Elsewhere, we've got a lot of drama at the motel. Palaka's infection forces Dr. Smith to evaluate what his role is now. Does the loss of his job mean he can't be a doctor now? That's the issue he faces during the scene where Freddie tries to take Palaka away. Smith sees this treatment as a way to prove that he still has a purpose and the hospital lawyer can't take that away. Even though the hospital is setting him up for a fall, Cissy is looking out for him.

Beyond the Yosts, the central focus of the series is the formation of this new community, where a whole bunch of societal rejects can gather and find togetherness. At the end of Babylon 5, there's a voiceover that says that station "gave us hope that there can be new beginnings, even for people like us." The people on Babylon 5 were nowhere near as far from redemption as the guys on this show, but the sentiment is the same. The motel has become a place where everyone can leave behind the baggage of who they were and coalesce into a new communal entity. Much like with Deadwood, this isn't always easy, and people rarely say what the others around them mean to each other, with the exception of Barry, who is always ridiculed for it.

With Palaka sick, the community draws together to care for him, and ultimately that's what society is about — providing a safety net to ensure that those who can't help themselves will still be protected. The characters who have willingly engaged with this community are helped, those who resist remain troubled. The two main resistors are Vietnam Joe and Bill.

Bill remains uncertain about his role in the community. A couple of episodes ago, Zippy told him to go out and sit with Freddie, he did this and was happy for a bit. But, now he's retreated back into his cave, talking only to Zippy. It's notable that he says he has no friends, and nowhere else to go besides his house. He doesn't recognize the fact that there is a community that cares for him, instead he cowers below the second floor of his house, unable to leave the stairs. I'm guessing that one of John's tasks in the last three episodes of the season will be helping Bill finally resolve the issues with his wife's death.

The other major strand is Linc's departure from Stinkweed. Right now, he's the major outsider — a threat to the burgeoning community. Will his departure from the company make him stop being a threat and let him embrace the pure joy of surfing and the community surrounding it? I'm thinking that's unlikely, and he seems to have some kind of scheme going on with Tina. They will likely be the central threat of the end of the season. Considering the laid back feel of this episode, I'm not expecting a major climax for the close of the season.