What if Daryl was Dwight and Merle was Negan (Comic Spoilers)
I was just thinking about how much they could have done with Merle. Now I do still think he went out in a really great way but that could have happened long down the road and maybe him dying so soon allowed Merle's character to die on top without getting stale or ruined.
However I think Merle could have been Negan because of their similar personalities and I think it would have actually made Daryl an interesting character.
Imagine this:
Season 1 - Merle leaves (nothing changes, maybe not cut the hand off?)
Season 2 - Daryl is haunted by Merle (nothing changes)
Season 3 - Between the war between Woodbury and Daryl's growing friendship with Carol it helps him get over what happened with his brother.
Season 4a - Carol kills Karen & David and Rick banishes her and everyone agrees with this decision. Daryl becomes furious with the whole group but doesn't have time to deal with it because The Governor shows up.
Season 4b - After the prison falls Daryl decides to leave the group and he runs in The Saviors led by his big brother Merle. The Claimers thing still happens but without Daryl there, instead of that they come across Morgan who will take that spot.
Season 5a - Nothing really changes here for team post-prison other than Daryl not being there. Carol saves the day and Rick's group is reunited with Carol.
Season 5b - Focuses heavily on Daryl and Merle's relationship and Rick's journey to DC. At the end of the season Merle finds Abraham's note to Rick and hides it from Daryl but convinces The Saviors that they should move on to DC. (Merle never got his revenge on Rick)
Season 6a - Rick's group settles down at Alexandria and The Saviors make there way to there. Mid-season ends with Daryl shooting Abraham (the way Dwight did) because Daryl doesn't know who Abraham is. at the same time of this Merle and a couple others capture Rick's group and Merle has his equivalent of a "Lucille" scene. Abraham & [insert person here] die in the same episode. Showing the Walking Dead still has balls, but having it make sense. Also: there's no way Daryl would let the "Lucille" scene take place if he was there, so the two events will take place at the same time.
Season 6b - Daryl finds out that Carol is still alive and what Merle did. There starts to be this tug of war between the two groups with Carol and Merle on each side. Obviously the audience thinks eventually Daryl will join Rick's group again, but in the season finale Daryl shoots Rick with a bolt coated in "walker goop" or at least that's what the audience is led to believe. That would be a great moment because people who don't read the comics wouldn't see that coming.
Season 7a - Rick is hurt/The War Continues/Rick slashes Merle's throat
Season 7b - Time Jump/Magna's Group/Captive Merle
Season 8a - The Whisperers
Season 8b - TBD
I dunno. I just thought that would have been a way to give Merle more time and actually make Daryl interesting. Have Daryl revert to S1/S2 Daryl for Season 4/5/6 and then maybe in Season 7 that's when Daryl starts to become a lame character again because the show will be nearing its end and we won't be completely sick of Daryl by that point.