Gossip about Darbont's departure

[kidgloves]

I've come across some more rumour about Darabonts departure.
After comic-con the studio execs & production team sat down together to watch the rough cuts of the 1st 4 episodes. The original premiere was considered unwatchable by many and had been shot by a director Darabont hired (Gwyneth Horder-Payton). Darabont was trying to fix it in post but couldn't and everything came to a head with Darabont either walking or being pushed. The original premiere was the standard 45 mins long but was such a mess they had to combine the 2nd episode with it to give us a 60 odd minute one. They have split the season up because of the holidays but also so they can rework the 2nd part and reshoot as they are now an episode short of the 13.

This is all rumour but it fits in with bits and bobs i've been reading over the past few months.

[kidgloves]

Looks like a main character may be written out or killed off as a result of Darabonts departure.



How’s your vision today? Good? Good, ’cause you’re gonna wanna be 20/20 or better for today’s Blind Item. It concerns one of the stars of AMC’s The Walking Dead and their desire to… well, walk.

The backstage drama all started when series creator Frank Darabont was ousted. A whole lotta people were upset, you’ll recall, and this one person, so much so that he/she asked to be released from his/her contract. But, according to my moles, a funny thing happened between the time the request was made and when it was potentially granted.

A change of heart.

Now this member of the ensemble wants to stay. But it may be too late. (Even my sources don’t know for sure at this point whether the character is going to be written off, although one insider insists he/she ultimately got their wish.)

So, your guesses? Who’s the Darabont loyalist who wanted his/her Walking papers, then decided they wanted them torn up?

My moneys on DeMunn

http://www.tvline.com/2011/11/walking-dead-quit-season-2/

[MinionZombie]

Looks like a main character may be written out or killed off as a result of Darabonts departure.



My moneys on DeMunn

http://www.tvline.com/2011/11/walking-dead-quit-season-2/

I bloody well hope not - and I bloody well hope nobody gets shafted from the show in such a manner, particularly one of the key characters.

[childofgilead]

At this point, anything AMC does or doesn't do wouldn't surprise me. I really thought they were going to do something different with this show, but so many of the people behind the scenes seem to just excuse their actions.

In a better world, the entire cast would have stood up as one and told the suits to f*ck themselves. I don't consider myself a big "union" guy, but f*ck sake. If it wasn't for Darabont, this show wouldn't have been made.

Looks like after all's said and done, it would have been better if he'd just sat on his hands and never bothered.

[Neil]

Looks like a main character may be written out or killed off as a result of Darabonts departure.



My moneys on DeMunn

http://www.tvline.com/2011/11/walking-dead-quit-season-2/
Remember, if any more details come out, PLEASE BE CAREFUL OF SPOILERS!

[Sammich]

Glenn is going to be killed off and replaced with Maggie.

Why you ask? Again, when you have MBA type morons running everything it is all about myopic immediate gain. Having eye candy with guns will pull in the large 18-35 year old white male demographic of mall ninjas, army seal special forces armchair BF3 generals and the usual idiots from gun related forums. This should be enough to bring in their bonuses from advertising sales for the 3rd and final season.

[bassman]

While I was never happy with Darabont's departure, past history shows that AMC is anything but THAT kind of network, Sammich....

[Mr.G]

I'm all for changing it up from the comic book. I have read it since the first issue but I also like getting surprised with the little changes in the show. It's still the best traditional zombie offering since GAR's trilogy.

[krisvds]

I'm all for changing it up from the comic book. I have read it since the first issue but I also like getting surprised with the little changes in the show. It's still the best traditional zombie offering since GAR's trilogy.

I take it you haven't seen 'The Dead' by the Ford Brothers yet? If so, you really, really, really should. For all those who at times feel that TWD on tv gets a bit too 'cosy' and are fans of the traditional Romero approach towards the undead; it really is the best thing since Day ...

[AcesandEights]

I take it you haven't seen 'The Dead' by the Ford Brothers yet? If so, you really, really, really should. For all those who at times feel that TWD on tv gets a bit too 'cosy' and are fans of the traditional Romero approach towards the undead; it really is the best thing since Day ...

I am waiting for a means to buy a copy and check it out, but the suspense has been killing me!

[childofgilead]

Ahurm, if you uh..want to take a peek before you buy, I know where you could be hooked up..as it were.

[Mr.G]

I take it you haven't seen 'The Dead' by the Ford Brothers yet? If so, you really, really, really should. For all those who at times feel that TWD on tv gets a bit too 'cosy' and are fans of the traditional Romero approach towards the undead; it really is the best thing since Day ...

Nope, not yet. I have it on my Amazon wish list waiting for an official release in the states. Glad to hear it's a quality zed film.

[childofgilead]

Honestly, I haven't finished it..I've started it twice, I just..lose interest..it's definitely ambitious for such a small budget, but some of the zombie "performances" just leave me really out in the cold..

[krisvds]

Really? I was a fan of all the practical effects they used in that film instead of going the CGI route. The zombies are REALLY slow. I liked that as well. I wonder what you felt is wrong with the 'performances'? But perhaps this isn't the right thread for that ...

[childofgilead]

Well, these zeds were just TOO lethargic..when they're milling about, I just get no sense of danger from them..*shrug*..I dunno..don't get me wrong, there are a few effective scenes, one involving the little ute, but..I dunno..just didn't hold my interest..no offense.

[bassman]

Darabont recently did an interview with TVGuide about his new show, LA Noir. Of course, he was asked about TWD and he basically confirms what we've already heard - he was forced to leave.



TV Guide Magazine: What can you say about your departure from The Walking Dead?

Darabont: It was, for the sake of my cast and my crew, a tremendously regretful thing to face, to have to leave. But I was really given no choice. I don't understand the thinking behind, "Oh, this is the most successful show in the history of basic cable. Let's gut the budgets now." I never did understand that and I think they got tired of hearing me complain about it. It's a little more complicated than that, but that's as far as I want to go with it because otherwise it's just provoking more controversy and that's not really of interest to me. I just want to keep my head down and do my job and be allowed to do my job, that's key, and continue to, hopefully, enjoy it and do good work.

TV Guide Magazine: From all accounts, your departure was particularly hard on the cast and crew.

Darabont: These people are like family to me. It has not been easy for anybody. Let me put it that way: It was like a death in the family. Only I was the dead guy. I felt like William Holden, face down in the swimming pool, narrating this thing.

TV Guide Magazine: There was never really an official explanation about your exit.

Darabont: It was a lot of obfuscation and on my end just maintaining what I thought was the most dignified silence that I could. Who needs a cat fight in the press, oy vey. There's plenty of stuff in this world that I'm excited about doing, and how lovely that we're getting the opportunity to do this with TNT. How great is that.



It also sounds like TNT knew a good thing when they saw it and jumped at the opportunity. Let's hope they treat him better than AMC....

[Neil]

"It was like a death in the family. Only I was the dead guy." - :)

"Oh, this is the most successful show in the history of basic cable. Let's gut the budgets now." - :(

[MinionZombie]

Well surely, just purely on the issue of budgets, they'll pump some more cash into the show for season 3. The show has been hugely successful - so it deserves some more scratch to play with.

Now did someone say that Darabont is still involved - to an extent at least - as an Exec Producer? I thought he was just out-right gone ... I'm a tad confused. :confused:

[bassman]

Well surely, just purely on the issue of budgets, they'll pump some more cash into the show for season 3. The show has been hugely successful - so it deserves some more scratch to play with.

You'd think they would give it more cash, but they obviously cut it down for season two after the first season was already the highest viewed show on television....



Now did someone say that Darabont is still involved - to an extent at least - as an Exec Producer? I thought he was just out-right gone ... I'm a tad confused. :confused:

From what I've read, they say he's still on as an executive producer. That could be misinformation, or possibly AMC is keeping his name on the credits for fans and tossing him a few bucks even though he's not participating?

[AcesandEights]

From what I've read, they say he's still on as an executive producer. That could be misinformation, or possibly AMC is keeping his name on the credits for fans and tossing him a few bucks even though he's not participating?

That's what I figure.

[MinionZombie]

Re-watching the trailer for season 2 that went up last year, I really hope that the home video release of season two features all the deleted content from the original episode one - perhaps even an option to watch what would have originally been the entire episode one - now that'd be cool.

[childofgilead]

Tell me about it..it looked really interesting..we might have found out where the other vehicles went, if they had any trouble getting out of Atlanta, etc..sounds a little more interesting to me than sitting around in tents awkwardly silent because of tiffs.

[Eyebiter]

Listening to the Season 1 DVD commentary everyone gushes how great AMC was to work with and how much they support the show. Going to be very interesting to hear the Season 2 DVD commentary, see how much the tone of the actors and crew changes.

[kidgloves]

The whole situation seems very strange to me. AMC do not seem like a network that would rock the "creative" boat unless something was seriously affecting the production. Virtually all the important crew and actors are friends of Darabonts and took the gig because of Frank. When i first started reading the production news after this was announced i really got a Romero "family" vibe from the the stuff that was being reported. It really cant be as simple as bad guy network vs good guy genre geek.

[AcesandEights]

t really cant be as simple as bad guy network vs good guy genre geek.

Maybe, maybe not, though I tend to agree with you. I think there is a tendency to want to side with the creative individual against the newly minted public business, and that's why so many people are getting offended or painting this thing as a picture of "St. Darabont's Martyrdom."

It really seems like AMC got pinched for cash due to being on the hook for two other established series who already have them somewhat over a barrel and made some cuts, Darabont disagreed, stood up and they had a parting of the ways when it couldn't be amicably resolved. Simple as.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b205/DougOBrien/DarabontontheCross.png

[bassman]

It really seems like AMC got pinched for cash due to being on the hook for two other established series who already have them somewhat over a barrel and made some cuts, Darabont disagreed, stood up and they had a parting of the ways when it couldn't be amicably resolved. Simple as

The real sad part is that AMC fell into several great series'. Every series they dont own has been trying to pull out. What does that tell you?

I honestly hope for the best with this series, I just don't see it thriving....

[kidgloves]

Just been listening to the latest Nerdist Writers Panel and Angela Kang who wrote the episode Secrets was on the show. She said one interesting thing that might explain a few things. Apparently Darabont sent the writers home to write their own individual episodes instead of breaking the story in the writers room together as a group. This is a very very unusual approach to writing television shows as everybody has to be literally on the same page and write the show together. She also said that AMC didnt like this approach at all so maybe the disaster that was originally eps 1 & 2 was just the end of a long line of issues as has been suggested.
Glen Mazzara has also been on this panel before and im very confident that the show is in good hands with him.

[MinionZombie]

Just been listening to the latest Nerdist Writers Panel and Angela Kang who wrote the episode Secrets was on the show. She said one interesting thing that might explain a few things. Apparently Darabont sent the writers home to write their own individual episodes instead of breaking the story in the writers room together as a group. This is a very very unusual approach to writing television shows as everybody has to be literally on the same page and write the show together. She also said that AMC didnt like this approach at all so maybe the disaster that was originally eps 1 & 2 was just the end of a long line of issues as has been suggested.
Glen Mazzara has also been on this panel before and im very confident that the show is in good hands with him.

Thanks for the heads up there dude, I do listen to the main Nerdist podcast from time-to-time (when they have a guest on that interests me - such as JJ Abrams), but I haven't listened to any of the others on the network - I'm now downloading the newest one with Angela Kang, and I'm nabbing the Glen Mazzara episode too.

So I take it that they were just going off and writing their own episodes with very little in the way of a through line? :confused:

Usually, from what I've figured and heard, individuals do go off and write their own episodes - but that is part of a tightly controlled process with the entire writing staff and the showrunner, so that everyone knows what's happening broadly throughout the entire season: which points they have to hit at the start, throughout, and at the end of their episode. I'd love to get to see the original episode 1 and 2 just out of interest (there must be so much deleted footage ... an episode's worth, really) ... so yeah, it'd be interesting to really know the full truth - but of course we'll never know the full story, and really, we don't really need to know or we're not really entitled to know the full story. It could only be understood if you were there and taking part in it - and I'm sure there's plenty of people on the inside who don't have the full story ... and after all this time now, the true-truth is probably lost.

Hopefully Season 3 will experience a smoother path, eh? :) Still though, despite the rocky road for Season 2, so far it's been spiffing.

[kidgloves]

Kang does say she has never heard of shows being written that way before but, like you, ive heard reference to that way of writing but their must have been something unusual about Darabonts approach if AMC didnt like it and a professional writer hadnt heard of it.

-- -------- Post added at 07:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:18 PM ----------

You might also be interested in the Television Zombies podcast. The guy who proof reads TWD comic hosts it and is good friends with Kirkman. He recently did a 2 part interview with the big guy.

[kidgloves]

I recently wrote an article for another website about Darabonts departure and someone claiming to be from AMC has responded.
You can find it here.

http://www.thetvcritic.org/blog/frank-darabont-and-the-walking-dead/