I wasn't referring to the show's maker's finding ways to keep the secret.
I was talking about the whole situation in general, how they make us wait for a reveal of a major character death.
A standard cliffhanger ending to a season ( or a 2 parter ) is to put a character or characters into a dire life or death situation. That's where the classic 'To be continued ' caption appears. Giving us a wait until we see the way in which they're able to save themselves. Or whatever events transpire, someone might die here, this is tense!!
The group locked in a boxcar at Terminus / the old building falling over at Alexandria and busting a section of wall, letting a horde of Zombies in. All these things promised numerous possible ways that the characters could extricate themselves. Clever, lucky, stupid script, all these things that might happen.
But this time, the events have been seen, that a character has been killed by Negan ( perhaps the surprise is that they're alive, but seriously injured ) There's only one question, who was it?
For that you're going to have to wait.
Have you own opinion, I just don't like it.