I havenโt read the book.
I was 12 when I watched the 1994 miniseries. All I remember was that it was a story about a plague which wiped out most of the population, and then you followed what happened to the survivors.
Based on this, I have absolutely no problem following the time jumps, nor am I finding difficult to warm to the characters in the remake.
Sure dragging out the arrival and outbreak of the virus could have built further tension and created a greater sense of hopelessness, but I got the message enough to get on-board.
Looking forward to seeing how it all plays out (I have absolutely no recollection of what happens from the old miniseries)