Damage control has caused a division which will likely remain. Nick counts season 5 as tales and not canon (confirmed in a tweet)
The writers however, I think did intend it to be canon (knowing that they want to write stories around the apocalypse tells me it isn't a one off story to them) Some think that Nick gets to decide what is canon as they own the franchise and then obviously others hold the writers in higher regard as they created this particular show and this has been their story.
Anyway, either you see 5's tales as canon or you don't, like a lot of others I too got tired of all the arguing over it
