The opener had to be violent, how could they do a baseball bat to the skull tastefully?!
The effect of seeing Abe and Glenn (one of my favourite characters) coming to a violent bloody end didn't really stir any emotion in me despite the graphic nature of the death. I remember a feeling of cold numbness when Hershel was beheaded, yet with Glenn and Abe, nothing. The emotional impact didn't match the visual for me.

 

Hmm...if you rate FTWD much higher than TWD there really is no point talking to you.