After a total of three FW flashes, the problem is still there, somehow.
I first reset, and applied the 5.3.1 update, installed the jailbreak, installed the usbnet, and SSH'd in to add custom screensavers, and it did the same thing (cycled through and wouldn't repeat).
"It must be something with the SSH", I thought. So I reset, applied the update, applied the update
again, didn't install the usbnet hack, but did install NiLuJe's screensaver hack, and it still wouldn't work right!
At this point, I might either live with it, go back to the stock screensavers, or see if I can exchange it.
Giving myself a gold star for this one!