Nolan Fans

Tyrion (and Varys) left King's landing, and Joffrey and Tywin died. Until then, whatever uninteresting plot happened elsewhere, like Qarth or Lysa Arryn, there were still these great interactions everytime we went back to King's landing.

I did like that they spent some time burning the dead and I felt that it really got going once Jon and Daenerys had their talk. Sure, it's weird that Jon's quest to safe the living isn't even handled in dialogue but I guess the more important thing is having to deal with him having a stronger claim on the Iron Throne than Daenerys. I must say, that for me Daenerys continues to be one of the most interesting characters of the entire show. Yes, I really think that all that is happening to her right now is shit and I feel bad for her like a lot. But her having to deal with all these tremendous losses (only win was defeating the White Walkers mainly due to her help) makes her more compelling for me. They are setting up the Mad Queen very obviously but I think there's still some hope left for her. Definitely the most interesting arc. Jon feels too good/safe and Cersei is going to die 100% in episode 5 if not the last. Daenerys however, remains one to watch.

As for the other characters:
Brienne: YAY
Jaime: I don't get that people buy that he's full on back with Cersei LOL he's obviously pushing Brienne off to keep her out of the mess that is him getting back to King's Landing to kill Cersei.
Arya: Hell yes for keeping her word and not tell anyone about Jon. Also yes for going to King's Landing to kill Cersei but it would've been nice to talk about this with Jon and Daenerys so she can take the biggest and baddest bitch out of the equation. Would've saved them some trouble...
Sansa: mother of god of course Sansa immediately spills the beans to Tyrion... Smh I'm liking Sansa less and less. Not even acknowledging Daenerys was a huge help against the dead, damn. She's gotten stuck up.
Sam and Gilly: I honestly couldn't care less. Please let that shot with Ghost be the last one of them.
Tormund: I hope this is his happy ending, a pity for him it's not with Brienne but he lives, one of the most hilarious characters while never overdoing it.
Gendry: yay a true Baratheon. That's it I guess.
Tyrion: I still have hopes for Tyrion because he chooses to stick with Daenerys. Also one of the most interesting characters to watch. His upcoming choices are going to be very big ones.
Varys: handling exactly as I thought he would. He's obviously going to die before the end, Melisandre foretold so. Preferably by the fire of Drogon.
Missandei: a real shame and sad but she never became this fully fledged character to really root for I guess.
Rhaegal: fuck this shit, he deserved better.
Cersei: the biggest villain continues to be so. I can't wait to see how her life is going to end. It's going to be one for the ages, in whatever way it happens**
Qyburn: never liked him never will lol
The Hound: Cleganebowl incoming, bet he dies killing his brother.
The Prince in Dorne: guess we'll see him next week helping Daenerys?
Daenerys: like I said, most interesting by far. Will Daario come to her aid? Yara definitely will. Would be pretty something if she decides to go back to Essos or something in the end LOL or end up being pregnant from Jon which would be her best outcome i.e. guarantee to stay alive***.

*Look, this season feels so oddly shaped, narratively. They are putting the emphasis on who's going to rule after Cersei's defeat, whomever die trying. So I still think this could turn out to be a head on struggle of Jon vs Daenerys after Cersei has finally died. Jon has been presented too honest once more and Daenerys wants what's hers still... The fact that ruling together has been mentioned twice says something too.
It feels too much like a transition episode, the dead have been dealt with, guess there's not so much to talk about, and the real problem is now Cersei. Who's only been presented as still being ice-cold. Although I thought I did notice Cersei waiting for Qyburn's answer to Euron to make sure Euron buys that she's actually pregnant. So I guess that she's not.
**It's pretty cool that Sapochnik got to show her truly claiming the Iron Throne and now highly likely showing her losing it as well. If he can rival her downfall with her rise, damn, we're in for something.
***what about her vision in S2? what does it really mean now

They used the victory celebration of the Battle of Winterfell to show how isolated Dany really is in Westeros. She sees everything Jon has that she never will, she sees the kind of loyalty you have to earn, not command. The kind she used to have. She's a ruler without a tight support system, with few friends and few allies. And worst of all, she's losing Jon. And now, she's losing another child and her best friend.

Using the victory celebration as a springboard for her end game arc, where she's going to confront her history and bloodline to see if she can truly "ascend" past her Mad Queen tendencies, is the kind of poetic and economical writing that gets overlooked often.

I mostly loved the first 30 minutes this episode, and this is a big reason why.

she'll go nuclear but just before she goes too far, enough to defeat Cersei's forces and destroy some of KL, but will come to her sense and somehow sacrifice herself for the realm and pave the way for Jon to sit on the Iron Throne.