The black-and-white flashbacks from the Season 6 premiere, the Governor-centric episodes from Season 4 and other bits of flair helped the show stay fresh.
Standalone episodes can also help build the world and characters.
The spate of five standalone episodes in a row this season killed any momentum the show had and has been a huge reason fans are moving on to other Sunday night diversions.
The Walking Dead should cover a character or moment in one episode, and return back to the main narrative in the next.
Or better yet, cover the same large narrative as it moves forward from different character perspectives, something Lost was great at.
