You make a lot of valid points and are well known as a long time GoT fan. As I said previously, I quit trying to make perfect the enemy of 'near-perfect' or 'pretty damn good,' which is what I would say about this season. I think part of it is as fans, we're used to not getting what we want and now that the end is nigh, we're getting basically not only what we want (Jon and Dany! Dragons! FREAKIN' ICE DRAGONS!! Arya and Sansa kill Littlefinger!! Bronn and Tyrion!! The Hound and Brienne!! Jaime and Brienne!!), but what we know *has* to happen. I didn't have a big problem overall with most of the finale and thought everything was a real return to earlier storytelling (character driven). My biggest issue was Dany deploying her ENTIRE army to King's Landing for a show of force. Dany - two dragons will be more than enough to have the Mountain pissing his pants. I guess it makes some sense since they have to go North anyway.
As for Sansa and Arya's 'private' conversations that don't make sense if they are truly alone, my assumption is that they assume Littlefinger is *always* listening and that they have to keep up the ruse at all times just in case. I mean, if you didn't love that scene with Littlefinger begging for his life you may be beyond reproach.....
The culminations were all fantastic. The ice dragon blasting the wall, Littlefinger's smugness turning so quickly to terror and begging, etc. I just wished i could've enjoyed them more by how we got there. The first 6 seasons just felt so perfect, it's been tough to swallow a sudden clumsiness in the plots. But I'm certain you're right, I need to calm down and enjoy it.