I wasnt crazy about it either, but it's not that different then what many cable shows do. The advantage is that you don't have any repeats, which is so common in most shows. IMO, it would have been better to shorten the break by a month or so. They could do what shows like Lost & 24 did and not start their seasons until Jan so they can run straight thru till the end.
Hopefully with the show being popular now, they can plan it better for next season and figure a way to shorten the break by starting the season a few weeks later or ending it a few weeks earlier.
As far as the last episode -- not a fan of how the power on / off switch works....really, litlle virus size computers floating around the sky?!?! What's next, someone telling me the basis for the Force is just a bunch of micro-organisms in your blood?!?!?!
I am glad that we will get to see some of the other republics....Georgia looks like a much different place than Monroe's republic.