The interesting thing about Pied Piper is that their core product is the compression algorithm. There are so many ways to make services based on that.

True — after reading that New Yorker article, I have to keep in mind that they've actually avoided including real-life experiences because they seem to ridiculous even for a comedy show. Still, I think they could have presented some of these very real issues (users not understanding an "over-engineered" product) in a…

Yeah, it's odd to me that they're promoting the platform as a way to experience content rather than back up that content. I suppose that's where a lot of services are going, but it seems like they'd be better off selling their revolutionary compression to YouTube, Spotify, etc., at least at first.

A+ direction for me, but C writing. The actual dialogue was fine, but the plot was basically the most predictable way that events could have unfolded. It seems the show has largely gone away from the sorts of intrigue and reveals that used to be its stock-in-trade.

Good list, and that's on top of all the sports references!

They kind of got at that point with the Glovers (and other houses off-screen) refusing to join Jon/Sansa's cause. They're tired of dying for no real reason, and definitely wary of following inexperienced twenty-somethings.

Rickon named his direwolf Shaggydog. A "shaggydog" tale is one that meanders for a while and is ultimately pointless. Rickon knew his place in this story.

The direction of the entire episode was phenomenal. The episode gets an A- from me for that alone. The writing and story choices could have been stronger, but the pure visual art on display was breathtaking.

It only really makes sense from a plot convenience perspective, but my personal explanation is that Sansa doesn't trust Littlefinger at all and didn't want Jon to make any plans that would have to rely on him. For all that Jon's seen up North, he still doesn't truly understand the depravity of men like Ramsay and…

The first time I remember seeing it was in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, when Mark Hamill cameo is punctuated (visually and audibly) with "Hey kids, it's Mark Hamill!" That seems drawn from early TV/radio broadcasts like you mentioned.

That makes sense. I meant that more current references to that practice started as ironic.

I feel like it started out as an ironic thing.. did old radio or variety shows used to do this or something? But yeah, lately it's just a way to make sure everyone understands the cameo.

We really need a Random Roles with Burstein now, with each L&O role specifically.

Agreed, I thought the Action Jack story petered out too quickly.

Totally agree about the Jonah stuff. As soon as his opponent said, "Guns can be dangerous," alarm bells went off in my head, as they should have to anyone with a passing familiarity with American elections.

I can't say for sure, but I highly doubt that the president attends events for free, at least not ones that others are expected to pay for. Presidential gifts (and all WH staff, and all political appointees, and to a lesser degree all federal employees) are monitored very closely.

From what I've read, they have a script they stick to for the most part, but they'll also do some takes where the cast can do whatever they want.

I agree for the most part, but the Tibet thing I saw as a callback to the exact "nothing gets done" motif you mentioned. Notice how all the Chinese agreed to was a "framework for discussion about talks" (or something) and the Meyer team lit up? They gave up concrete gain (factories) for vague imagery-based nonsense.

Jared isn't his real name, it's Donald Dunn.

I think that was the intended joke. Otherwise there's no pun.