Plus being a TV show it is all written around the main characters. That's the formula that works. Look at LOST. There are 30 or 40 people, but everything revolves around 8 - 10.

I just re-watched the episode online from 2 weeks ago where people are freezing to death in there homes, but all the trees around the Trading post are GREEN. Some of the trees were evergreens, but some of them weren't. Pretty funny.

I will still keep watching the show though...