And now their Watch has ended.. Oh look a fluffy elephant! [SPOILERS]

Well that was an exciting Monday night instalment of Game of Thrones! At various points I was shouting "SHOOT THE BIG BUGGERS KNEECAPS!" and "Ooh you B*TCH!" (that was aimed at Ygritte, after she shot Pyp).

But..

We're one episode away from the end of another action-packed (and controversial) season of Thrones, and I can't help but feel like this season has both rapidly progressed the overall story-arc, AND brought other, quite important ones so I gather, to a standstill.

I haven't read the books. I tried to read the first, but then sucked it up and bought the DVD of season one (which I missed) and realised that I could get the majority of the story condensed into ten hours, rather then ten lifetimes!

That said- I do love spoilers. I'm an impatient viewer, and it doesn't bother me about reading what happens ahead of time, particularly where my favourite characters are concerned (and especially with this series, where it's advisable not to get too attached to anyone who's name isn't Tyrion Lannister). So it bothers me that Bran's storyline, including the children of the forest and his potential connection to Theon Greyjoy (another character whose story is so changed, it's hard to see how it'll progress to bringing him to Stannis), doesn't seem to have gotten much further than getting away from the outlaw Night's Watch.

And what about Stannis? I can't even remember the last time I saw him (wasn't he making noises about heading to the Wall to help out? And yet we're at the penultimate episode and he hasn't shown up!) and his Red Lady. Never mind buggering around in Braavos, get to the damn North! They need you more!

Arya has fared little better, stumbling around in the wild. And the White Walkers aren't much of a threat this season- when do they get to feel more threatening then snatching a few babies?

There's missing Targaryen's to be found, missing bastards in row boats to be rescued, missing fake-Starks to be somehow introduced or worked around AND a Lannister to receive his just desserts (and it isn't the Imp..).

Maybe it IS just me- but where so much ground was covered before, it kind of feels like a "Part One" should have been fixed on the end of season four.