[BigHairedAristocrat]

so i somehow missed the whole walking dead bandwagon for the past couple years, and watched the entire series within the past week. I was hooked.

I'm not a fan of the comics (i've never really been into any comic books), but i do have to offer some minor complaints about season 3. Up until Michone was introduced, i never really felt like i was watching a series based on a comic book. Her character, the samarai sword, and the two zombies she leads along with her - it immediately took me out of the "reality" established in the show. The governor is just not a believable character. He seems to cliche and dennis-hopper-from-waterworld-ish. keeping the heads in the jars - not just of zombies but also of the helicoptor pilot, it just didnt feel "natural" to me. Neither did the staged WWF-zombie fights. I imagine all of that was pilfered from the comic, and it just didnt feel beleivable to me, within the context of what we'd seen the two previous seasons.

I think the best thing the show can do at this point is to free itself from the story in the comics. Theyve created a fascinating universe and they need to let it grow organically. Let the story go in directions we think it would really go in. If you want to use characters from the comics, fine, but adapt them for the "real world" feel the show has going for it. Give them motivations that make sense. Let their motivations create the storyline, not contrivances from the comics.

After finishing the series, I've read upon the comments from wikipedia, and lets just say will be very disappointed if the show continues in that direction.