One Episode 'The Walking Dead' creator Robert Kirkman Regrets

Here's what Kirkman told THR about that shift in the storyline.

If I had to do it again, I wouldn't have done the CDC episode [at the end of season one]. It possibly gave away too much information and was such a big change very early on in the series. I feel like there might have been a better way to wrap up the first season. But there were things in that episode that I think seem very much not of The Walking Dead world.” [...]  “I've been careful in the comic series to not say what's happening in other parts of the world. It's something that's going to be fun to explore in the spinoff series. But the fact that France is mentioned in that episode and other things like that, I probably would have steered away from that stuff if I had to do it all over again.”

Based on this statement by Kirkman, it looks like a spin-off series is in the works.

‘The Walking Dead’ Recap: Season 5, Episode 7

Fortification is the watchword with Rick, Daryl, Sasha, and Tyreese along with Carl and Michonne. Father Gabriel is here, too, but his lack of ability to acclimate is a secondary result of the fact he is now entirely driven by internal conflicts.

Rick, Daryl, Sasha, Tyreese and Noah make their way toward Atlanta and Grady Memorial in an attempt to rescue Beth and Carol -- leaving behind (the highly volatile) Gabriel, Carl, and Michonne at the now fortified church.

Meanwhile, team "Greatm," the Abraham team, are dealing with the fallout from Eugene's shocking revelation and the actions that ensued, namely Abraham beating Eugene into a quasi-coma. Now, Abraham himself is in a quasi-psychotic state: slipping between a self-imposed catatonia and aggressive bi-polar action. Maggie clearly shows she is not afraid to "put him down" if he falls too far out of line. Other than that we did discover the group started referring to themselves by the acronym "Greatm".

Back with Rick's group, Noah draws two of the Grady Memorial officers into a trap; Rick and company are about to work a deal when another car ambushes them and rescues the captured cops.

The victory is short lived when Sasha shoots the tire of the escaping car and the driver inadvertently plows into a herd of "walkers".

Daryl uses unconventional weapons

Capturing the three cops for leverage, Rick intends to bargain for Carol and Beth. One of the cops quickly reveals that Dawn is becoming a pariah at best and is "on her way out" at worst. After the majority of the group -- along with the captured captured cops -- leave to put the plan in motion, while Sasha is left with one of the cops; letting her guard down, the cop manages to overpower her and escape at the very end of the episode.

‘The Walking Dead’ Recap: Season 5, Episode 4

The mystery of Beth Greene’s disappearance has been resolved. The mystery of Carol's fate remains aloof.