Zombies are stupid enemies. Except for the initial Attack, Zombies are a very easy foe. They are stupid, slow and their behaviour ist highly predictable. You either habe to make the Zombies more Dangerous (Like the Resident Evil Films tried) or the Humans much more stupid in Order to make Zombies a Long lasting threat. When you Figured Out, what a Zombie is, it becomes a highly predictable foe. And having a Zombieattack of the week for 20 episodes would be boooorrrriiinnnngggg. You either need different Monsters Like supernatural or you need to amp up the human Factor. One of the reasons, I think, Zombie Apocalypse is such a well liked Idea ist, that after the initial Attack, that works trough shock and deniing, that Zombies are real, that it is manageble and survivable if it would happen in real Life. I mean, everybody here would now what to do in case of Zombie Attacks

I also felt that the "man's inhumanity to man" theme kicked in too early, but it wasn't until the first few episodes of S2, for me. (Still very early, given the brevity of S1.) I suppose I felt that the actions of the military didn't "count" in this regard as they were the result of orders from a still-intact organization - the last vestiges of civilization - and not an indication or reflection of how the post-ZA world would ultimately operate.
As has been said here, the walking dead are the living humans; they, and not "the infected," are what's to be feared. However, I thought that this theme would develop slowly over time, as the show was touted as a prequel. (I don't think it still is? I've recently heard it called a "companion" program.)
By the way, if Daryl's Pied Piper bit was your breaking point on TWD, there's a scene in S2 of this that would probably cause you to howl, either with laughter or out of frustration!

The overall arc of story was never really about the zombies/walkers, it was always about the people and how they have to adapt to the new world that has been overrun with the dead.
It uses the walkers as outside factors in telling the story of Rick and crew, and the same with Madison and family. The show(s) are trying to plan for season long runs and can not just have daily zombie attacks to keep people interested. I like how they show what random people do to stay alive in any situation, plus like the people it shows, the story telling has to evolve.
Basically it is like other shows that use situations to move a story (there is a threat, but it does not always interact with the main characters).
We lucky few, we band of brothers. For he who today sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

Robert Kirkman stated that The Walking Dead are the humans because they're all infected with the reanimated "dead gene" (Jenner whispered to rick you're all infected)

Only far suckier.

Yep it's basically the walking dead with other characters.
Each season should have followed a group of survivors during the first few months of the outbreak, news reports, society collapsing and how people cope.
Unfortunately after the first few episodes it just becomes the walking dead

Well they call the zombies "walkers" and "the dead" so

FYI - The people still alive are the "walking dead".