I always thought the relationship between the Red Woman and Stannis was implied too. That is how she gets all of the shadow babies lol. I don't miss the daughter storyline, really. The jester would have just annoyed me lol.

Oh, and Littlefinger needs to buy his ladies some mouthwash lol.

I did not like the scene between Littlefinger/Cersei! It seemed very out of character for both of them. Cersei doesn't really think of LF as anything but a coin counter and LF would never challenge the queen so openly about her children because he plays the lickspittle so well.

Also wish the scene between Robb and Catelyn were better done. After all, it's Catelyn's idea to meet with Renly...it kind of ruins the idea off Robb being a green boy king, who's in over his head whenever it's something not battle-related. As well as being kind of a mirror of Joffrey/Cersei and Robb/Catelyn that were present in the books.

Tyrion scenes were flawless as was the whole Arya/Gendry scene. It did seem to go quickly, but not much happened.

I didn't think I could be any happier with the casting of Arya, but seeing her as Arry makes it even more perfect. I enjoyed the scene with Varys and Tyrion as well, they did a nice job of pointing out the intricacies of threat that Ned was too naive to heed. Helped illustrate just how crafty Tyrion is, which you really miss without the book for background.

One of my absolute favorite things about GRRM is how he makes each character so multidimensional. I wish they'd spend more time on Cersei's anguish at losing Jaime, and her realization that Joffrey isn't the golden boy she thought. I wish they'd show the bits of the villains that evoke your empathy and the side of the heroes that give you the twinges of contempt. If I am sad about anything being lost in the translation to TV, the flatness of the characters may be it.

And no mention of Lyanna or Rhaegar at all. Very minor treatment of the Kingslayer label, the Mad King, or any of the groundwork which brings the families to this impasse in the first place.

I actually enjoyed the scene with Ros and Littlefinger - if we were unsure about what a nasty piece of work previously you know for sure now!
I wasn't keen on Melisandre and Stannis being that blatant - offering him a son?? Not sure.......... Shame if his daughter and the fool aren't in it, loved them in the book.
Gendy and Arry/Arya were fantastic, his shock at saying **** in front of her, brilliant, really great raport between them - more of that, and Jaqen please!
Asha/Yara - meh. Thought Alfie Allen did good work with the emotional side of Theons return, but god I hate his character!

Hey!

I felt the episode was too short, but thats just because I just wanted to keep watching... and watching.

I ~lol~'d at the LF scenes, until he went to talk to her... Thats where you really saw the side of him you come to expect.

Arya - perfect. Loved it, and she plays it well.

Stannis and Mel scene... Ya, not directly in the book from what I recall but was hinted at. It's HBO, they have to fill their "boob" time.

Theon's sister - I thought she did alright... She's cute but not gorgeous... played along with him until they got to the castle then let him have it. Balon was a great casting... Didn't care for the sex scene on the ship with Theon and the captains wife... The sympathy I felt for her was just a little TOO real.

Tyrion and Janos... LOVED it. Perfect.

/awaits eagerly for the next one...

I got the impression the Stannis and Melisandre sex happened in the books but offscreen. The shadow baby thing was actually made by sex (which is really warped if you think about it)
I don't mind them not actively having his daughter as a shown character, but I'm a bit disturbed in some ways that he doesn't seem to have a daughter at all according to the show. It wasn't "Your wife has only given you a daughter", it was that there was only death.