Tag Archives: Walking Dead

Walking Dead Promotes a New Showrunner

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Picture 1Supervising producer Scott Gimple is set to replace the departing Glen Mazzara as the new showrunner of The Walking Dead when it returns for its fourth season in October 2013.  The Walking Dead has been breaking ratings records this season, which made Mazzara’s departure somewhat suspicious, despite the gracious comments from each side.

Mazzara himself was a replacement (also promoted from within) for the show’s original showrunner, Frank Darabont, who left under less-than-amicable circumstances.

Gimple has written five episodes of The Walking Dead, including the second season finale, ‘Pretty Much Dead Already.’  He wrote Ghost Rider: The Spirit of Vengeance, and worked on the TV series FlashForward and Life.  More interestingly, he’s also the creator of the Disney animated TV series Fillmore!

Walking Dead Gains a Season, Loses a Showrunner

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Picture 1Coming as no surprise, AMC’s The Walking Dead has just been renewed for a fourth season.  But it hasn’t survived unscathed, as once again the series is losing its showrunner.

Around the start of season two, AMC and the show’s creator, Frank Darabont, had a very public falling out over the network’s demands to slash the budget and Darabont’s belief that this would negatively impact the show.

He was replaced by one of the series’ other producers, Glen Mazzara, who guided the show through its second season (working off the plan left by Darabont) and was solely responsible for the current third season, which will return with its final eight episodes in February of 2013.  Mazzara, will be leaving the series at the end of this season, and once again, it sounds like AMC’s meddling is the cause of a showrunner’s departure.  According to the network, in their press release announcing the shake up:

“Glen guided the series creatively for seasons 2 and 3. AMC is grateful for his hard work. We are both proud of our shared success. Both parties acknowledge that there is a difference of opinion about where the show should go moving forward, and conclude that it is best to part ways.“

Given the show’s success with fans and critics alike, it’s hard to imagine why the network would want to change anything.  The show has been a ratings juggernaut this season.  It’s the highest rated scripted show on television, besting not only other cable channels, but the major networks as well.  Shouldn’t the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ doctrine be in effect?

Mazzara said in his own statement:

“My time as showrunner on ‘The Walking Dead’ has been an amazing experience, but after I finish season 3, it’s time to move on.  I have told the stories I wanted to tell and connected with our fans on a level that I never imagined. It doesn’t get much better than that. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey.”

Which doesn’t really line up with the joint statement about creative differences, but I guess he’s just being nice.

Walking Dead Finds Its Tyreese

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The Wire vet Chad Coleman has been cast as Tyreese in AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Tyreese’s first appearance in the comics was in issue seven (just after leaving Atlanta), when he, his daughter, and her boyfriend met Rick’s group on the road.  He was a former pro-football player who retired after an injury.

Nothing specific has been announced, but the rumor is that he’ll make his debut in the mid-season finale, December 2nd, before the series takes a break until February.

Walking Dead Season Three Trailer

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Today at Comic Con, AMC debuted a four minute trailer for the third season of The Walking Dead.  The tag-line is ‘Fight the Dead.  Fear the Living.’

If you’re familiar with the events from the comic to be covered this season,  the stay at the jail and the confrontation with the governor, then you’ll agree that that tag-line is very appropriate.

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Walking Dead’s The Governor Revealed

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The Governor, one of the more villainous characters from The Walking Dead will make his debut in the upcoming third season.

British actor David Morrissey (Doctor Who, Red Riding) is taking on the roll.  Series creator Robert Kirkman said, “Having The Governor in the mix is going to fundamentally change the show in all kinds of awesome and exiting ways. And David Morrissey totally rocks!”  Kirkman also promised that the character would not be watered down for television, which is saying something considering how vile the character is.