I don't know how I feel about this episode. It was well done, but there was waaaaay too much exposition throughout, and it all basically covered stuff we either already knew or had already guessed. Granted, some of us have willingly gone further down the rabbit hole than others, and are thus able to more easily anticipate what's coming, but even to a casual viewer, most everything revealed tonight was pretty easy to guess. I don't need or want a big, it-was-all-a-simulation surprise or anything like that, but I was still somewhat underwhelmed at how run-of-the-mill the plot developments were tonight.
This was also the first episode where the character dynamics started to feel a little stale to me. Dolores and Maeve, in particular, have had the same, basic conversation three times now, and Maeve was yet again fairly easily defeated after a big build up. Not only is their relationship and faux-hatred for each other just not that compelling, before every fight they spell out to each other exactly why it's not compelling - because no matter how much they try to build up her stakes (Serac will send her to hell if she fails), Maeve's plight is nonsensical, considering it's obvious to everyone but her that Serac is going to betray her. Maeve and Dolores teaming up to free Maeve of Serac's grip would be so much more interesting (and maybe that's where this is all leading to next episode). Not to mention, Dolores vs. Serac, Dolores vs. William, and even Dolores vs. Charlores are all way more compelling storylines.
Like a few of the others, I need to sit with this episode and probably rewatch it. That said, I don't see myself coming around or thinking it will be way better on a rewatch like I have for some of the others. It was... fine. I was just expecting a bit more of the unexpected from the penultimate episode, I guess.