Despite really enjoying it, they are making a mistake trying to be too "epic."
There was no need for the first episode tourney to result in deaths, it's just way over the top as these were noble lords and important people (including the prince and de facto heir to many). They were trying to one up the violence in GoT's tourney but the mountain going after Tyrell was suppose to be a huge exception to show how violent and unhinged he was. Instead this tourney they made that to be the rule and the crowd was cheering for it like they were slave fighting pits in Myreen.
Now in this episode I don't even know why they bothered with the dragon, Daemon could have taken out the full army by himself apparently. Jamie and Brienne, two of the best fighters in the world at the time surrendered to a half dozen of Roose Bolton's men because they knew they were overwhelmed. That was what made GoT great early on that despite fantasy it was grounded in some reality. You made stupid moves, you faced the consequences and didn't have hero plot armor at least until the crappier later seasons. Now someone volunteers to be bait for 50 archers and has to go through a couple dozen soldiers himself and it's no biggie.
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