the season. I liked the Levon storyline. I rolled my eyes at it when it was introduced, but once they got into it and I saw how it played out, I got behind it. And the Marcy/Charlie/Stu storyline was great (though maybe a bit too long). I don't know... Just didn't click for me. Sorry.