That has everything to do with the network screwing the show and moving its timeslot around. If Star Trek had gotten the same treatment, it would never have become a science fiction icon.

: I always thought that "you have to see it for yourself" thing was a
: policy they had because it sounds too out there for almost anyone who's
: not mentally unstable to believe without proof, and the only way to prove
: it's not real is to leave it.

That's the in-universe explanation for it, yes.

Now, imagine trying to write the story without a main character from inside the Matrix. Imagine writing the story so they weren't explaining how it all works to a newbie. Doesn't work well, does it?

: Also they didn't give a very accessible
: explanation of simulated reality, Morpheus had maybe two lines about
: electric signals interpreted by your brain, and a few more about how
: machines put all this together and some philosophizing, much of which
: likely went over the heads of some of the people that were more interested
: in the action, and that was it.

I'm going to have to disagree. His explanation was accessible and told as much as he needed to tell.