The books are great, and in terms of production scale, and development, and casting, and the performance and effects the show is as well. But the further it strays from the books the more it misses them. Episodes like that are an excellent example. While the core of the episode will be in the book, the dialogue and character interactions of the show writers have fuck all on martin. That's why he is a successful author and they work in TV.
"Dick, I like it"
"Of course you do"
10 fucking points ha fucking ha so witty. Almost as bad as the fucking avengers sometimes.