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[Hindle]

I think I'll be pulling the plug on this soon, I didn't like S3 as much as most and that was with Mazzaro in charge.

 

[Femmeworth]

AMC needs to get their heads out of their asses.

 

[Seanspeed]

I'm not too concerned. Not a big fan of how they were handling things through S3, so perhaps a new person in charge can bring it back in a better direction.

 

[dead souls]

AMC needs to get their heads out of their asses.

I know I've said this in like a million threads, but television fans just need to realize that once Breaking Bad and Mad Men end AMC will be worthless to fans of quality programming.

The last truly amazing show they launched was Breaking Bad in the winter of 2008. How much longer of a gap does there need to be before people realize that AMC is just a shitty network that got extremely lucky twice?

Think of all the great shows FX or HBO have launched since then.

 

[Rootbeer]

Been a fan of the series all the way, but most fans would admit that season 3 did turn it around... for the better. I wonder what the fate of this show will be now... :/

 

[Messofanego]

But it's been a good enough show for almost a year now. Him leaving is very worrying though.

Wait, will there be new episodes of Episodes? I love that show. Don't tease me like that XD

 

[Net_Wrecker]

I know I've said this in like a million threads, but television fans just need to realize that once Breaking Bad and Mad Men end AMC will be worthless to fans of quality programming.

The last truly amazing show they launched was Breaking Bad in the winter of 2008. How much longer of a gap does there need to be before people realize that AMC is just a shitty network that got extremely lucky twice?

Think of all the great shows FX or HBO have launched since then.

Yeah, I'm no longer expecting much from AMC going forward. As a showrunner, or the company behind the pitch, why would you take a chance with AMC knowing your show will be gutted in a year? Unless you don't care about quality and just want that Walking Dead lead in, you're better off taking it to HBO, FX, Showtime, Starz, USA, or TNT.

 

[grendelrt]

Ugh ridiculous. The budget restrictions in the past never made since either, its like the highest rated show on cable, they have to be racking in advertisement revenue, why do they keep cutting the budget. Wonder if they are that horrible to work with too to keep losing show runners, idiots.

 

[Bladenic]

Ugh ridiculous. The budget restrictions in the past never made since either, its like the highest rated show on cable, they have to be racking in advertisement revenue, why do they keep cutting the budget. Wonder if they are that horrible to work with too to keep losing show runners, idiots.

Yeah, seems like AMC's biggest fault is being stingy.

 

[y2dvd]

He lead this show from being okay to great. This worries me.

 

[kirblar]

He lead this show from being okay to great. This worries me.

The good news? He shouldn't be out of work long.

 

[Osietra]

Who is this Mazzara guy.

And who honestly genuinely thought that it'd be any good. I'm pretty sure Gary Whitta talked about crafting this stuff.

 

[bengraven]

Kirkman, I'm guessing.

 

[Grifter]

If we go by history someone better will come on and make it even better than it is now
(which is pretty damn good since Mezarra came on).

This post is why stats should be mandatory at a young age.

 

[Silkworm]

Oh maybe Veena Sud could be the show runner for Walking Dead They're bringing her back for more of The Killing and that show was such a "hit". :-\ Wonder how FX treats their shows. I like Justified, they had The Shield and Terriers and the upcoming The Americans looks promising. Too bad TWD can't just shift over to FX. I'll just hope for the best for TWD on AMC

 

[Gr1mLock]

The people running AMC need to just fire everyone and write their own shit since apparently they know exactly how everything should be.

 

[Osietra]

Kirkman, I'm guessing.

Yeah. Me too.

 

[meltingparappa]

I wonder if its something to do with staying faithful to the comic i.e spoilers obv

Spoiler

The entire cast bloodbath that would probably end the prison run/season 3. I wonder if Glen was for and the studio were against

That certain seems like the type of creative argument that would cause a showrunner to get frustrated enough to leave.

I mean, I can certainly see AMC's theoretical point that this potential creative decision is a really risky thing to do when the show is at the height of its ratings, and could potentially be pretty expensive to boot.

But it's really easy to argue that particular plot point being the thematic raison d'etre for the entire series, and is absolutely essential.

 

[Lasthope106]

Just cancel the show, and reroute the money to telltale. They know what the walking dead is, better than Kirkman himself!

 

[meltingparappa]

How much do you think it would have cost to film Telltale's TWD?

Obviously the show has to follow the arc of the comics to some extent, but it's amazing how completely successful TT's version was through its small-scale intimacy.


When season five comes around and they're out of both comics to adapt and show-runners, they should cast both leads from "Beasts of the Southern Wild" and just go for it.

 

[Vilam]

Well this is shitty news. I loved what he did with season 3, I wanted more of that Walking Dead =/

 

[Replicant]

The show got significantly better with Mazzara at the helm so this concerns me.

This. The increase in quality from S2 to S3 is shocking and I do believe Mazzara has a lot to do with that.

 

[Represent.]

Fuck , this is some shitty news. Whoever else it is they bring in better come through.

 

[Raoh]

The show got significantly better with Mazzara at the helm so this concerns me.

eh, both did ok, both made some odd decisions. It's to a point where I start to blame both AMC and Kirkman. Kirkman is probably so happy to so successful with TWD he is probably saying yes to everything AMC tells him.

I love the show but I"m used to gore etc and love the comic, read at least 3 times over, and am thinking about starting over again (this and Y The Last Man). For some coworkers, they are new to the zombie, twd world so they think its neat.

The kills are getting cheesy too. I'm seeing impossible kills being done in seconds like they are cutting butter and not actual skulls.

I want The Walking Dead the TV Show not Dead Island the TV Show.

I wont get into it too much, but I still scratching my head over the Andrea and Carol role reversals.

I think I am going to stay away from networks end at 3 letters in their name.

AMC - The Walking Dead (Screwing with me)
NBC - Community (Screwing with me)
FOX - Arrested Development (Screwed with me)

I'm ready to just give up on shows until they are completed.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

eh, both did ok, both made some odd decisions. It's to a point where I start to blame both AMC and Kirkman. Kirkman is probably so happy to so successful with TWD he is probably saying yes to everything AMC tells him.

Kirkman really doesn't have much pull creatively. He's basically a staff writer. His "executive producer" title is more honorary than anything, since he co-created the book and was part of the deal with AMC.

 

[To Far Away Times]

Mazzara is at least partially responsible for the big jump in quality in the late part of season 2 and so far with season 3, right?

Bad news...

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Kurt Sutter and Shawn Ryan both had some choice comments:

AMC is run by small-minded, bottom-line thinkers who have no appreciation or gratitude for the effort of its creative personnel. Time and time again we see events like what happened today with Glen Mazzara. They continue to disrespect writers, shit on their audience and bury their network. Mazzara took the work-in-progress that was “Walking Dead” and turned it into a viable TV show with a future. Without him, that future is dim. Showrunners are not development executives, we’re not cookiecutter douchebags that you plug into a preexisting model. TWD will suffer. Even Zombies need consistency. “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad” will be gone soon. So will AMC. I hope their fucking stock takes a dive and the shareholders line up (Josh) Sapan, (Charles) Dolan and (Charlie) Collier and shit in their open hands. Cunts.

AMC, WTF? Common knowledge that AMC cut Breaking Bad shorter than it should have been. Now you have creative differences w/ biggest hit’s savior? With FX, Showtime, HBO, Starz, Cinemax, A&E, TNT and others to sell to, it’s a real question now why good show runners should sell to AMC

Mr. Ryan has a pretty fuckin good point there.

 

[TheSeks]

What the hell is going on at AMC to push the showrunners out after a season and a half each?

 

[shinobi602]

Well...

 

[faceless007]

Kurt Sutter and Shawn Ryan both had some choice comments:





Mr. Ryan has a pretty fuckin good point there.

I don't think he's right about Breaking Bad. I'm pretty sure Gilligan has said repeatedly he didn't see how the show could go more than 5 seasons. If anything, the decision to stretch it over 2 years was longer than he wanted it to go.

 

[Raoh]

Kirkman really doesn't have much pull creatively. He's basically a staff writer. His "executive producer" title is more honorary than anything, since he co-created the book and was part of the deal with AMC.

Interesting, so no one behind TWD has any say so when it comes to the tv show?

Kurt Sutter and Shawn Ryan both had some choice comments:





Mr. Ryan has a pretty fuckin good point there.

Awesome, I actually didn't get into SOA until the 4th season. Even if it is like one giant music video, LOL. Who ever is in charge of getting music for the show deserves a Christmas bonus.


A good point was made in the comments there as well regarding TWD the show. Not so much in the defense of the networks but much that is being said now was said when Frank Darabont left. And the show still took off.

Hell I can complain all I want, I'm still going to watch it.

I guess we will have to wait and see. Every time I see a change like this is just like havinga new chef in the kitchen who wants to get creative with the menu.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

This current season has been quite good. Good news.

 

[Error]

Weird to axe the guy that made the show awesome.

 

[gdt]

This current season has been quite good. Good news.

So.....bad news?

 

[EdibleExplosives]

I'm not really sure how I feel about this. I do agree that Mazzara made the show much better but it still had problems (mainly because it didn't live up to the graphic novel for me). Viewing the show on it's own, season 3 is great though so I can't really complain too much.
It really depends on what the creative differences were. If AMC want to tone down the show, then that's something to worry about. However, if Mazzara wanted to completely change the show himself, then the decision for him to leave would be the correct one.
Knowing AMC though, it's likely they're the ones in the wrong.

 

[Killthee]

Scott Gimple will be taking over and The Hollywood Reporter is saying Kirkman had issues with Mazzara.

Scott Gimple Promoted To Showrunner Of ‘The Walking Dead’, Replaces Glen Mazzara

For a second consecutive time, The Walking Dead is reaching within to replace a showrunner. The series’ supervising producer Scott M. Gimple is finalizing a deal to become executive producer and new showrunner of the hit zombie drama series. Gimple is expected to convene his writing team to begin work on Season 4 in the next two weeks. He replaces Glen Mazzara, who exited when Walking Dead was renewed for a fourth season last month. Mazzara in turn succeeded The Walking Dead creator/director/original showrunner Frank Darabont several episodes into production on Season 2. Both Darabont and Mazzara were removed from the series. Mazzara’s departure is said to have been done under pressure from Walking Dead executive producer Robert Kirkman, on whose comic the TV show is based.

While controversial, the transition from Darabont to Mazzara proved seamless, with the series continuing to break ratings records, including in the blockbuster recent fall portion of Season 3 whose premiere stands as the top-rated fall telecast on broadcast or cable. Gimple has been with The Walking Dead since the beginning of Season 2 when the show established a writing staff. He currently serves as supervising producer. This season, Gimple wrote the Nov. 18 episode Hounded and the penultimate Season 2 hour, which airs on March 24. The Walking Dead returns with originals Feb. 10. Gimple, repped by UTA, Thruline and Ziffren, also has worked on series Chase, FlashForward, Life and wrote a script for the upcoming Starz drama Da Vinci’s Demons. On the feature side, he co-wrote Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance.

Why 'The Walking Dead' Killed Off Its Latest Showrunner

When a network fires two showrunners in less than 18 months from its biggest hit -- and one of the most successful franchises on television -- that is sure to make waves in Hollywood and with fans. So no matter how AMC tried to spin the Dec. 21 departure of Glen Mazzara from The Walking Dead as just one of those amicable things, insiders rolled their eyes -- especially because the network let go co-creator Frank Darabont in July 2011 and has had high-profile spats with writer-producers on its hits Mad Men and Breaking Bad.

AMC and Walking Dead comic book writer and producer Robert Kirkman were blamed for Mazzara's ouster and called out by name by showrunners Shawn Ryan (Last Resort) and Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy), neither of whom is involved with Walking Dead but both of whom worked with Mazzara on Ryan's FX series The Shield. Ryan tweeted, "It's a real question now why good showrunners should sell to AMC," and Sutter followed with a tweet declaring that AMC had sent him "a gift basket filled with … broken promises and the marinated tongue used to lick Kirkman's ass."

In a follow-up video posted on his website, Sutter denounced AMC for departing from a cable culture that generally allows showrunners more creative freedom than do the broadcast networks. Kirkman, he added, "is an amazing visual artist and a graphic artist [but] knows very little about TV, and the reins keep going back to him in this process, and he doesn't know how to run a show."

Several insiders confirm that Kirkman, whose detailed graphic novels form the basis of the series, is "very proprietary," as one puts it. One adds, "I believe Robert wants to maintain a certain amount of his control, and AMC needs Robert for the fan base." But despite the vitriol, some sources involved with Walking Dead say Kirkman was one of several producers on the show who had issues with Mazzara and his vision.

One source says Mazzara's shortcomings in running the series during the most recent third season became "abundantly clear … especially for the second half of the season." This source says production was shut down "several times" because of a lack of material.

Mazzara declined comment but will participate in a Jan. 11 AFI awards luncheon that will honor Walking Dead as one of 2012's top shows. The midseason finale Dec. 2 lured 10.5 million total viewers and 6.9 million in the key adults 18-to-49 demo, crushing nearly all broadcast network shows.

To date, Kirkman has responded to the criticism only with a restrained tweet: "@sutterink is brilliant and Sons is my favorite show on TV. Still, it's upsetting to see him ranting about things he knows nothing about." AMC declined comment.