The big news was that the lavish Game of Thrones returned to play by its own rules. Many other shows pander for fans' affection and take easy storytelling routes.
This may be the most crowd-pleasing, enjoyable, well-directed, streamlined, visceral, breathless, suspenseful, exhausting and expensive episode of "Game of Thrones" yet.
Game of Thrones is finally off book, having lapped George R.R. Martin's slowly gestating A Song of Ice and Fire series. Finally, it seemed, anything could happen.
Honestly, I loved it. Everything felt like the progression of what had come before and nothing was overly rushed.
Boston Globe
April 24, 2016
Well that was a busy hour, leaping from place to place to catch us up with the Game of Thrones gang and set the stage for the sixth season... But fun was afoot.
This was a strong, surprising return to Game of Thrones... I loved Brienne's daring rescue of Sansa and Theon. Truly, this is what we needed from Game of Thrones. Some good bloody news!