You might have a point there, as the producers said the "flashback" seasons don't really matter now that they are doing the "flash sideways" season. I think LOST would have been the perfect show if it was 4 seasons long. flashback, flashback, flashforward, flashsideways...otherwise it does start to feel like they put in a lot of useless to fill time between seasons 2-4.
The most irritating part is that they would introduce scary mysterious people, then it turns out they are nothing or get killed randomly or answer to some else. I liked the mystery of the Others when they took Walt...that was intense! But the Others ain't now.