Oh shit I didn't even think about that. That's exactly why the doves were dead

Yeah, it's this idea that he's going to be killed by something hidden from the reception and the audience. Plus it gives us one more reason to hate Joffrey (as if it were needed) before he dies: He's a dick to birds!

They did, when Ramsay was eating in front of him. The use here is excusable, in that sense, because it reminds people that "Hey, Theon lost his dick last season!"

Everything going on with Stannis and the Lord of Light always comes off as intriguing, but lacks agency very much in a way similar to Danny during her "Where are my dragons?" phase of season 2. I have a feeling there will be a huge payoff here, but it will be a ways down the line. That's the drawback to the way this…

It's like The Simpsons at its peak: Why use one joke when three will do?

And that insert shot of the doves slaughtered inside the pie by Joffrey's blade is a wonderful bit of foreshadowing: The someone (our King) is going to be killed in a way hidden to the crowd, undone by his own hubris

That hard cut from Theon's broken, quivering face to the sausage Tyrion is about to eat is the cruelest form of humor imaginable

Of the many amazing things about this episode, what struck me most is the way the script was structured as a series of harrowing tortures for the Starks and few remaining Stark sympathizers, conditioning us to expect only pain and humiliation to come at the hands of the Lanisters and their allies, peaking with the…

That was fantastic. It's also hard to believe that that was a part of this season because of how disjointed everything has been

Between that and Archer fumbling the shaker in mid-air while the "maid" was at the door make for great gags.

With the exception of Nick Searcy — for obvious reasons — this episode can easily be the entire cast's Emmy submission

It's devastating to see how ruthless Raylan is even when he operates by the book. It's always been clear that he's a fantastic marshal, but it's become increasingly clear that Raylan only operates on shaky ground because it pleases him to fuck with everyone

I think because Boyd has been so burned this season buy EVERYTHING and he's been worn so thin that he's responded to Ava's situation the only way he knows how: With detachment and cynicism

I loved the way that even though Raylan is clearly running point this whole episode, Rachael still exudes an air of being in charge required to keep everything on track

Yeah, that was my first thought as well. But a guy was a beehive last week, so least of my quibbles. Plus, these guys are the only real experts left on the Chesapeake Ripper, so that seems to be justification enough

Not only that, but one of Gideon's closeups during that scene with Alana was stage in a way very reminiscent of the Hannibal film poster. It's this show's sense of minuscule detail that gives it such an understanding of its universe and how to navigate so masterfully

The wardrobe is just another point of flawless execution for this show. The way Hannibal's suits are picked so that it sets him apart from the rest of the cast without dramatically calling attention to himself, particularly that blood red and black plaid combination he wore during the trial

It isn't surprising, given how well this show handles death and all things macabre, but I am impressed by how well Fuller and company handle their first major character death. Beverly's demise could have easily come across as strained and not genuine. Instead, the character is given a tremendous dignity in death as…

It's a shame he'll never win an Emmy for it — not that awards are the end all be all but still — because the field is so stacked but I hope that he continues to get fabulous work after this show is over

It's a shame that we haven't been able to spend too much time with Daryl, because watching him slither out from under the boots of, well, everyone has been a real treat