Why does Benoiff and Weiss insist on taking a piss over Stannis? This episode was supposed to be the episode that highlights him.

the episode would have had been at least ten minutes longer to that justice. I don't want that rushed. Still, by putting that big scene in 10, they are making it the probably the best episode 10 so far, considering the other major events that will happen.

Because a better climax would have been to have Stannis saving the day and they could have easily crammed the Mance scenes into the same episode. The episode tonight was only around 52 minutes. The shit with Sam and Aemon could have been easily cut

Stannis will still get his moment of triumph, but it will just happen in episode ten instead. They are still following the book. And in the book there were several chapters in between the battle of the wall and Mance and Jon's scene with Stannis arriving.

They didn't want it to end the same way as Blackwater.

Stannis, it also would have resembled The Two Towers too much if they had Stannis showing up during the middle of the battle.

Could Tyrion's escape be delayed until next season?

I doubt that because they would have to waste more money next season just to get Charles Dance for a cameo if it gets moved.

If Lady Stoneheart is the end she will overshadow everything anyway. I think they are just following the book. It is rare that HBO allows them an hour episode, and they couldn't have done that scene justice in 5 minutes or something. It is possible that it could be the last scene before the epilogue. I am guessing they are pushing Jon becoming commander to next season

Yeah they did it for Joffrey this year. I just don't see how they do that justice with everything else that is going to happen. The Wall will get atleast another 20 minutes, even without Jon being elected Lord Commander. Arya and the Hound will need at least two scenes. Dany is apparently getting at least one scene. They'll need to reestablish Brienne and Pod before dropping the Stoneheart bombshell. Bran will be meeting either Coldhands or the Children. Are they going to have the 15-20 minutes that will be necessary to complete that series of events?

No chance that Tywin's death gets pushed to neext year since it happens at the end of Storm of Swords and that Shae was shown lying in bed(Tywin's Chambers)from the first two season 4 trailers.

That must mean Dany and Bran get less than 10 minutes combined. So maybe no Coldhands again. It might just be a lecture about warging into humans. No matter what happens it is going to epic.

maybe less, they have not gotten to the part where Balon Greyjoy falls to his death from a collapsed bridge. It was supposed to happen much earlier too

I think they will save his death for next season that way they can introduce the Greyjoy brothers. I don't see how they have time to do his death

They won't have time for that or Jon being elected. So we are for sure not finishing Storm of Swords this season.

we're getting the fight with the Children of the Forest

Already said he's coming back next year to film the wake.