i think i get what you mean by that, and as i said, maybe it was the most optimal way of telling their story, but is it badly written?
There is a lot of symbolism,
#209 for exemple, and it does serve a purpose in the story in that sense.
Take the relation to sickness for exemple. You know they have their set up, it's pretty good it defends them against raiders and all, they have food, and some medicine, and they're protected against the infected, and it is the main focus of the story : surviving against the threats after the apocalypse. And Bill and Frank did that pretty good. but they're still human, in good and bad ways, a lot of the both being shown in this episode. Sickness is stilla round, and there is nothing they can do about it. And it makes you realize that, even if this is a post apocalyptic world, there is sickness, there is art, and music,and everything is not so dark after all. it's mainly what i took from this episode, and that is super important, and in that context, i guess it was preasonable to make you watch an hour of gay romance after just 2 episodes, because you have to keep that in mind for the rest of the season now.
Maybe i'm being too much, i just think keeping that in mind just makes the rest of the events they'll encounter much more dramatic.
Everything doesn't have to be played by the main protagonist in my opinion. A story is a way of transmitting a message, the protagonist serves that purpose but without the world building it's useless. So yeah, i'll have to disagree on that point.
Other than that i agree, the way it was being brought to us was not so great. I don't think it justifies calling it bad however.