I think the Monks are a different group than Lydia's dad's Totemists.
Speaking of, Lydia was awesome defending the others (despite her making a speech about herself at someone else's wedding; bad form, Lydia), but I despise the 'we should be thanking you for saving our miserable hides, but we won't because reasons' trope in stories. Then Lydia compounds it by going to her son, Baron Poutmaster McPoutyPout (Because Oliver Stark has no other facial expressions; angry pouting, frustrated pouting, smug pouting, I-am-creeping-with-my-dad's-fiance pouting, ect; for all the crap MK's actor gets, Ryder's actor should as well)
I'm happy they didn't drag out Sunny's imprisonment in the mines. Going through an entire season waiting for a lead to reunite with the rest of the main cast leads to padding and a lack of satisfying resolution (coughPennyDreadfulcough). I think the point of Nick Frost's Baije is to keep the scenes of Sunny journeying back active with dialogue (Let's be honest, if Sunny escaped alone, it would have been very, very silent). Baije can be annoying, but I liked Frost in Hot Fuzz and it seems the character has plot-purpose.
Just once I'd like to see a tale where the young apprentice (in this case MK) just stops and sits and listens to what the master has to say. I don't mind the monastery scenes because I kinda want to understand why MK has this ability and how it came to be. The other guy given a name there (Tate) fled the monks, and I think that plot point might come back.
I think Waldo is playing the Widow, and possibly everyone else he comes into contact with, but I can't get a clear picture of his endgame by doing so.
Hammy, yes, but Martin Csokas' Quinn definitely brings the party with him. I am waiting for him to smack the Perma-Pout off of his son's face.