Since it wasn't one of the more mythologically geared episodes, I'll keep my thoughts brief.

- Overall, I have to say that I'd give this episode somewhere between a 7 or 8 out of 10. I thought it was a compelling hour of television, but I wish it had been a little more "story advancing." For a filler episode, it covered a lot, but I prefer filler episodes that are based around already established LOST characters.

- In Nikki, I like that we finally got out first truly vile LOSTie and that the island exacted kharmic payback for her pre-island ways. I like how most of the characters on LOST are basically good people at heart, so it was nice to see a character that was pretty f'ed up. I didn't really like the actress that played Nikki. I think she left a little to be desired in the acting department.

- How cool was it seeing them buried alive? That was just straight jacked up. Spiders AND being buried alive in one episode? Are they trying to hit on all of my phobias?

- I thought that all of the stuff between Charlie, Sun, and Sawyer was excellent and was very season 1esque. I think that more is going to come out of this story, so I can't wait to see how this plays out.

- "What, is there a forensics hatch that no one's told me about?"

- Is it me, or have the people on the beach gone a little Swiss Family Robinson on us? There's ping-pong. There are very intricately designed huts. I keep waiting for the Harlem Globetrotters to come out and play a game of basketball with some coconuts and a basket made out of the cargo netting from the plane. I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, I think that they would probably be capable of making huts like the ones they have on the show, but on the other hand, I think they'd look a little more primitive than how they currently look. It's not a big deal, but just something that I've noticed. This is ABC after all.

- I liked all the tongue in cheek stuff that the producers put in as a ;-) to the fans. Lines such as:
(paraphrase)
"I can't come back next season. I'm a guest actress. We always end up dead." - Niki

"This is, like, the best hour of television ever." - Hurley

"Who the hell are you?" - Sawyer

Beyond those lines, and the other lines I can't remember right now, I think that the producers basically answered a fan complaint as to why we don't see more of the other people on the beach. They said, fine, here's an episode for and about the "red shirts" of the island.

- Speaking of red shirts, I thought it was really neat seeing how others viewed the crash, the monster noise from the first night, Jack's speech, Locke's crazy ways, and all the sneaking that everyone does on the island.

I particularly liked seeing everyone's reaction to Jack's speech. It seemed to kind of come out of nowhere and really hit home why they would trust in Jack. He's just the guy you'd want to follow. I thought last night's episode helped confirm this.

That's all I have for now. Anyone want to add their two cents?

that's my two cents for this Thursday