What do you rate episode 3x01?

I gave it a 9. It's definitely a pretty solid premiere and as Envie said, it brings back some of the elements that were missing in S2. The episode actually has pretty good pacing and transitions. Favorite Line: "You'd better kneel every time I fart"   Tormund had an awesome introduction. My favorite scene from the episode is definitely Barristan pledging his service to Dany because it gives you a sense of hope for both characters and it also adds an interesting dynamic since he's from Westeros like Jorah. There really isn't much I didn't like about the episode, I'd say that the cold opening was disappointing because we didn't see any of the Fist of the First Men battle, but I guess I could understand why they wanted to leave it more of mystery until Hardhome. It was cool to see Ghost and Jeor save Sam though.

8. I'll write a review after some sleep.

So yep. Still an eight. A solid premiere. Despite the cheapness of the skip-a-battle-cold-open, we still get a nice sense of momentum and the stakes of the conflict North of the Wall from Mormont's line that takes us into the credits. 

For the most part it set up the season's arcs very well. From the Tyrion-Tywin conflict, to the Davos-Mel, to Roose's resentment of Robb, to the Jorah-Barry rivalry and the Cersei-Marge, a lot of groundwork is laid here. Not just for s3 but for much to come. Generally the episode uses its time well. Some bits don't work quite as well. The Shae-Ros conversation is an understandable writing choice given their similar backgrounds but falls a bit flat. Generally the focus in s3 around KL intrigue when the only real development there is the Tyrion-Sansa marriage, is a bit stale and this is the kickoff of Tyrion's part in all of that. While his scene with Tywin sets up his stakes in the matter strongly, the Shae-Ros aspect of it is less compelling. Really s3 should've focused its time more on the Robb-Cat material and given them the most screentime and not made up a bunch of material for KL. But what's done is done. 

The scene with Bronn in the brothel is one of the few LF brothel scenes that I have absolutely no problem with. I mean it is in part just an excuse to show that girl naked (not that I'll complain about that). But it's also a nice character moment for Bronn. We so seldom see him without Tyrion or now Jaime around. So to get him in his element celebrating his knighthood only to be pulled back to work makes for a sort of sympathetic moment. Even if he threatens to kill poor Pod for cockblocking him. 

Given Tormund's prominence in the show, it now makes much more sense why he was so focused upon in the Mance-intro scene. While Mance was only in something like four or five episodes all told, Tormund's a pretty big deal now. So giving him the focus by taking much of book-Styr's role was in the end a good call. I think they really lucked out with Hivju who gives a lot of humanity and humour to a character but never, at this point while he doesn't trust Jon, loses his sense of threat. Ciarin Hinds is always great to have around too. Mance isn't written anywhere near as fun or dynamic as he is in the books but Hinds is always interesting to watch. Especially the look in his eyes as he tries to figure out Jon. We also get our first look at giants in the show here. And I love how they pull them off purely with prosthetics and greenscreen rather than hemmoraghing money to CGI them. As with the WW and the CotF, the prosthetics really make them feel real and lived-in. I hope Wun Wun isn't the last one we get. Though I imagine the next ones we see will be giant wights. 

My favourite performances in the episode overall were McElhatton, Dillane and Carice. McElhatton because of the way he plays all the things that Roose isn't saying. Playing the reactions and gestures all of which in hindsight prefigure his betrayal. We don't see him play full-on sinister until ep. 305 when we see him alone with Jaime and Brienne and away from his king. But here its all in his eyes.

Stephen Dillane is the king of understated line deliveries. Probably most of all in the episode. I remember Liam Cunningham mentioning his scene in this episode in particular in an interview. He said that when Stannis says, "Heard you were dead," he fully expected Stephen to stand up and turn around or smile at him or something. The script had left him leg-room to play it either way. And he chose to play it coldly, with only the hint of relief. Which is the perfect call. Also while the script has Saan actually saying, "He's a broken man," really the tableaux of him sitting unshaven in his chair, tells us the same perfectly without words. 

And Carice here plays Mel at probably her most infuriating here and does so with aplomb. She has the power of life or death over Davos here and pretends like she's taking the moral high ground, all the while placing the blame for Stannis's defeat wholly on Davos and putting all of that survivor's guilt on his shoulders. Though Mel is in part gloating at their reversal of fortune, Carice doesn't overplay it. Everything she does is with unblinking poise and stillness. Which is why her s6 performance was so effective to see the break down of that supreme confidence. It took s6 for a good many people to praise her performance. But it required this contrast of her arrogance with her defeat to be as effective as it was. As is often remarked Carice could've been a silent movie actor. She does so much with posture. Compare her in her scene here with her scene when she returns to Castle Black in 510. Just in the way she holds her shoulders and moves, she commands the scene here and seems like a mouse in 510. She also does great things with her voice. Compare her whisper to Davos about the burning men in the water to her broken voice in ep. 602 where again their fortunes have reversed completely. Carice