Interestingly enough I read somewhere that Martin's "test" to approve a creative team or writer or whatever for the series was to ask them who they thought Jon's parents were, thus determining that they were true fans (i.e. readers who did more than simply learn the books for their pitch meeting) by their answer. That dream sequence was a crucial piece of that puzzle. I can see why they'd leave it out, as it did not really add anything to the current day story, aside from giving more understanding of how past secrets and grief still haunt Ned and affect his judgment in the present day. I just think they'd have used some hint about the mystery of Jon's background.

I wonder how much of the mainstream audience is going to be taken in by the TV equivalent of the PoV trap regarding Cersei simply because of the smack Robert gives her. Knowing Cersei as we do and how she operates, the readers could understand how Robert could come to do that (not to mention the sum of her thus-far unrevealed crimes makes it the very least of what she richly deserves), but with so much of the subtleties of her behavior omitted, viewers who have been trained to see hitting your wife as a near-unforgivable crime, Cersei is not nearly the same depth of villain, and thus making them more ready to accept her justifications and rationalizations.

One thing I liked was how much better they sewed together some characterization issues in the show, such as her family's troubles affecting Arya & her training. In the books, you have less sympathy for her because she seems to be in her own world, ignorant of the problems her father faces, or the disillusionment slowly creeping up on Sansa. Another example was Viserys' discovery, and jealousy, of Daenerys' standing among the Dothraki and the suggestion of how this will affect his own behavior and insistence on receiving his own accolades.

One thing I don't get is the apparent notion that the Riverlands are not one of the Seven Kingdoms. It was my understanding that the Seven were North, West, Reach, Dorne, Mountain & Vale, Stormlands and the Riverlands. The Riverlands did not have their own king when the Targaryens invaded, being conquered by the Iron Islands and ruled from Harrenhal by an Ironborn king, but they were still one of the Seven Kingdoms. While the Tullys may never have been kings, neither have the Tyrells, Greyjoys or Baratheons (before Balon and Robert at least). Which is the seventh, according to the show, if the Riverlands make the eighth?

I loved Arya's little smirk at Sansa's inadvertent dis of Joffrey - "I don't want someone brave and strong etc...I want him!"

I wonder if they are setting up the whore from Winterfell to be Shae? That would be kind of lame.

The guy playing Viserys was perfect in the confrontation with Drogo. Daenerys too.

That theme song is really growing on me.