Carnby
Member
There are a few relevant articles in the OP. These two in particular are worth a look if you want to information about budgeting, the Darabont departure, etc...
- 'The Walking Dead': What Really Happened to Fired Showrunner Frank Darabont
An agency source says Darabont is "notoriously a pain in the ass" known for "taking a feature-film approach to television," which is meant to suggest that he didn't manage the brisk pace of television well. But an insider says Darabont's approach was what made Walking Dead special. "Frank fights for the show," says an insider. "He doesn't just do what the network wants him to do. He's a filmmaker, and that's why the show was as good as it was." Sources with ties to the show insist it was on schedule and on budget.
The first half of season two explained!