Pretty sweet episode overall, but some lame writing in areas. I'm actually not too bothered by Dany going full Mad Queen - GRRM and the show runners were pretty much dropping hints since the beginning for those who cared to look. I think people just excited about her usurping Cersei because she was the cute and young warrior female hero from Essos and it was more because it was Cersei was an insufferable wench moreso than Dany being a kind, spottless hero.
I think people were jarred with all the carnage all of a sudden partly because things were starting to go a little too well and perfect since like season 5. But remember, this is the same show that gave us psycho villains like Ramsy, and scenes like the Ned Stark beheading, baby murders, incest, and the Red Wedding. Make no mistake, Thrones is a DARK fantasy, it's just that it's been awhile since we got a reminder.
I do think Dany's sudden massive blood lust was a bit sudden and too much, but given the events that transpired in her life to get to this point, and particularly recent events, it sort of makes sense that her Targareyen rage would reach a boiling point. Remeber, she is the Mad King's daughter after all..
I was a litle dissapointed with how they played out Jamie and Cersei's anticlimactic ending. Tyrion also bugged me and seemed somewhat out of character blindly going along with Dany despite his wisdom, cynicism, and ability to use critical thinking, even after Varys advised that Jon Snow would probably make the better ruler. The epic Hound vs Mountain scene we've all been waiting for started epic, but ended pretty inconsequencial with both just tumlbing to their deaths anyway, and no clear winner emerging.
So yeah, still some writing flaws and not at the level of quality of the first 3-4 seasons of Thrones, but at least the show's somewhat gone back to its more dark and nihilistic bent, which is part of the reason the show appealed to me in the first place. Lord of the Rings, this is NOT..
"We hold these truths to be self-evident - All men and women created by the, go-you know - you know the thing!" - Joe Biden
