I do remember when this show used to pull its punches, but about halfway through S1 it just... stopped doing that. And instead you get Stanley, doing this horrible thing (and without giving his revenge any nobility, I thought), and this thing which is going to lead to all kinds of trouble -- and yet you still understand his actions and sympathize with him as he does it. As you say, wow.

And Bonnie's final scene, defending her home with the shotgun... really one of the best things I've ever seen