I liked how random the groups were. They were all fleeing for their lives, it would be too convenient if everyone ended up in their perfect little family groups. Carl and Rick had a nice moment together, but it might have worked even better if they had been separated as well. Carl could really see how much he still needed his father if he wasn't around at all.
I actually like the fractured group thing. It gives the characters some more time to shine and do their own thing, which I think is important.
I think the way they scattered the group was actually pretty believable as well. We saw what happened during the fight and it all sort of flowed and made sense.
As far as chemisty is concerned.. what is "Chemistry" exactly? You're in a apocalyptic life threatening situation, you feel like shit, you're foreseeable only chance at happiness was blown up and overrun with walkers.. I don't think anyone is going to be in a good mood or have much chemistry.
Glenn and Tara worked well together.. Rick and Carl were good, Tyreese and the kids played out about as good as I think it could have.. Beth and Daryl was pretty much on par with what I'd expect to see in real life. Maggie, Bob, and Sasha.. sort of an odd group together but shit, that's the cards they were dealt.
I'm fine with the groups scattering. It's actually a good idea, but they executed it poorly in my opinion
I just feel like having Maggie, Sasha, and Bob interact with each other isn't interesting. You see, take another show like Breaking Bad (I know I'm referencing Breaking Bad and some people are sick of it but it fits with the example) and set it in the zombie apocalypse. If everybody was scattered based on the way the people were scattered in TWD, the groups would be something like:
Rick and Carl / Walt and Jesse
Tyreese, Judith, Lizzie, and Mika / Hank, Holly, Todd, and Walt Jr
Maggie, Sasha, and Bob / Skyler, Mike, and Saul
Of course, none of this is perfect, but you get my idea. Now, forget about the characters roles in the stories (Hank's a cop and Todd's a criminal) and just base all of this off of PERSONALITY. The fan-fiction-esque scenario I dreamed up sounds infinitely more interesting than what we got in this episode because the characters play off of each other well. Even though Skyler and Mike have never interacted in the series, you can still infer what an interaction between the two of them would be like. Throw Marie into any one of these groups and the entire dynamic will be completely different
AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY BREAKING BAD IS AMAZING AND WALKING DEAD SUCKS. I'M JUST USING BREAKING BAD AS AN EXAMPLE
My point is, a lot of the characters in TWD don't feel fleshed out enough and many don't even have their own distinctive personalities so making the groups random, while realistic, makes for boring TV. Daryl and Beth together is just boring and I feel like having Daryl and Maggie or Daryl and the kids would've worked a lot nicer. This is off the top of my head so it won't be perfect, but this is an idea of what the groups could be so everyone will play off of each other better
Rick/Carl/and eventually Michonne
Daryl/Lizzie/Mika
Bob/Tara/The Trio (this one could actually show Bob having his own dilemma of using the alcohol to make a molotov)
Glenn/Tyreese/and eventually Carol
Beth/Maggie/Sasha (this one I made just by default. People will probably disagree and say that the Greenes can't be together)
Of course, I don't expect anyone to agree with me. This is all my opinion. I'm just offering my perspective on the situation
Imagine a group of a hundred motorcycles driving down a freeway. Eventually, they hit a junction. One road goes northwest and the other goes northeast. So one guy, we'll call him S, says, "Let's go northwest!" A mile past the intersection, a semi careens into the group and kills ninety of them. Ten are wounded, but they survive and keep going. Eventually, they hit 10,000 miles. S suddenly has his consciousness thrown into his past body right before the junction. Now, he says, "Let's go northeast!" All 100 bikers survive. Happily ever after, right? But what about the ten, no nine, who went northwest and survived? What happens to the reality they were living? Does it just disappear now that S has changed the past? It's not like only bad things happened on that 10,000 mile journey. Maybe one of them fell in love with a gas station attendant and got her pregnant or maybe one adopted a homeless kid that joined the adventure. That 10,000 mile journey would be full of stories. Romances, farewells, friendships...the loss of those ninety lives is horrible and unfortunate, but what would rewriting their history mean? The nine who survived lived full lives and did the best they could with the hand they were dealt. How could it be right to just erase all that? Isn't that worth something? Is there a point to a world where everything is happy? Are people who struggle for a better life just idiots? Being human is about fighting even when it seems hopeless and finding happiness in a world that hates it. Are you saying that's worthless?