"When exactly did Bolton betray the Starks?"

Probably.  It will set the tone for the rest of the season.

Valar morghulis.

Ha ha, that would be ridiculous.  It would basically make a whole different series.  Try something less obvious next time, troll.

And it ties right into "you take the hero you get, not the hero you want" theme of the rest of ep.

Yes.  The whole voice over exposition was pretty bad, as they usually are, and then made worse because it turned out to be redundant.

And the use of clones is against our actual human experience, wherein we're trying to automate more, and give more control over to machines.  Reversing that trend, to grow up organic meat bodies, that are generally inferior to mechanized ones, makes little sense.  Besides the whole complication of memory.

Well, except that the sequence of them approaching the Tet was strange.  They accelerated, and then got worried enough to eject the other sleepers?  They went from curious explorers to afraid for their lives very fast.

Well, and if there are "thousands" of Jacks that were used to invade the Earth, obviously they had no problem recognizing each other then.  Why would they now?  Even supposing for some reason that a human army would be more effective than the alien tech.

+, Isn't Loras a Kingsguard, and therefore not able to marry?  Or is that not until later?

This is the most Valyrian I've heard spoken so far, and I thought it was pretty awesome.  Someone spent some time crafting that language, and I don't think it was Martin.  It sounded like a language that would be fun to learn, actually.

Mostly cause I haven't seen it discussed yet:

If they don't end this season with the RW I'll be very surprised.

Yeah, or skipped the amputation altogether.  Which would save some special effects budget, but I don't think they can get away with that.

I don't know if it's clear, but I'm 1/3 of the way through the 4th and he hasn't come back in yet (although I've been spoiled).

I feel like this episode was so far the greatest departure from the books so far in the series.  I'm not sure it's going to work, but I have faith that the show will eventually get back to the same place as the books.

Although it *really* begs the question who's going to take Jaime's hand.  That is a crucial plot point, it can't be omitted;  yet if the Bolton's already have him, they can't do it themselves without earn the enmity of the Lannisters, which ruins their alliance necessary for things like the RW.

You're being entirely too generous, and you know it.

It should be easy:  they should attempt to set up a permanent society.  Which is naturally perpetually challenged by external events (zombies, raiding humans);  natural events (how many fuck ups would you make before re-learning how to make steel in a useful fashion?  how do you actually grow enough productive crops…

It was bad because they spent the entire season in one farm.  This season is getting bad because they are spending all of it in in the prison.