Just wanted to say, so very well-stated. "Won't Get Fooled Again" is one of my favorite eps of the series if not THE favorite. It works on a number of levels, incisive character study, trippy thrill-ride, emotional family drama, giddy comic relief. It's just brilliant that way. All the while, John is visibly, albeit…

Very true. They had no choice but to take Rygel back. I suppose I was just surprised they weren't more angry with him. It being a rather intrinsic part of his selfish nature at that point probably lessened the sting of the betrayal somewhat. That sort of thing was just expected of him I guess.

"Family Ties" was such a great season finale that would have played well (albeit quite grimly) as a series finale, if it had come to that. That final shot was gorgeous.

Agreed. One wonders if the thinking was that the girls being in on the "joke"(SO NOT a joke) made things worse for Theon and enhanced his humiliation, pain and debasement. Thing is, Ramsay is just awful to everyone (it's kind of his thing) so it's just hard to believe those girls were just being casually cruel instead…

MILD SPOILERS I suppose

Yeah, it was tonally off and strange. Those of us who've read the books knew what was coming. But the attitude of the girls threw me. Ramsay is such a wholly nasty piece of work, it's hard to conceive of willing cronies who are just as bad as he is.

SPOILERS for non-readers

Stark's relative stability, or lack thereof always seemed a bit unclear. I assumed the character as introduced was just Crichton's crazy jailhouse roommate and he was just so much more than that, obviously. I really appreciated the scene where he comforts Crichton at a particularly low point, as it was a welcome…