Well, it is intentionally set in a "generic North American city" in the sense that they intentionally do not draw attention to the specific setting, and they have genericized certain things. However, it does not take the "generic location" as far as some shows that are set in a fiction city with all references to a…

That's socialized medicine for you! /s

Or just a Constable Bob, the same character he plays on Justified.

Loved that twisty yellow bridge

Helena’s alive. It speaks to the caliber of the writing that this twist doesn’t come off as a cheat.

It's interesting. Obviously, they don't mention the words "Canada" or "Toronto", but many smaller things, like the names of neighbourhoods are real ones in Toronto, it is subtly suggested that Cosima's university in Minnesota is in another country, and they way money, birth certificates, and driver's licences look,…

I think that's a good way to point it. The humour with Felix comes out of his character and the plot, and his character includes him being gay and unconventional. My point was that a lot of those humorous situations superficially sound like things that could be handled very badly on a lesser show.

My first thought about the pepper spray (well, my first thought after thinking about how great and funny that scene was), was that pepper spray is illegal in Canada. But then I realized that Alison is the type of gal who knows how to get a black-market handgun, so her carrying pepper spray isn't actually unrealistic.

Well… Sarah Palin claimed to be a hockey mom…

And to add onto that, what makes this character so intriguing is that this isn't just comic relief

It is entirely plausible that a Canadian biotech company / researchers / evil organization would be concerned about a US Supreme Court decision. It's also plausible that if they knew a relevant case was before the US Supreme Court then they would talk about "the supreme court case" with it being clear from context…

I was annoyed by how "the feds" kept interferring with the police investigation whenever it was convenient for the plot. I was somewhat placated late in the episode when Art explained that "the feds" were calling the shootout at the diner an act of terrorism because the guys were members of a religious extremist…

It is, as you've said, explicitly set in Toronto. However, the show is purposefully discreet about it.

I'm not sure precisely what you mean by "US-style Supreme Court" in this case, but if you mean a final court of appeal called the "Supreme Court" that can set binding precedent, overturn legislation and government actions if they are found to be unconstitutional, and clarify exactly how a law means in a given…

"A splice kit"? You mean scissors and scotch tape, right?

Also, no one actually born in the 90s is a "90s kid".

Bloody peasant!

Yes. All of Cersei's children (Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen) are "officially" and publicly considered to be the children of the late King Robert. In reality, they are all bastards of Cersei's incest with her brother Jaime Lannister.

I feel pretty sure it was the pie that was poisoned, not the wine. I think Joffrey's complaints of dryness were really just the first effects of the poison.

Other than in the capital, virtually no common people and even very few nobles, except some from the most important houses who have visited King's Landing, would actually recognize the person of Joffrey.