Tikichick

I've definitely felt as time has gone on that certain characters have been featured more than they might have been because of casting. Tywin was the one who really convinced me this was a thing on the show. I was convinced they wanted to change the Oberyn outcome but couldn't figure out a way. I rather wish they had figured out a better Dornish storyline overall.

Bran can time travel now that he's been born. I don't know that means he has had the ability to time travel and/or warg before Bran existed. We do know that there are some people who have some magical abilities when it comes to living many, many years, Old Nan being one of them, and Hodor is thought to be related to her, so he may in fact be quite old himself. I thought Jon's cleaned wounds were left looking like he had a torso full of leeches, intentionally harking back to some of Melisandre's earlier magic.

Even if all of the books were complete and published, no adaptation could possibly be 100-percent faithful, including every location, character and happening. Simply not possible to be done, financially or otherwise. Too many people would remember Hodor before he was Hodor if he changed in Bran's lifetime.

I think the omission of the Hound's name was meant for the audience, not anything at all to do with Brienne, Pod or Sansa. A certain segment of the audience may have let that conversation sail entirely over their heads, and likely will be suitably surprised should a reveal come along.

Good call, Lovebug, on the poetic justice possible with Oathkeeper.

I wonder how much Bran's story will have changed for TV purposes? It definitely seems his book storyline would have been incredibly difficult to hold onscreen interest for long, much as the complaints are about Arya's quest to become a faceless man.

The loss of Walda and baby will only bother Walder as far as baby's potential claim as Lord of Winterfell and Protector of the North, if that is correctly Roose's title at time of death. Of course being a babe titles, power and wealth would have been "rightfully" placed in control of Walder in his opinion.

I think odds are slim Sansa reaches the Wall and it's likely she winds up back at Winterfell. Just as she's reunited with Ramsey would be perfect timing IMO for Nymeria to emerge from her travels and pop in on the old homestead.

Have to agree entirely with Rancide. As ready as I was to see Sam finally get the boot, the sew off wasn't balanced in opportunity. I guess I can live with it since Sam coasted through a major part of the season on undeserved time. If any bit at all of the edited image we've been given is at all close to reality, I do hope most of all he takes a long hard look at himself and makes positive improvements necessary. He at least had the empathy to be pained at destroying something Asha put so much into. I'm certain he knew Alexander was not attached to his dress anyway.

I know what you mean. I've been invested in those pups since the first few pages of book one too many years ago. I've been waiting patiently for my Nymeria to find the right moment to present herself on the screen. I want to see her reunited with Arya, and with Ghost too.

I've had a couple more thoughts after thinking a few days on the episode. Anyone think there's any likelihood that Melisandre is suddenly cold because she touched Jon's cheek? I'm wondering if any of Sam's studies in Oldtown will prove useful to his best friend's potential future?

Alicia looked as if she was having an out of body experience for most of the episode. I felt like that watching it. Totally does not feel like it fits in the series at all.

This episode left me wondering two things most of all. Wouldn't Sansa be very familiar with Pod already from her time married to Tyrion? Are we ever going to get a look at Jon's ability to warg on the show? Just occurred to me, if Arya stumbles into an ability to warg it could give a whole new meaning to the Many Faced God.

Oh how I would have loved for this runway to have taken place without the designers there, and the runway wall displaying a shot of the corresponding piece of inspirational art as the models emerged to walk the designs. That would have given us some great critiques to listen to, and interesting comments about judges' interpretations of what the inspiration was. Would have been fascinating to hear their speculation about the discongruence between the owl and the rainbow. Of course Isaac would have carried the banner for that being the real avant garde viewpoint out there, because I think there would have been no doubt amongst the regular threesome about who designed which look. Boy George was a pleasure to hear from, a real revelation and very insightful.

I think there's some guilt at play with Mike re: the executed good samaritan, and possibly the truck driver to some extent as well. But I think moreso it's the fact that Hector has no hesitation to kill anyone -- and Hector sent a team out to threaten Mike's family. That's no go for Mike and must be stopped in its tracks.

The title of this week's episode is kind of ironic, given that the people in charge of this show could use some lesson in the value of pacing and a slow burn. I can't stand when shows drag out stories endlessly, but this show has proven to me that too far the other extreme isn't ideal either.

I missed Hayden so much, and watching her back on screen proves exactly why that was. Clearly she can do much more than the endless loop of scheming they always hit as default on her storylines. Matter of fact, scheming seems to be their go to plotline for everyone. That's a problem. Far more interesting to show hopes, dreams and intentions falling short, getting derailed, unintentionally colliding. Less mustache twirling would be much appreciated. Seriously, that's why you brought on Alicia Witt? She can play a much more complex and compelling character than that, I've seen it. Maddie's story is poorly written, which is not surprising with the direction of this show lately. I've started to become suspicious that the underlying story is going to be about Frankie and Cash undermining ever aspect of Deacon's life. Both characters grate on my nerves. There's plenty of room for continued angst for Deacon without the Boris and Natasha element scheming to take down Moose and Squirrel. As a mom there's no way I can get behind the idea that Rayna and Deacon should wash their hands of Maddie, absolutely not. I also can't give credence to the notion there's any grounds for emancipation, but I'm certain that's what we're about to see play out. The ADD notion of Rayna's choices and lifestyle plotline is largely killing the room for real stories, organic ones to play out. She runs her label the same way she runs her life -- ooh, look, pretty shiny thing -- what were we talking about? She has repeatedly fallen down on Layla's regard. She can't even follow through on what it means to have signed her own daughters. If she had, things would be much different. Ooh, but she's itchy to get out on the road for the mini tour band aid that she cooked up, to solve Layla's problem?, even though it serves no good purpose at all for her family or her label right now.

Wasn't the actor who played Hank very nasty in the media wrap up of BB about his time on the show and wanting to close the door? Somewhere I remember him not being a part of the end of series celebrations and send off, instead kind of being very dismissive of his time on the show. If that's true, I'd be surprised if they taped him for BCS.

My only dissatisfaction is the season's over already. IMO Chuck can't see any good in Jimmy because he cannot see beyond his jealousy that his parents never wavered in their love for Jimmy, and then Rebecca was seemingly charmed by him when they met, despite no doubt being advised beforehand of all of his many flaws. On the flip side, Jimmy can't see beyond his admiration and love for Chuck, despite knowing what a conniving human being he can be AND now knowing that Chuck sabotaged his future at HHM and hid behind Howard. Jimmy's stuck believing he'll never measure up to Chuck, Chuck saved his bacon and they're brothers at the end of the day. He has no idea Chuck loathes him and needs him to be the useless brother to bolster his image as the smart, wonderful and morally upright brother. I still feel we're going to find out Rebecca was driven away by Chuck's need to be always right and always in control. And of course to Chuck Jimmy will be the cause of it since things were fine until Jimmy came to town. When Jimmy accepts Chuck's hatred of him we may truly finally see Saul Goodman come to life.

Dom was working any angle on those 3 years in cancer research she could, wasn't she? At least it's more tolerable than staying in the competition week after week by worming your way into a judge's heart via the pitter pat of flats plucked from the Chinese Laundry shoe wall. Recognized Asha's fabric right away. If that outfit alone doesn't drive home the fact that the 15 year olds did rings around the last round on Runway and these All Stars, I don't know what will. Emily did a great job and I was delighted to see an apparently nice person finally get a win -- but I desperately want to take away her access to eye makeup and authority to put ridiculous wigs on her models. Debi Mazar was everything I could have wanted. Although she did make me twitch when she gushed about flats being such a revelation.

I don't understand the Tiana story at all. Hakim was smitten with her before. Professionally they were put out there as a couple. She preferred to play in another league and was only putting up with Hakim for business I thought? Maybe the writers are a little fuzzy on the past plotlines like I am?

I feel for Layla. She never has anyone in her corner, truly in her corner and making her a priority. Will cares about her, truly cares about her, and is a good friend, but he's caught up in his own drama too much to be of help to her. Rayna tries to take care of the business of Layla's career needs -- when she gets a spare minute, whoops, excuse me, another crisis beckons. After driving her to the brink of death, Jeff ironically truly fell in love with her. But once again, true to Layla's luck, he was most often preoccupied with trying to keep his own head above water and then he was gone. In the end she's basically a slightly altered version of her mortal enemy, Juliette. Ironically she's Juliette without Glen's masterful strategy helping her build a great career, despite having a very hard working and well intentioned Glen working hard to give Layla a great career. Glen bringing Juliette back into the fold won't make things better for Layla, simply allow ample opportunity for revenge plotting and lots of angst and drama. Girl just can't catch a break

I swear I saw the anvil fall when Rhonda said she was so glad to be saying with someone who isn't crazy for a change. I did spend a good deal of the episode repeatedly counting after Cookie and Porsha discussed the birthday cake. "Make sure it's enough for five?" Cookie, her three sons, their dubious daddy, plus unfortunate daughter in law = six every time I do the math in my head. Can't shake the feeling that the end of Mimi/Camilla was incredibly rushed for reasons that make no sense to me.

I was waiting for Better Call Saul to debut because I enjoyed what this team brought in Breaking Bad. I was unsure about Saul as the pivotal, title character but decided I had to at least give it a try. I've been more than pleasantly surprised, so much so that this show has surpassed Breaking Bad in my rating scale. I absolutely believe Chuck drove Rebecca away with his need to control every detail of everything to perfection, because of course he knows best. I think we saw the beginning of the end of their relationship played out on screen already, the dinner with Jimmy. Absolutely drove Chuck beyond the bend that Rebecca found Jimmy engaging and funny. She did that all wrong, obviously she was supposed to find Jimmy obnoxious and beneath them -- and they were supposed to be laughing behind Jimmy's back and then dish about him after he left. I believe Chuck doubled down on his attempt to micromanage and suggest ways she should handle things at the orchestra with the musician he was intent she remain at odds with and put in their place. I'm sure Jimmy was a feature in their lives now that he's in town, and I wouldn't be surprised if he became friendly with Rebecca. Chuck likely went to work on his insidious mission to see his brother stomped down into his proper position and Rebecca was sickened by his schemes, they fought and it snowballed into the end. So of course that equates into Jimmy being at fault for destroying their relationship in Chuck's mind.

Chuck won't want to give up his stake in the company. He's now created a situation where he's a liability to the firm. Howard is in a position to use both of these to force Chuck into simply being a profit-sharing partner, absent any abilities to represent clients or wield power in firm operations anymore.