Game of Thrones season 6 episode 3 review: 'Oathbreaker' proves exciting but ultimately frustrating

The mini-cliffhangers every episode are getting a little tiresome

It shouldn't be the case, but the first three episodes of Game of Thrones season 6, particularly the third, could be summarised in a couple of sentences.

Watching it, you felt like you were seeing a synopsis in a TV guide be padded out, each plot strand being advanced just enough to keep you coming back for more.

Arya is still giving all the right answers but still being hit with a stick. Daenerys was told to stop trading off the whole being the wife of a Khal thing. Varys and Tyrion had pretty tepid banter. Bran got a flashback so short even he was pissed about it. The Lannisters plotted revenge but in no meaningful way. Jon stood up.

The show is fast developing Lost syndrome, being exciting enough to keep you absolute desperate to find out what happens next week, but leaving you feeling slightly hollow, as though you haven't really been entertained or invigorated by what you've just watched.

Jon's return, uncharacteristically cold execution of Thorne et al, and announcement that his "Watch has ended" was very cool, yes, but it was also a little infuriating. Not only is he alive, but he's seemingly completely compos mentis, making his death feel like a bit of a cop-out.

There were also times tonight when the dialogue felt straight out of the Starz network. I'm thinking specifically of Davos describing Jon's resurrection as "completely fucking mad" and the Three-Eyed Raven wrapping up the flashback because "that's enough for today". When Jon and Edd laughed about Jon's joke being uncharacteristic given his usual humourlessness, you had to wonder if it was in fact a fourth wall-breaking meta joke about how underdeveloped the character is emotionally.