Ambrus
Explorer
The thing that particularly struck me this episode is the glaring disparity between the survivors featured in the main cast and the majority of the survivors played by extras. I had some newfound respect for Jin's character because, in the few lines he got this episode, he seemed to sum up the attitude of those poor souls who aren't lucky enough to be a part of the "in" crowd. For instance when he's watching the main characters in conversation at the beginning of the episode and he wonders out loud what's going on with Claire and the baby; I saw the curiosity and confusion of those survivors who are routinely excluded from the significant goings on of the island. Similarly, when Jin is going about the day to day matter of survival later in the episode along comes Charlie doing his own thing and Jin is the one who gets clocked with a sling stone SIMPLY FOR BEING NEXT TO CHARLIE. Later when he's recovering from the blow with Sung his frank statement: "I was attacked and hurt for something THEY did" resonates with the anger and bitterness I imagine I'd feel if I weren't a part of the 'special' clique. 
Though I doubt we'll see much of it being made in the ongoing plot, I'd be interested in seeing those who are being alienated and dismissed out of hand grow distrustful and resentful of the main characters. These self-styled leaders would worry me greatly; most of them have openly showed their propensity for violence, having repeatedly traded blows with each other time and time again: Sawyer and Sayid, Sawyer and Jack, Boone and Sawyer, Michael and Jin, ect, they've all gone at it at one moment or the other. Then they all armed themselves with Locke's knives. Then because of something they did someone is attacked and killed. Afterwards, the in-crowd casually pulls out a secret arsenal of guns and ammo and distribute them amongst their own. Survivors are being threatened and they're hiding guns? These people have hoarded water, radio equipment and now weapons. These people are fighting their own personal demons and each other; they're damaged goods! I'd worry as much about them as I would the inhabitants of the forest.
I know the writers need to focus on the main characters but I think some better efforts could be made to involve the other survivors in the overall storyline. At least so that we get the impression that they're somehow involved as something other than red shirts. I mean, how are we supposed to feel anything when Scott-Steve dies? The discrepancy was really driven home for me when Claire gets suspicious when she sees everyone staring at her. She sees an elderly couple, then a dark haired woman but when she finally confronts someone about the staring, it's Shannon! When Claire is spinning around I really got the impression that she was looking around for someone who she knew was ALLOWED to speak. :\
Though I doubt we'll see much of it being made in the ongoing plot, I'd be interested in seeing those who are being alienated and dismissed out of hand grow distrustful and resentful of the main characters. These self-styled leaders would worry me greatly; most of them have openly showed their propensity for violence, having repeatedly traded blows with each other time and time again: Sawyer and Sayid, Sawyer and Jack, Boone and Sawyer, Michael and Jin, ect, they've all gone at it at one moment or the other. Then they all armed themselves with Locke's knives. Then because of something they did someone is attacked and killed. Afterwards, the in-crowd casually pulls out a secret arsenal of guns and ammo and distribute them amongst their own. Survivors are being threatened and they're hiding guns? These people have hoarded water, radio equipment and now weapons. These people are fighting their own personal demons and each other; they're damaged goods! I'd worry as much about them as I would the inhabitants of the forest.
I know the writers need to focus on the main characters but I think some better efforts could be made to involve the other survivors in the overall storyline. At least so that we get the impression that they're somehow involved as something other than red shirts. I mean, how are we supposed to feel anything when Scott-Steve dies? The discrepancy was really driven home for me when Claire gets suspicious when she sees everyone staring at her. She sees an elderly couple, then a dark haired woman but when she finally confronts someone about the staring, it's Shannon! When Claire is spinning around I really got the impression that she was looking around for someone who she knew was ALLOWED to speak. :\
