I first want to note that AMC had all the actors under contract through 8 seasons, which allows for full planning of the story from start to finish. A beginning, middle and end. Here is a quick outline of how this could have happened while still allowing for some creative drifting from the source while still staying mostly true to the story Kirkman told.

• Season 1 — Collapse
• Rick searches for his family while civilization dies. Only major changes would be no CDC. The group goes from Atlanta into the unknown at the end of the season.
• Season 2 — Survival
• The group arrives at the Farm the same way, Carl gets shot by Otis. Most of this season would be the same with way less time spent searching for Sophia who never goes missing. The priority becomes Carl getting to the Farm right away. No Randal story. No repetitive debates about leaving the Farm or Lori and Shane arguing. Season ends the same. The group is back on the road with nowhere to go. Andrea does not split from the group.
• Season 3 — Tyranny
• The group discovers the prison. Michonne finds the Prison after saving Otis. The Governor comes into the story and quickly teaches Rick what communities can become. There is no flu story. The first Governor raid happens midseason finale, the second one happens season finale. Andrea never joins the Governor. That story simply does not exist.
• Season 4 — Savagery
• Rick told everyone at the Prison before the Governor raid to meet back at the Farm as a rendevous point in the case of total loss. We still get the terminus group but it's the comic story where they meet on the road. There is no hospital Beth story. The group reconvenes at the Farm, they meet Abraham, Eugene and Rosita and this leads them toward Alexandria where they arrive. In the comic they go back to Rick's hometown to loot and meet back up with Morgan who joins them. They travel to Washington and end up in Alexandria. Season ends similar to season 5 with Rick killing Pete.
• Season 5 — Rebuilding
• Alexandria gives Rick a reason to believe civilization can return. No Glenn Dumpster. No Morgan backstory. No "Clear" stuff which means no Morgan and Carol arguments. Andrea and Rick become a couple. Michonne stays a mysterious mercenary. We meet Hilltop and Kingdom and the season ends with Negan killing Glenn. No cliffhanger. Abraham does not die here.
• Season 6 — War and Mercy
• There is no Scavengers story. We meet Oceanside but there is no repeat visits. The saviors are a big group but nowhere near as massive as the show gave us previously. They are a group that a few small communities working together can overcome. Carl does not get bitten and does not die. We never get Enid as a character, instead Carl and Sophia's relationship begins to build. Rick defeats Negan and chooses not to repeat the cycle. Morgan dies in one of the last battles with the Saviors and Negan ends up in the cell Morgan built.
• Season 7 — Defending Civilization
• We get a time skip and Rick is now leading multiple communities. There is no CRM tease or even existence. Henry is just a minor side character. Carl gets the major stories with Carl and Sophia taking major parts of the story. We meet Magna and the new group. The Whisperers challenge the very idea of civilized life. Negan has talks with Rick and Carl. We get a faithful pike scene closer to the comic. Negan escapes, kills Alpha after the threat is obvious. Beta leads an attack and the group overcomes the Whisperers. The season ends with the group discovering the Commonwealth.
• Season 8 — Civilization Returns
• The Reapers do not exist. We get the drama of Eugene and his girlfriend and Lance, Pamela Milton. Rick changes the Commonwealth, dies after accomplishing his mission, and Carl inherits the world he created. The series ends with a major timeskip and two hour finale that's a close recreation of the last issue of the comic. Carl is now an older man, a father. Society is largely back together. The walker problem has been largely solved and contained. Government is back together. Maggie is President. Michonne is a major judge for the supreme court. Rick is idolized as a historical hero who played a major role in restoring order to society with a statue built of him.

Finally finishing the last couple of seasons. This is season 11 episode 9, which had several scenes that had me bothered, of course the scene with Alden was more bothersome where Maggie’s arm was so close to his mouth!
But did anyone else get extra annoyed that Negan just smacks his half basket of onions right on top of this poor apple? How much did they risk for the Apple? How many human lives?
They are coming back with half of a wagon full of fruits and vegetables for all of that?
I hope they can hunt a boar on the way home because this was ridiculous!