I don't feel like the GOT story has ever progressed because there isn't any coherent story. It's just a collection of a bunch of stuff happening. Its more like 5 or 6 stories. Dany's story has progressed, the Stark story has progressed, the Lannister story has progressed. The story of GOT itself -- there just isn't an overarching story. And from what I can tell that's not just intentional but completely the point. It's just shit that happens because reasons.
It's like what Mad Men would be if they all worked in different office buildings. Its structured like a Russian novel.