Count Balerion

I think one of the things that are clearer in the books is the degree to which Jon sruggled with this very issue. We don't get inside his mind in the show to anything like the same extent as in the books.

For Gilly vs. Ygritte, what jumps to mind is that Gilly was in some sense seeking asylum; Ygritte was not. Also, she was fighting against the watch, while Gilly was an unarmed refugee.

9/10.

The only things I didn't like were the Jon/Ygritte dialogue (a bit corny) and the final scene, given that the episode was named for it, was rather anticlimactic IMO. Not bad, necessarily; but would have been better if there'd been more substance (e.g., if they'd included the Yunkai battle here). Also, while I'm nitpicking, the Theon/Reek scene could have been shorter.

I enjoyed everything else, especially the council scene, which I've been hoping for all season, although

they didn't have "He's not Robert II; he's Aerys III."

, the Bolton/Frey gloating party, Tyrion/Tywin mutual contempt. Also,

Tyrion's enemies' list foreshadowing the murder(s?) we'll be getting later.

9/10

The Daenerys scene was OK, but not up to the level of her earlier scenes this season. Bran/Rickon very good, best this season. See, they didn't need the Osha-Reed b*tchier-than-thou-fest. Red Wedding: well done (there are some book lines I'd have liked kept in); Michelle Fairley was excellent (and horribly underused this season, bleah), Roose Bolton guy also good. Not surprised they cut Jinglebell; even apart from the outrage, probably not important enough a character for them to bother. Oh, and Arya good; they seem to have softened her, as it's hard to imagine book-Arya saying "please" to Sandor (with my luck, it’ll turn out there are a million book-citations of her doing just that).

All my votes are provisional until I see it on DVD, though.

Gave it an 8. Who knows, maybe on the rewatch on DVD I'll jack it up to a 9. Depends on my mood.

I like everything with Daenerys -- although Daario's voice is a little high. I like the wway she keeps her cool when the guy suddenly turns up.

Wedding decent, though yes, drunk Tyrion did seem a bit overdone.

Good final scene. And I'm sure Coldhands will turn up in due course.

I also liked Cersei's not terribly veiled threat to Margaery and Davos psychoanalysing Stannis, not to mention that Stannis is a bit more like Stannis now.

Gave it an 8. I think I'd have to be really disappointed to give an episode less than that. Nothing screamingly exciting, and heavy on setting things up, which is fine.

Highlights:

Tywin vs. Joffrey, though I miss the family council in the books, where Tywin is much more devastating IMO.

Dany. Too short, though.

Pretty much anything with Jaime in it.

Nice to see Sansa growing up and Margaery being Margaery.

Blackfish's assessment of Frey.

Jon explaining to Ygritte that she knows nothing.

Arya.

But basta mit der Theon-torture already.

Liked it, but not up to the last two epsiodes.

Did not care for BWB selling Gendry.

Olenna vs. Tywin: good, but not as good as I expected.

High points: Ramsay's true colors, Roose, Tyrion/Cersei, maybe Edmure marriage thingy. Other stuff pretty decent.

I wonder why they bothered w/ Roz if they were just going to kill her off? I thought they must be saving her up for something.

Gave it an 8.

Is it just me, or is Littlefinger also a lot less witty in the show than in the books?

I'm still not sure where they're going with Stannis; but so far I still prefer book-Stannis.

Shireen teaching Davos to read: so touching. Bother about the hair, though.

Lannister family councils are always entertaining, because they can't stand each other and are devastatngly witty about it. Although I've missed the bit where

Joffrey disses Tywin and the latter sends him off to bed with some dreamwine.

.

Bath and Arya/Gendry.

Robb seems to be growing up a bit.

Grey Worm and Daenerys Jelmaazmo; Ser Barrestan vs. Jorah.

The fact that I would have found excellent even without the Daenerys scene at the end speaks for itself.

As someone said, I really like TV Margaery. She has more drive than in the books, I think.

I'm ssaving up my 10s, though.

(Somehow I don't remember the Bran segment. Must have blunked it out.)