I liked the last episode, but yeah, some tough scenes to watch there. The tied up Glenn versus Zombie was excellent, and I liked that they took time to have Scientist guy researching the zombies, since the Gov clearly wants to know what remains of his Penny. I'm enjoying all of the characters, even Andrea, as they're coming down to making characters choose their loyalties. It will be interesting to see where Merle and Darryl net out, as well as Andrea with the coming confrontation. I'm also pretty impressed that Glenn and Maggie held up so long without giving the prison location. I think most people would have caved sooner given everything that was thrown at them.
I think we'll see Rick and company escape with Maggie and Glenn, hopefully Andrea as well once she learns about Penny or the Talking Heads collection. I'd like to see the scientist guy go with them as well. The Gov probably loses a couple of men, but now he knows where the rest of the group is held up. So, rather than Carl having to fight off the scouting party, I think we'll see Rick and company make it back and have to defend an all out assault on the prison compound from the Gov in the second half of the season. Would be cool to see those big guns go up against the prison defenses. I'm a little worried about Rick's group's size though - they have Darryl, who rocks, but in the comic that group would still have Lori, Tyreese, Dale, Andrea, etc. to help defend the prison.
It will be interesting to see what they do with all the woodbury folks. Most of them seem like non-fighters, but the Gov says they started with just nine. That would seem to imply the majority of the town is made up of various survivors, who should be far from helpless. Given this and their love of the arena, you have to wonder if there's more fight in those people than expected. On the flip side, I wonder how loyal any of them really are to the Gov if they find out about Penny or the Talking Heads or any of the other crap going on with the Gov.
Anxious to see where they go next, but I hope the second half of the season ends things with the Gov, gets them moving beyond the prison, and focuses more on Andrea, Michonne, and Tyreese character development.