Opening was really good...though it was unquestionably more spectacular with the warg and his animals going mad, and Melisandre burning the eagle which I was really sad they left out. Show just how powerful she is. I guess Stannis' / Melisandre's main dialogue with Jon will be next season then too...
Bran and Co's scene was good. Though I wasn't fond of the overly CGI skeletons. Coulda' just used normal wights. The Child looked superb, the Three eyed Raven not so much. Fan art nailed him, with the trees growing
through him. Didn't get that here.
Hound vs. Brienne was just all round excellent. Fantastic, visceral fight.
Tywin's death I didn't like that much, nor the scene with Cersei prior. I feel they've dropped the ball with his character this season. They kept the waters with his association with Gregor murdered Elia deliberately muddy when in the books it was clear and Tywin wasn't that much of a monster.
In the scene with Cersei...he
wrung his hands like a little girl when she stormed off.
Finally, the proud Lion of Casterly Rock doesn't grovel on the privvy. That's what it looked like to me, with some of his lines. The book chapter was far superior I.M.O. Didn't like Tyrion reloading and shooting him again either, felt weird.
One final point was the choice of music was weird. Rather than Arya's / Jaqen's theme 'Valar Morghulis' they went with Robb's theme? Odd.
If I wasn't a book reader I'd have definitely liked it more though. I've always been a staunch supporter of the show or film vs. the often foolish and unmoving hipster mantra of 'the book was better'. But that's wavered a bit this season and a lot this latest episode. Don't get me wrong I'm not going to flip out and pull a Raging dragon and I'm really looking forward to S5, but still. Hmm.
