I agree.  Asuna is too BA to just sit around like a princess in a fairy tale, and Suguha's love for Kirito kinda squicked me out.  He's your cousin, girl, not cool!
ALO did what it was supposed to do, story-wise, and I rather like that scene on the bridge where Kirito turns into a beast and kicks butt~
The villain of ALO, however, did his job very well.  I hate him and his creepiness!  Stupid stalker pervert creep.  I actually kind of liked Kayaba, but ALO's villain?  Not worthy of the name Oberon.

(I do like some creepy villains - Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold from OUAT and Ghirahim from LoZ: SS come to mind - but ALO's villain is seriously messed up.)