But how many man-vs-zombie battles can you have? How many man-vs-man battles can you have? Why don't they just find a safe spot, build up their defenses, and start rebuilding the world?
Simple. Because that would get boring and people would stop watching.
So every week it's the same thing: someone goes out on a "supply run," they run into an ambush, get trapped or captured, and then a group has to run out to rescue them. Sometimes the rescuers get captured too and then some miracle has to occur to free them all. Or sometimes the capture becomes extended and becomes the basis for a whole season's worth of drivel.
And one of these upcoming episodes, by some bizarre deus ex machina, Negan's captives will be freed, he will be killed (in a most satisfying way), and the show will plod on.
Nope, nope, nope...
SORT OF SPOILERS
Your criticism could be directed at just about any genre. In cop shows it is one crime after another. In hospital shows it is another medical emergency. Ho-hum.
Rick’s group has tried to settle down twice now. Once at the prison and now at Alexandria. The story has come from the forces that want to keep them from settling down. First the Governor, now Negan.
IF the comics are to be believed (and they aren’t always reflected in the show) Alexandria combines forces with Hilltop and the just introduced Kingdom to fight and eventually defeat Negan. In the comics this leads to a restoration of “normal” with the three (or two, since Alexandria goes boom) communities cooperating in matters of trade and defense.
That has been exactly what the show is about since at least the 2nd season.