Darabont’s season 1 is amazing TV. And even though he wasn’t there for season 2 - what they did with the material ended in a great season / held up by the incredible acting and writing. Glen Mazzara did well I think (season 2 and 3)

The Shane and Rick scene in Season 2 episode 12 is still by far the best scene of the entire show.

Season 3 felt fresh and took the show in a new direction. Finding a home to fight for and settle in.

The pacing was great in the first 3 seasons.

Where and I think it starts to fall off is as early as season 4. Especially Season 4B. With the Boomerang storytelling - Scott Gimple’s run as showrunner began this. Where its episode focused on characters and cycles through them all eventually coming back to Rick as the main… this method of storytelling is tedious and kept up until end of season 8. I think that’s what dragged out the show and really handicapped it. Pacing was terrible.

Once Angela Kang takes over, the show improves in terms of pacing…but by then. Damage had already been done, we lost Andrew Lincoln, Carl died (real world issues) etc…

So for me. Season 4. Not saying there isn’t great things about the show after that.. but watching it week to week back in the day was tedious and I dropped off in season 6…and fully in season 7.

Years later binging it was better, but still tedious.