Is it a fairly short time? 10 seasons is a looong time. Half of that is a long time in TV terms.

A long time to maintain steam and TWD as a show just isn't one to continually build like Game of Thrones (the only other comparable hit with that many seasons that comes to mind).

Even putting aside how cheap AMC are compared to HBO TWD's structure is different: it isn't all building to one final season that you HAVE to see end so you can talk about who ended up on the Iron Throne.There's more reason to drop in and out (as with say...Supernatural)

But yes, they did basically try to milk the cow to death. Interesting to consider an alternate universe where HBO got the show.