another boring, pointless episode

Yup. So much filler. This show really shouldn’t break its season in half.

I wonder if the cast falls a sleep from time to time while filming dull feeler episodes.

This happens so much that I constantly forget what is going on. Maybe thats my bad but I want story development. I want love interests, I want DRAMA. I understand that filler- story building episodes are a part of a series but like you said, much less.
And if you have to have them, give me something. Give me a moment between two unlikely characters, give me a glimpse into a lesser known characters backstory or past.

I think its more a case of cutting back on a number of characters rather then episodes,

They have introduced far too many and now they have to give them screen time and that takes the focus away from the main groups we are interested in seeing.