Wow.. if you read the requirements of the PADI rescue diver course... this is nothing like it! I am not one to simply tick boxes and do the minimum requirements, but there are limits, and above all else, the priority is safety, and the fact that you should actually be learning something, not just struggling to get through the day.
I realise that many people here seem to appreciate that you had so many scenarios flung at you, however there was no assessment by the new instructor to see that your skills had in fact been taught properly in the pool and were up to the job. On any PADI course, the receiving instructor is expected to make some kind of skills assessment to ensure that you have indeed been taught thoroughly.
You are right in thinking that yes, the first day should have been a quick review or refresher to go over the skills you learned, a little practice and refining along with any further tips that this instructor felt might have been helpful. This way they would then know what level of competence they could expect from you.
The scenarios are not meant to put you or anyone else's life in danger, so pulling out your reg (especially before knowing how comfortable you are underwater) and trying to drown you on the surface are not part of the course.
This said, I do try to ensure that when I teach the scenario day, the student is well and truly kept on their toes (but of course they will have already practiced all the skills with me on the previous day). I ensure that the pace is kept lively and at a level to keep the student under pressure without completely overwhelming them.
I also encourage them to ask for assistance. I always explain that no one is going to jump in and do the rescuing for you (yes there was a student once who thought she could delegate this... not my student, but she was swiftly told otherwise), but when handling an unconscious diver, if there are people who can help haul the diver back on board, then they need to be asked for help... as you would in any real situation. The course is not just about macho launching in and going it alone, it is also about how to manage the scene and potential assistants. In a real situation, people actually prefer to be included in a rescue rather than being left feeling helpless as they watch someone else struggling to save a life. Give someone something to do that will help, and they will be less traumatised by the event.
Such a shame that you feel that your course was not something you recommend. Most people find it one of the most rewarding, helpful and fun courses they have done. Let's hope you draw on your positive experiences in the pool and from the theory that you learned. Your final instructor is very lucky that you were taught well enough to actually deal with everything that was thrown at you. This could have turned out a very different story indeed. It is very easy for a rescue course to turn into a real rescue if scenarios are not properly managed.
Good luck with your future diving wherever it may take you. And please do not let this experience put you off.