Disclaimer: My opinion.
Half-Life 2 was boring, the episodes weren't. The vehicles sections would have been good if they'd not get interrupted by boring walking every 3 turns. The "cutscenes" were really good, I would've liked more, the characters were also good, minus the sweater scientist woman, she was a bit annoying. The "big rebellion" felt stupid with the useless but ever respawning NPCs (who somehow survived being shot without hazard suits. After HL one perfectly lambshading why you're hard to kill, this was very idiotic).
I had no problems with the episodes, except the vorts somehow being able to mess with the G-Man, that could seriously backfire in a plot hole sense.
Pidesco: the episodes weren't boring, especially ep 2.