I don't think it was a con.  I think it was exactly as we saw.  It's stupid, but unfortunately that happens a lot on this show.

Riverrun, dumb.

Blackfish killed off screen, dumb.

Brienne rowing away from Jaime after siege over, dumb.

"I choose violence" because reasons, dumb.

"No trial by combat," dumb. (And booooo no Clegane Bowl.)

Ser Kevan, dumb. (Man, I hope Varys is off to kill him a la ADWD.)

Tyrion, Grey Worm and Missandei drinking and joking, really fucking dumb.

Deus Ex Dany, EXTREMELY fucking dumb.

Terminator Waif, dumb.

That ending, dumb and dumber.

They HAVE to show Beric actually resurrecting Catelyn in the finale. Have to. That's a bridge they've already started crossing, AFAIC. Why bring Beric back otherwise?

Book-Jaime:  "I'll load your baby into a catapult and launch it over the walls, [or at least i'll say I will, knowing you'll assume I will because you think i'm a monster, even though I wouldn't*, because I'm sort of working on this not-being-garbage thing]"

Show-Jaime:  "I'll load your baby into a catapult and launch it over the walls, [for real, because I'm really desperate to get back to fucking my sister**, and we're utter garbage people].


*Yes, yes, this is open to interpretation.
**This one, however, is a hard fucking fact, so my point (about this show's utter lack of subtlety) stands.

I was worried there'd be a drop in quality once D&D had to take over fully without book material to draw on.  As stupid as "lol stab wounds" Arya was, the thing that most pissed me off was that scene with Tyrion, Grey Worm and Missandei.  Holy hell, that thing just wouldn't end.  How many scenes of "le drunk, witty dwarf" does that make this season?  Meereen has always been a void of suck, but that damn joke scene has to take the cake for the most banal couple of minutes this show has had.

I'm also pissed that Tommen, that little shit, canceled Cleganebowl.

I'm not even going to talk about Jaime.  My heart can't take it.

RIP Blackfish.

Show!Jaime: But Brienne ... I wanna fuck her too.

Also, instead of being a changed man and realizing my sister is actually a fuck-up ... yeah, nothing personal, but come on, it's Brienne.*

*Come on, you just KNOW that's how D&D would do it.

Show!Edmure:  "BRING ME THE BLACKFISH... IN CHAINS!"
Book!Edmure: "Lol bitch he snuck out on a boat or some shit, [nelsonlaugh.gif]"

I have been so ready for Ramsey to get what he deserved, but  I wasn't expecting the dogs.  I actually was expecting a more direct action by Sansa, say a knife.  Didn't think she had it in her to watch him even start getting torn apart.   Damn.  

After the references to Jon dying earlier in the episode, I started getting super nervous that he was going to and that was just some foreshadowing.  I knew Littlefinger's forces were going to come and save the day for Sansa, but I was honestly starting to get skeptical about Jon.  

Loved how Dany dealt with the invasion force and subtle hitting on by Yara, but I do wish her sudden appearance in last week's episode was explained just a little better.

I'm so freaking glad that it looks like there will be some resolution or at least addressing of the burning of Shireen Baratheon.  That is LONG overdue.