I agree it was a disappointing season finale, however I don't feel it was as heavy handed, nor as overtly religious as you seem to feel, Hunter.

As for the scene with Jesse and Walt in the drug den, it was the first time I've teared up watching a TV show this year - maybe I'm a sucker for a bit of melodrama, but the "I loved her more than any...thing" did it for me, haha ;)

I only read Watchmen this year in anticipation of the movie - Veidt *is* a fairly absent character in the novel... He is, however, always kept in one's mind with all the mentions or appearances of advertising for Nostalgia and Veidt industries, etc. It's foreshadowing more than anything else, much like the panels relating to the disappearance of various artists, the author of Tales from the Black Freighter, etc... It all comes together towards the end of the novel.

Can't wait for the movie - I like Snyder's slow-mo fetish so that's not a worry. Bring on Watchmen down under (is it just me or do we get it a day earlier than the US...? w00t) :)