I'm seeing a lot of people posting that the latter seasons are the best or that the show has kept getting better. Are you guys for real? My girlfriend and I watched the first 4 seasons on DVD and now S5 and S6 live, and while I appreciate that being able to binge watch likely made the earlier seasons more palatable, S5 was an absolute fucking slog to get through, as was the first half of this season, to the point where it all but killed my interest in the show. The second half of this season has been much better so far, I will say that, as it feels like for the first time in ages the show is actually headed somewhere.
But it feels still like there's no real stakes anymore, certain characters have so much plot armor its ridiculous, the walkers have been neutered (also, I seem to recall a time when their blood could infect you if you even got it in your mouth......now characters just bathe in that shit) and put in the rear view as the conflict almost always arises from annual, predictable threats from a new group. They discovered the farm house. Things were good for a while then it went tits up. They discovered the prison. Things were good for a while then it went tits up. They discovered Woodbury. Things were good for a while then it went tits up. They discovered the Terminus. Things were good for a while then it went tits up. They discovered Alexandria. Things were good for a while then it went tits up.
Also, I feel like the budget of show has to have yo-yoed a lot during the run of it. Sometimes theres lots of location shooting, zombies and elaborate sets, and sometimes entire episodes seem to take place in nondescript rooms.
I'd almost be inclined to say that each season has gotten worse. I keep watching because my girlfriend loves it so much, but I have found it an infuriating show to watch since S4.