Can "The Walking Dead" do no wrong? After a second season many complained lost its way, season three of AMC's hit horror series has us in a white-knuckle death grip. Tensions are mounting to an all time high with every character thrown well beyond their limits. With only two episodes left before the series' mid-season break, as two newly released clips for episode seven attest, "The Walking Dead" still has plenty of hellfire left in its veins.

One of the most satisfying episodes in a season already embarrassingly stacked with talent, episode six burrowed deep into Rick's shattered psyche to explore the aftermath of his wife's death on his humanity, only revealing the phone calls as imaginary in its final moments. Teasing the reality of the phone calls until the end brought us inside the grief welling up inside Rick since the show began, and created a tremendous end pay-off.

Based off the monthly black-and-white comic book series written by creator Kirkman, "The Walking Dead" follows a gang of lost souls just trying to survive day-to-day life in a post-apocalyptic U.S. overrun with the living dead. The show is striking its own path at this point, deviating freely from the narrative in the comics, but still includes much of the source material.

Readers of the comics might remember that after Lori's death, Rick continued to talk to her through imaginary phone calls in his head. Episode six proved just another example how the TV version of "The Walking Dead" continues to build on the comic in fresh, unique ways, using some of its narratives to transform these characters into fully realized, everyday people.

"That moment is a pretty popular thing from the comic. That's something that a lot of people talk about. And because we had the death of Lori in the show, it came up pretty quickly in the writers' room that that was a bit we definitely wanted to adapt. I think it says a lot about Rick, it makes him sympathetic. He's at a breaking point and his mind needs that to a certain extent. We thought it would be a good thing for the character," Kirkman said in recent interview with Entertainment Weekly.

While Kirkman is a fan of directly lifting storylines from the comics, he assures fans the rest of the season will keep them guessing just as much.

"We think that's really important to the show, to keep the audience off base," Kirkman said. "They don't know what's going to happen or when it's going to happen. When you sit down to watch an episode, anything could happen. While we do recognize that it's a very jarring thing and it's a huge loss to the show to lose two major characters in one episode - possibly three, we don't know what's going on with Carol, you never know - we wanted to do that so as you're watching Episode 5 and 6 and 7 and so on, you know, Oh my God, this show is for real. Anything could happen."

Kirkman admitted though, that ultimately, he believes staying true to the arc of the series' narrative is what's most important. As the show trudges further into darkness, he hinted the comic will continue to provide clues, and insight on the future of the series.

Kirkman has confirmed the third season's 16 episodes will be split into two halves with the first eight episodes premiering every Sunday through Dec. 2, 2012, and the other eight episodes set to air in early spring 2013.

Episode six found Glen and Maggie kidnapped by Merle while out looking for baby supplies. Michonne is newly on her own, and - as the episode's final seconds revealed - is likely about to team up with Rick and the rest of the prison gang. With only two episodes left before the mid-season break, we're betting on an epic showdown between a newly unhinged Rick, Michonne, and The Governor and the rest of Woodbury.

Kirkman seemed to hint at this impending confrontation in a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter, noting Glenn and Maggie's kidnapping was the first real sign of tensions between the two groups

"They're being taken there as prisoners and we saw how the Governor dealt with the National Guardsmen and the pilot they had in their custody. It could be two more heads for his fish tanks or something else. What they do with them once they get back to Woodbury is a mystery for now but I don't think it's going to be a pleasant visit for either of them. They're definitely not going to get out of this unscathed. Every character has grown to think of those people as their family; they would do anything to protect their family and that's going to put them in some pretty uncomfortable situations moving forward," said Kirkman.

Episode seven of season three, "When the Dead Come Knocking" airs Sunday Nov. 25 at 9/8c on AMC.