Yeah Dany was easily the best part of the episode. I am thoroughly pleased with her

I don't know how much of my problems with the episode stem from losing all interest in the Theon stuff. Sexual torture is a whole new level, and I just don't want to watch it. I hold realism as the highest aesthetic virtue, but I still can't handle certain kinds of realism.

The Brienne and the bear stuff was exceedingly silly. I can't stand action scenes with animals because they're always awful. I could ignore the ridiculous climb scene from the previous episode, but apparently not this one.

Looks like they breathed new life into Brienne. She was snugly written out of the story, but having Jaime save her does provide some good character development

I'm getting serious mixed messages on Talisa. Her scene with Robb was dripping with subtext, but two different avenues. We don't need to see how much she means to Robb unless something happens with that (like he loses her), but significant time in the scene was about just that. While watching the scene, I got the feeling she's begging to be killed, but that could be my bias. On the other side, why was she writing her mother, speaking Valyrian, and from Volantis if it isn't because she's a player too. Just watch as Melisandre is her fucking sister

Shae can die already

The Osha scene didn't need to happen. We already know about the wights and we already know she hates dark magic. The writers could push the plot to a scene down the road where those factors are all in play and do just fine without us also knowing about Osha's boyfriend.

Hound and Arya will be fun. I was initially thinking Jaqen would appear out of the shadows. Also a fan of the return of the God of Death. He doesn't get any play

Tywin/Joff scene was great, but not what I've been hoping for. I guess we're probably not going to get Joff going bonkers then Tywin bitchslapping him. Joff was acting like a reasonable adult for the first time in the series.

A little upset at how many opportunities Snow had to acknowledge that Ygritte knew nothing. I assume the writers saw that dynamic, but don't know why they wouldn't reference it. Maybe they want to make Snow seem stalwart by not having wit, but it also makes him brooding