The writers have successfully taken a genre that is laughable at best and turned it into a spellbinding adventure of survival with a cast of characters that are just splendid.
As a side note, I think the public accusation of the Governor that Merle was responsible for Rick's team getting into the compound and presenting him along with Daryl is a carefully crafted plan. Daryl and Merle will be allowed to escape thus giving the Governor inside access to the prison where Merle can perform his planned mischief.
I used to think that as well, until, on one of the fan blog pages (over at AMC, actually) I mentioned that. The other fans pointed out that this would actually be a plot HOLE, because the Governor just lost an eye and a daughter (in his mind anyways) to Merle's lie about Michonne being killed.
They rightfully point out that the Governor, having JUST been confronted by the fact of -- and hugely injured by --Merle not telling the truth, might not be so inclined as to trust him again with a plot of great magnitude like this. Merle won't be included in the conspiracy; he might, however, be an unwitting accomplice.
Completely agree with you that every aspect of the show is amazingly well-done....I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’ve certainly never been hooked on a TV show like this before. It’s as though the zombies are a secondary plot device; they’re not what makes the show great.
Have to admit, I didn’t think of the Governor and Merle deliberately cooking this thing up for access to the prison. You could be right-—wish we didn’t have to wait two months to find out.
I can’t see Glen and Maggie ever accepting Merle as a member of the group, and I don’t blame them.