It's not a popular opinion, but I've been waiting for Dany to get taken down a peg for a while now. It's hard to buy her as a sudden conqueror when she only just learned in Qarth that people are not to be trusted.

"Melisandre has procured Gendry (who, by the way, she found and spirited back very easily—further testament to her powers, or lazy storytelling?)"

Steve Valentine! He used to be on Crossing Jordan. He also did the voice of Alistair in the Dragon Age series. And yes, he was great in this episode.