By the way, Chuck, I'm particularly glad you started this thread because I have always watched The Walking Dead with my son. It's pretty much the only reason I've watched it, for sure at least at the beginning -- because he watched it and I wanted to spend time with him, watching TV.
Now he's going off to college. Of course my first thought was, what about The Walking Dead? (Ha ha -- not quite my first thought but I have actually thought it.) Will I continue to watch a show I don't quite actually love, but watch primarily because of my son, who's no longer in the picture? Might it possibly even make me sad to watch it with him not around? Or will I continue to watch it alone, because at this point I'm invested enough in the characters to stick with it?
The answer to the last is yes, I think, especially if we're discussing it here. It will give me a sense of purpose to go on watching The Walking Dead knowing I can come here and comment (warning, sometimes snarkily!) about the most recent episode.
But I'll say it now, as I've said a number of times before: If Daryl goes, I'm probably out, myself. However, I think so many fans think this way that the writers would be crazy to let anything happen to Daryl.