What were the showrunners thinking with the reaper arc?

Im usually pretty forgiving with the show and can find the positives in it but this arc is just terrible.

Who’s idea was it to have another major human conflict right after the whisperer war? Theres hardly any time for the viewers to rest and recover, and to think it was originally supposed to be even longer.

8 episodes that could have been far better spent on the commonwealth or developing the undeveloped cast of the later seasons instead wasted on a pointless show original storyline for no reason.

Very frustrating.

What do the rest of yall think about the reaper arc? Any saving graces in it for you that I’m missing or no?