This show has never felt more pointless, but I have to admit... I enjoyed the hell out of that episode. Granted, at this point I wish it could *just* be Rue's story, as her's is so far the best/most interesting of all the threads, by a pretty wide margin. Yes, it's ridiculously over the top, but the world/situation they're putting her in is undeniably tense, crazy, and fun.
Most of all, though, to echo Jim01, it really does look better than damn near all of TV and even film. The cinematography is just jaw droopingly good. Inspiring, even. THIS is how everything should look. Stark colors, deep shadows, bright days, legible nights, all with the slightest hint of film grain. In other words, the complete opposite look of the flat, gray, digital sludge that every other show lives in nowadays. Man, it looks amazing, and I'd literally watch it for that reason alone.
Anyway... bring on the rest of the season of this big, dumb, beautiful show.