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‘This Isn’t Working'!! The Hollywood Reporter Says AMC Fired Frank Darabont From THE WALKING DEAD!!
Kim Masters’ new story in the Aug. 19 print edition of the Hollywood Reporter, the one titled “Walking Dead: What Really Happened,” indicates that Frank Darabont was fired as “Walking Dead” showrunner just three days after Darabont’s July 22 appearance at San Diego Comic Con promoting the series.
AMC’s head of scripted programming offered the series’ cast and crew in Atlanta no clear reason for Darabont’s firing, according to the piece. “This isn’t working,” they were told.
The article suggests Darabont, writer-director of such acclaimed big-screen hits as “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile,” is no longer involved with the show creatively. An AMC exec at a recent Television Critics Association event indicated new hire Glen Mazzara, who masterminded Starz’ low-rated and critically reviled TV version of “Crash,” would take over as “Walking Dead” showrunner. Darabont’s representatives indicate he has no interest in commenting on the matter.
From the Reporter:
There also have been no public comments from the cast, and a source with knowledge of the situation says AMC has been “terrorizing” them and their representatives to discourage them from speaking out on Darabont’s behalf. “They’re scared,” confirms another insider. “They’re on a zombie show. They are all really easy to kill off.”
To say “Dead” is by far AMC’s most popular series is something of an understatement. Its first-season finale garnered the biggest 18-49 demo rating ever for a drama on basic cable.
The Hollywood Reporter story suggests Darabont did not cotton to AMC’s decision to cut the series’ per-episode budget for its second season.
“Frank doesn’t like the cast and crew overworked and underpaid," says a show insider. As recently as the end of May, with the show’s second season poised to go into production, Darabont seemed to be holding out hope that AMC would relent. “Creatively, I have no complaints thus far,” he said at a THR roundtable. “But I believe if they do move ahead with what they’re talking about, it will affect the show creatively … in a negative way. Which just strikes me as odd. If you have an asset, why would you punish it?”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 he didn’t manager 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 article singles out an AMC exec for precipitating Darabont’s departure:
Despite the show’s success, AMC stuck to its original position on the second-season budget. When those involved with the show protested that the network was taking chances with its biggest hit, AMC’s head of original programming, Joel Stillerman, is said to have declared, “ Ratings have no bearing on this conversation.”The show went into production on its second season in June. Sources say an early episode came in with footage that was not usable. The director had shot a successful first-season episode and was a mutually agreed-upon choice. Darabont was editing the episode in an effort to fix it but by then, an insider believes, AMC was looking for a pretext. “Joel thinks he is responsible for the success of shows on AMC, and not the creators,” this person says. This person blames Stillerman for the decision to fire Darabont. (Stillerman also has a strained relationship is Mad Men’s [mastermind Matthew] Weiner, who declines to speak to him.) Through an AMC rep, Stillerman declined comment.
Find all of the Reporter's story on this appalling matter here.
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Herc, apparently you didn't try very hard to find the story online. I read it hours ago. Here it is: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/walking-dead-what-happened-fired-221449
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Bloody typical.
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How could anyone at the network possibly think this was a good idea? Too bad AMC owns the show and can do whatever they want - unlike Breaking Bad and MadMen.
Will this mean an impromptu end of the line for AMC's success? -
Killing your golden goose.
Oh well, had such high hopes for this one. Back to the comic again then......
It will be clichéd crap again, like those stupid latino gangbangers/nursing home carers.
Bah! -
I'm amazed with all the top quality programming from AMC it decides to do this. The Walking Dead hasn't fully grown it's legs yet, let Darabont helm his show, do his job, do a great Season two with The Walking Dead.
To do this already is not a good sign of things to come. -
Aug 11, 2011 5:27:33 AM CDT
They were lucky to have him. Don't tell me this show is going the way of "Heroes"
by siouxfire
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Aug 11, 2011 5:27:49 AM CDT
I don't have a good feeling about some of my favorite shows
by american mythos
It seems AMC is taking the "Syfy" route in meddling with show production and costs. I remember Sci-fi doing this with Farscape and The Invisible Man, both of which they tried to "revamp" (for newer/dumber audiences) and cheapen before finally just deciding to cancel both. I hope Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead survive AMC's bizarre fucking "growing pains." Damn, I would kill to see both those shows on HBO.
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could it? That's not possible is it?
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AMC suggesting shooting 4 days indoors and 4 days outdoors to save money? And letting the audience hear the zombies but not see them to cut makeup costs. Jesus Christ, what kind of assholes are running AMC?
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...I'm glad he's gone. This article can tint Darabont's efforts as rosy as they like, but as far as I, and any fan of the source material that I know, are concerned that first season went from okay to nigh on unwatchable really fast.
That it managed to secure such high ratings is still amazing to me, considering how poorly done the whole thing was. Hopefully a leaner budget and a new showrunner will shift focus onto what should have at the heart of the first season: the characters.
And not the hillbilly brothers; the real ones. -
AMC seems like they're really trying to mess with every asset they have. They're cheapening on Mad Men, The Walking Dead...they don't give a show time to develop before the guys in the suits step in. If they ruin Walking Dead or any of the other shows and they go the way of Deadwood, it's going to be a sad disappointment. At that point, they might as well start a reality show.
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It's going to tank faster then a Paris Hilton/Kim Kardashian Duet Album
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if you have a record breaking show, instead of backing it, why not do everything you can to hurt it? So perverse it is almost funny.
I have respect for Darabont but after a stellar pilot episode, this show went downhill fast. Dumping those writers after the first season - and now the news that they have directors filming footage that is actually unusable - suggests to me that all Walking Dead had was a cool premise and Frank Darabont at the helm. Now we're in for a show that will dive in viewers and quality and will probably be cancelled. Then maybe this Stillerman guy will be happy.
Love the idea that they film half of the show indoors. This isn't Game of Thrones. -
apparently
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Not sure why any fan of the source material wouldn't like the show. Thought it was damn near perfect bar the first season not ending like the first run with the major character death.
Its disappointing but Darabont wasn't ever going to hang around forever, he's a film director not a showrunner, would've kept him for another season maybe two tops. Kirkman is still on board so there's always some hope that the show will maintain the quality. -
Fans of the source material didn't like the first season because the characters in the comic had more depth and emotion than the live-action cast.
The first season of WD was HORRIBLE. Just because the show has zombies, the comic's title and the character names, doesn't mean it's faithful to the comic series.
Every time I watched an episode, I felt like I was watching a slightly better version of a SyFy movie of the week.
If the show had actually stuck to the source material, I would be raving about how awesome it was right now (even with the obviously small budget they had to work with). The source material is what's phenomenal. This show is not. -
Aug 11, 2011 6:30:38 AM CDT
google image search on this Joel Stillerman...he looks a douchebag...
by executor
...like what a casting director would come up with for Entourage or Curb Your Enthusiasm or some inside Hollywood comedy movie.
Just let Breaking Bad and Mad Men finish without this moron getting his hands all over them. -
When I first heard about this, I *knew* it was gonna have something to do with greedy little suits at AMC shooting their own show in the foot. They had such a potential if they had navigated it correctly.
"Terrorizing" the actors? Stillerman, you incredible putz...
I won't watch season 2. No point now. As an X-men fan, I learned my lesson by spending the two hours to watch X-Men 3 on cable despite all the warnings... when a production prick hobbles their own work for better control, everything good is on the way out. Hollywood does not learn it's lesson. -
I'm not surprised a bit that Darabont was fired. In fact I posted in the first story about this, on here, that said he left the show, that he was in fact fired. This Joel fellow seems like he belongs on that commercial where they ask the head of the company if he's a bright man and he shouts "No I'm not!".
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As a fan of the source material, I was let down by the direction season one took.
But the showrunners seemed to feel the same way, writers were changed up, and things seemed to be heading in the right direction.
After reading that article, there is absolutely no chance that AMC will be producing a show of quality now, to say nothing of getting back to the source material.
Walking Dead, we barely knew ya.
AMC, and Joel Stillerman specifically, Fuck You. -
Unfortunately, I can't suggest taking any talent from HBO, given the penny-pinching and short-sightedness shown by the premature deaths of Rome, Deadwood, Carnivale, and probably Mr. Show.
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Is totally secondary to doing a show people enjoy, which garners ratings. And AMC did that, hugely. That fans of the original material weren't all happy is totally irrelevant if the series gets ratings. So Darabount pissed them off. Well, he pisses me off too. But the guy is very, very good. Whoever they bring in now will be better in some ways, worse in others. Very doubtful that they will get the same ratings or same audience/critical acclaim, which is too bad. Really enjoyed WD, am enjoying the DVDs now, and looked forward to seeing where it went.
But I shed no tears for Darabount.
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Good job, AMC! Oh well, at least we still have the comics. I wonder how long it'll be before they manage to ruin Mad Men too?
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Fire them all
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I'll let season 2 come to an end, and then, based on group consensus opinion, I will or won't buy it on blu-ray.
But I won't be watching it live, that's for sure.
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No kidding... I'm still waiting for the shoe to drop on Game of Thrones because of budget reasons... I mean they got away with eliminating the two big battles from the first book rather creatively, but the rest of the series is going to be rough without some budget for them.
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I cant imagine its a good thing.
Why do some of you guys have a problem with Darabont? -
Fuck the source material. What works for comics doesn't necessarily translate well to the screen, an entirely different beast and medium. Frank Darabont purloined choice bits and pieces from the comics and drafted a different take for the screen. Critical acclaim and victorious ratings speak for themselves. 'Nuff said.
This could have been a better fit for HBO (if not for the presence of True Blood, another supernatural mash-up.) Oh well, it's just piss in the wind, now. -
I want to watch tv's first zombie tv series brought to us by Frank Darabont...
... But after AMC fired him bc they are run by what sounds like arrogant fucks, I no longer wish to support this endeavor. Let it crash and burn, and let those in charge of network production/scripted series lose their jobs over allowing their highest rated program to plummet in the ratings during the second season. Show them the bad decisions that let to it. -
The series is only 6 episodes long, how fucking expensive could that be. I was one of the few people who didn't mind the stop at the CDC since it made sense. If they are going to penny pinch now there is no way they are going to be able to follow the books. The prison and the general storyline is going to cost a shit ton of money. Don't worry about the show killing off characters, Kirkman is killed off 75% in the comic anyway. I can't imagine that is a good set to work on now.
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I get sick of being overworked and underpaid too, all bc some exec or producer wants more pocket change. Not cool.
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Aug 11, 2011 7:46:07 AM CDT
Characters in the comic were even more cliched than the series
by d.vader
Come on, let's drop the ridiculous hyperbole about the first season going from great to nigh-unwatchable. You lose any credibility with ridiculously childish statements like that.
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...and moaning and groaning while killing a golden goose. I often think execs are people who wanted to be filmmakers but sucked at it.
So, now they live to ruin the lives of real filmmakers all while getting paid for it. -
Just like everything else good in the world. Take something that works, knock it down, shit on it, and expect it to be the same. Not surprising coming from AMC, a channel that used to be good, but has slowly turned into a piece of shit. Too bad The Walking Dead wasn't on HBO. It would have stood a chance there.
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Without knowing the facts, I'm not going to sit here and defend Darabont. Maybe the guy was hard to work with, but dammit, he did good work. It certainly would have been in the best interest of the network to make a serious effort to keep him in captains seat. But again, we don't know the issues. AMC owes the fans an explaination. I doubt the show will recover. What a shame.
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I'll concede I haven't watched a single minute of The Walking Dead yet(although I do have the Season 1 Blu-ray set sitting on the shelf). But how can Darabont be fired from that show, yet Veena Sud is still around(for now) for Season 2 of The Killing? She's all but destroyed that series after a promising start and only compounded the situation by doing a bunch of interviews where she came off as arrogant and delusional.
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aren't owned by the network. I just hope they'll run out their strings without further interference.
There are as may pinhead execs as there are pinhead creative types, but more often than not, you gotta have to give the benefit of the doubt to the people actually doing the creative work.
Without them, there wouldn't be anything to watch. A beancounter can easily be replaced. -
WOW! Just WOW. AMC finally gets a REAL hit show (Mad Men isn't a hit show) and they're already messing with the formula. Wow.....I fuckin' hate the industry.
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That's what BBC television execs do-screw around with successful shows and piss off the executive producer (Doctor Who). Stillerman would fit in with those idiots.
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Walking Dead had an amazing first episode. 2nd and 3rd were Ok but 4th, 5th and 6th got shitter and shitter. I was hoping for an amazing 2nd Season but think I will skip it now.
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...here's what I think happened with AMC: they got ambitious, but they didn't do the financial planning, and now they're trying to go the cheap route in order to keep from running aground financially.
Only trouble is, it's not budgets that sell movies or show, it's the content that results. Budgets matter if you're trying to take things to a certain ambitious sort of level. Creativity can help, but you can't just lop off the budget of a show where people are used to working at a certain level, and where audiences are used to a certain level of production values, and expect the quality of the show to remain constant.
Folks ought to plan for these sorts of things, as much as that is possible. At the end of the day, it's best to keep the budget in a nice sustainable zone, rather than yank it back and forth because your eyes were bigger than your revenues. -
TWD season 1 had the same budget as Breaking Bad and it's a show that needs lots of CG and makeup effects, which the other one doesn't. Compared to BrBA it was cheap. It also had 2 million more viewers, it's AMC biggest hit by far, and yet those idiots want to substantially reduce the budget, write out as many zombie/outdoor scenes as they can, basically running the show into the ground. No wonder Darabont bailed.
I feel sorry for the cast and crew who have to eat AMC's shit now. -
That's shitty all over. Show is doomed. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.
Maybe. The first episode was incredible. The later episodes, less. It ended on a whimper that I didn't like, but I will see it out, whatever happens.
I do think Darabont brought something good to the show -- he wrote and directed the best episode of the series, and, if I remember right, was the driving force behind axing the stable of writers and starting fresh for season 2.
It's weird to me that Darabont 'can't handle' the rigours of television -- didn't he do a bunch of episodes of THE WIRE? Didn't that totally reinvigorate him as an artist, and inspire him to do THE MIST? I think I got that from an AICN set visit.
It just seems far more like that what Darabont 'can't handle' is the bullshit of sticky-fingered execs who make up what they lack in talent and vision with petty micromanaging and money grubbing. Yes, television isn't as profitable as it once was, but why not try to find a compromise? Oh, that's right, because you're a small man in big shoes and you need to stop around as loudly as possible so people confuse noise with importance.
BB has an end-game planned. MM too, I expect. Hopefully they'll both ride out their runs without AMC fuckery.
Whatever the first season failed to do, it did keep my interest, and I was really looking forward to its return. Shame. -
Aug 11, 2011 8:59:01 AM CDT
The only good episode was the one that was directed by Frank.
by volllllume3
Everything else fucking sucked anyway. No big loss.
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I agree.
And to be honest as much as people harp about the writers 'ruining' Battlestar and Lost (although I don't personally agree) and other shows, I would take an honest to goodness creative fuckup on the part of the creative staff, over a show being cancelled or re-budgetted to death by execs any day.
Artist risk making a mistake every time they write a new episode, but the risk of failure is part of what makes writing so exciting for the reader/viewer. A show just being cancelled or ruined due to some beancounter just so his spread sheet to finalize with 0.5% better savings is just sad.
Just wait until a year or two from now when we can all get upset when HBO cancels GAME of THRONES midway through its story like it did with ROME, CARNIVALE & DEADWOOD.
The show it a big hit, but it must cost a fortune to produce. I would be utterly shocked it they make it to season 4. No matter what pledges of 'we're going to see this through to the end'
If you watch the CARNIVALE dvd features, there is actually a press conference that was done after season 1, where the HBO president (I forget her name) states publically that they are committed to doing all 5 years of the story for that show.
And if memory serves DEADWOOD had extremely strong ratings to. -
Aug 11, 2011 9:01:45 AM CDT
A badly cropped screenshot of a bad scan of a printed photograph of a person.
by spacehog
I'm trying to imagine how one could get more removed from reality with this image at the top of the story. Maybe you could print out your screenshot, photocopy it, photocopy the photocopy, fax the resulting printout to yourself, then scan that back in.
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After the 1st episode. I had high hopes after hearing all the writers were fired. I'm sure that's how a lot of people felt. After all that's happened after I just want the show to die in peace.
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What an @$$. Stillerman is one in a long line of idiots who believe the sun shines out their @$$. Walking Dead will now limp along to a series cancellation far sooner than it would have if they would have let Darabont alone. But hey! Stillerman is freekin' God!! Ratings don't enter into it!!!
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They totally were looking forward to coming back to this show, a veritable hit on their hands. How they can work for this kind of a network, seeing the kind of tactics that they employ is beyond me.
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You gotta admit the first season wasn´t that great. The characters were chiché, and the dialogue was shit bad. It didn´t cut the mustard, given the brilliant original material he had to work with.
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Really hope Breaking Bad can move to FX, so that will be one less show I will have to watch on AMC. And after this article, I'm not sure I', really interested in Walking Dead, given how it kind of fell apart at the end of season 1 anyway.
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Aug 11, 2011 9:36:54 AM CDT
Herc, I take shots at you a lot for being biased in your articles...
by blagyver
But fuck it, be as biased as you want when writing on this situation in the future because this is fucking ridiculous.
AMC is starting to remind me of a generic famous rock band. Starts out with its fellow band members (shows) as a beautiful collaboration. As it gets bigger, it starts to think that it's the true genius of the act. It starts to believe the hype and push its fellow band members around. Not too much time left, unfortunately, before it crashes and burns. -
I think they are very close to going out of business, so to speak.
You see, AMC mortgaged everything to roll out Mad Men and Breaking Bad...they invested a whole lot in their network to become the next HBO, but a miniaturized version, on cable.
But their plan had one flaw, the quality of the shows were so high they were mega expensive, and while critically acclaimed they weren't exactly raking in huge cash.
Essentially, AMC execs weren't making shit and probably were sacrificng to save the network, taking from a Rocky-a-thon movie marathon type network to something that was semi-respectable, or at least got watched.
But now, their employees want to get paid more, execs want to actually make good salaries, and the financial backers invovled want more return on their money.
So AMC is no trying to crank out cheap shit that brings in good ratings.
On paper that seems like the most logical choice. Run everything into the ground, but do it cheap, make some money, and create another good show later that you can repeat the process with.
You create a good show so you can eventually half-ass-that-fucking-shit and run it into the ground for money. -
It says "were making cheap shit, get out the way, ....get out the way ♪"
So props to this Joel guy. He knows that AMC needs to generate more revenue quick or HE'S gonna get fucking fired, so he went with a straight business move.
He knows it's a inferior product, and that's the genius here. It's going to have a built in audience, like any successful show, so you can produce a whacked out cheap POS season, and get away with it. Then you cancel it and blame lack of interest.
It's right in the executive playbook under MONEY. -
AMC has a hit ZOMBIE show that people like. Period. Darabont didn´t even follow the comic´s story line.
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Aug 11, 2011 9:53:53 AM CDT
this is what happens when you have business assholes in charge of creative endeavors
by spidercoz
The motherfucking MBAs that are running everything these days are opposed to anything they can't crank out on an assembly line for cheap. If they can't get at least 1000% ROI it's not worth it to them. This is happening in EVERY industry in this country, not just entertainment. They're homogenizing everything in the name of maximum profit margins; quality doesn't mean shit to them, building a loyal fan/consumer base doesn't mean shit to them, long-term potential doesn't mean shit to them. They want their motherfucking movie check and they want it NOW.
The MBAs have turned what was once a great country full of creativity and passion into a festering cesspool of mediocrity. I imagine much the same thing happened a couple thousand years ago in what became Italy. Beancounters and pencil-pushers have historically ruined everything that was good. -
EXACTLY. Now they have a free ticket to completely fuck the show, and take the money.
It's WDINO from now fucking on guy. I guarantee they won't follow the storyline anymore than darabont did, infact I'm sure the 5 episode arc where they are stuck in a warehouse, or in the Canadian forest won't be cannon.
ANd it will still make money because they presold the advertising. Then they cancel it. BANK! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ -
I hope this fucks them right where it counts.
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Aug 11, 2011 10:02:16 AM CDT
Everyone saying "they won't watch it live"
by scott_baiowulfgang_amadeus
Unless you have a Neilson Ratings box hooked up to your television to track what you watch it doesn't matter. We're still using the archaic 80's rating system to track show ratings. Everyone is saying "I won't watch it live, I'll wait for DVD/Blu-ray and pick it up then." Unless you pick it up used AMC won. They own the show and would love to have your DVD/Blu $. You give them nothing by watching the show live unless you actually have a ratings box. I just cancelled my Amazon pre-order for the Special Edition of Season one coming out in October. As much as I'd like to have the new bonus features, I'll be damned if they're getting any of my $ from this point on. Strictly secondhand movie stores for all AMC shows from here on out.
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Like... seriously? You expect to be in those shoes someday? Alright then.
The Walking Dead, as is the general consensus, was not that great of a show in the first place. Brilliant pilot, but then it sort of meandered even though it only lasted six episodes. The finale was flat out bizarre. And there was too much dead weight in the cast made up of characters who were never really fleshed out. I have minimal hopes for the future of the show after these moves, but that's the nature of the beast. Any show that can string together even 2 or 3 good to great seasons should be commended. -
Way to single-handedly take down not one but almost TWO fucking shows. What a fuck up. Total clusterfuck this has become.
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I direct to "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory" and... well... anything on CBS at all. I then direct to comparable ratings to "Breaking Bad" and "The Wire" and "The Shield."
Yeaaaaaa. Good ratings mean a good show, low ratings mean a shit show. Right. Carry on then. -
I guess I really shouldn't be surprised any more how those in Hollywood constantly insert their heads into their asses while shooting themselves in their feet.
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All of this seemed obvious even before this article. Stillerman is fucking over the cast, crew, and audience to get some higher profits this next season, before people realize that TWD is sucking more and more due to lower budgets and poor management fucking with the creative types.
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If memory serves, didn't the creator of Deadwood stop the series, not HBO, so he could focus on the 'John From Cincinatti' shit show?
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Aug 11, 2011 10:26:38 AM CDT
What the f#ck are they thinking? Oh, btw, I LOVED the first season.
by mrfloppy
I don't care if it's not 100% faithful to the comic.
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The way I read it on Deadwood's demise it was both.
Milch lost interest in running the show and HBO gained interest in cutting costs. The sets, clothes, makeup, etc on the show were quite expensive. With no power showrunner to stand up for it Deadwood was an easy neck on the chopping block. Such a shame. -
some executive prick calls the shots and kills a brilliant show. Motherfuckers. Man, I wish Kirkman would pull up stakes and refuse them the rights to the show and move to a better network that knows how to handle things.
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since they gave us Mad Men. I just rewatched some Season1 Mad Men and it was still compelling, layered story-telling. When I rewatched Walking Dead, I thought, "Man the Pilot was brilliant. What happened after that?"
In that sense I had a BSG flashback: Everytime I was tuning in I was chasing the dragon after the '33' cherry-high.
So, I'll give the AMC suits the benefit of doubt. As ever, the proof will be in the pudding. I'll give Walking Dead a turn this Autumn, and keep looking forward to Mad Men in 2012.
Also HERC (a nitpick): To you, the HWR story is not appalling, the underlying matter is. So it should be "Find all of the Reporter's story on the appalling matter..."
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If i remember they asked him to cut the budget he said no and just walked away. HBO had every intention of doing it they just wanted to cut the budget a bit.
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Listen Choda Boy, I ain't defending the execs.
Aside from Brooklyn and NY sucking in general, you obviously also have downsyndrome.
I'm simply saying that if you put emotions, need for quality, and service to the fan base ahead of a business model, that's bad business.
As a fan I don't like it. But I'm trying to reveal the inner psychology of these execs because the TB'ers aren't rationally looking at what's going on here.
Joel wants to make money. He figures that he can crank out cheap WD eps becasue since the first season did so good, people will watch anyways. And the ads are already basically pre-sold.
AMC hired Joel, right? And they tell him to make money. WD is prime for a good fucking because AMC owns all the rights.
They are at an impasse;
A) Keep Darabont on, with the same or a HIGHER BUDGET, and produce a quality show. It will barely break even.
B) Call Darabont a cunt, fire him, send him a mean text, threaten the crew, and film in the Canadian woods on old stargate sets or in portable storage units, with lots of zombie tracks, zombie moaning, and flashbacks to previous episodes that had good zombie scenes. Also bad cgi.
AMC, thou has chosen a righteous path (LOLOLOLOLOL) -
but we'll watch it anyway coz its got zombies.
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i'm sure they gave him the option of coming back for the tv movies but he preferred to stay on john from cincinatti - which i kinda enjoyed at the time but deleted the whole show for some reason.
i keep getting the urge to watch it again though, it had all the mystery of lost with no bullshit as i remember... hmm... -
This reminds me of that one time...
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And this guy has managed to piss off the guys who run all three. Is anyone with any credence in the industry going to want to work with AMC now? Zucker drove alot of top talent away from NBC and it got his ass fired, but Stillerman hangs around?
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Hear but not see the zombies to save makeup money? How about just having the entire show take place at night with the zombie plague also taking out the moon, so that you can just show a black screen and hear the cast? That way you don't have any makeup or film costs, and you only have to pay for the cast to record voice overs.
What a complete tool. -
I was lucky enough to win the Struzan Walking Dead giclee print from Aintitcool that Darabont and Struzan both signed. As a fan of all of Darabont's work it pains me to think this is how it went down. I know this show has been his baby for several years and I can't imagine what he's going through after being forced out. I wish him the best in this obviously tough time and hope he bounces back with a new project soon. His presence will be sorely missed on the show.
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the show doesnt beat out the comics in anyway. The visuals and tone were working incredibly well for me, but after diving into the series on paper, I can just run a show in my head
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A PBS Lecture
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
You see, movies aren't real. They are pretend, you see. It's like two cities; a real on and a fake one. Movies are the fake one.
@theGAYryfirst : Cheers! -
What the hell? Who takes shows, makes them successful, and then basically tries to destroy them?
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Aug 11, 2011 11:41:58 AM CDT
Whether you liked WALKING DEAD or not, this is a stupid way for a network to treat its most popular show
by supertoyslast
If Walking Dead gets treated like this then I am fearful that Breaking Bad - a far more important show to me - may not get to complete its story arc in the way its creators intended and with a decent budget/number of episodes.
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I'm not being provocative here - I felt genuinely let down by something that had the potential to be a truly great, ground-breaking show. A series set against the backdrop of the zombie apocalypse, and there's almost zero tension or excitement? Instead, we had dull, listless, two-dimensional characters who said an awful lot without saying much that was interesting or engaging. Even on the smallest of budgets, you should be able to make a zombie drama much more dramatic and compelling than this. Romero managed great drama and biting social satire on a shoestring. Watch the UK series Dead Set for an example of how to do it so much better. While I respect him greatly, I'm not going to mourn Darabont's departure.
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Aug 11, 2011 11:48:18 AM CDT
YEAH, I MEAN AMC ISN'T A REAL CHANNEL ANYWAY. I DON'T EVEN GET IT IN HD ON DIRECTV.
by darth busey
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I wasn't all that impressed with TWD anyway. I love the comics, but for some reason the show just didn't click for me.
Would love to see Darabont take on the Dark Tower series now that he's free. -
Violence porn for people too dull to appreciate real drama.
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Aug 11, 2011 11:58:56 AM CDT
Joel Stillerman, I'm not going to eat your mom's ass anymore...
by firewhale
What a fucking douchebag. I guess I should thank him. Since I had downgraded my cable package last winter and lost AMC, I was considering upgrading again this fall for Walking Dead, Season 2. Now? No fucking way. I'll watch it on Netflix, or buy a used copy of the Blu-ray. These fucks are not getting any of my money.
Sorry, Robert Kirkman, I dig your comic a lot and I would love to keep seeing a live-action tv series, but Stillerman and AMC can eat a bag of shit if they think I'm going to support their dick moves against all their quality programming. -
Eat a bag of dicks you pretentious twat.
Season 1 was good, and if it wasn't your cup of tea, that's fine, but stick your 'violence porn' bullshit up your ass. -
Romero made two good films.
The original Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead.
And while I give them praise, I wouldn't say either of them had 'great' drama.
Season 1 of Walking Dead was good, not great and yes it can improve, but the higher-ups at AMC are greedy fucks who tried to sink MY favourite show in Mad Men and have now taken steps to ensure that it will be harder for Walking Dead to improve.
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The creative team behind it did.
AMC wanted to fuck it into the ground (from what I've read and heard)... -
"Hey Frank, thanks for making TWD one of the highest rated Cable series ever. And now we will show you our appreciation by firing your ass"!
Fucking Dicks! -
apparently not...
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I thought the first season of The Walking Dead just wasn't very good. In fact, it bordered on being bad. Even the pilot. I found the choices Darabont made to be very odd.
I love how so many people just jump on the AMC guy because this article says to. He's got a job to do as well. Namely to keep budgets in line. AMC is obviously pursuing talented people and giving them a platform to create and air their series. Yet, AMC still needs to make a profit. Just having a series which gets some buzz doesn't mean it's raking in tons of money. It's all a balancing act, especially when you have a big name like Darabont who certainly is commanding a big fee.
Regarding the zombie sounds, it was probably one of many suggestions made for little moments. Cut back on a few makeup shots. Replace with music. It's not like they were going to never show a zombie again. But there are little things to trim a bit which could bring the show under budget and allow it to continue longer.
I honestly didn't find there to be much interesting in the first season of WD. I don't think there many great moments. And I don't mind them being more creative with how and when the zombies are seen. Anybody who knows the source material knows the story is about the characters (what great fiction isn't?). It should mainly focus on the humans and make them interesting. And then have zombies show up every so often. Easily do-able for tv budgets. -
Now if only he can return his Wife's Kidney.
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... it was still great looking, with a cinematic visual vocabulary. With a longer season, the writing can be improved.
With or without Darabont, the budget reduction will have an impact on the final product. Lame. -
I jumped on him because this is the second time AMC has fucked with something that was very successful for them. So in closing, FUCK AMC.
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the episode (3 or 4) opened with the two sisters fishing. What a boring fucking show this turned out to be. Never read the comics, but my friend Jeff told me they were much better, and that he only watched the show so he could compare the two.
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...you've got to think twice now. Stillerman just proved he thinks he is "Buddy Ackerman"...and it won't effect the shows in any way, shape or form. Ratings don't matter. You don't matter. The show doesn't matter. Buddy Ackerman matters. Stillerman just announced to the world that his network sucks if you are considering them. He just announced that AMC is no longer a player. They just put 'em out and burn 'em up. Slash and burn TV...if they get lucky with something being quality, that's just dumb luck and to Stillerman "ratings don't matter."
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This Stillerman guy is going to stunt the growth of your business enormously with these idiotic gambles concerning your most important properties. This signifies money lost for everyone in your camp.
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Aug 11, 2011 1:10:49 PM CDT
Thes how went into production on its second season in June.
by thegeorger
Huh? Does anyone even give these articles a once over before posting them? On topic: This show is now fucked. Thanks AMC. Next they fuck up Breaking Bad; and then I really lose it.
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Look, it's a tv show about ZOMBIES. You'd have to be completely incompetent to screw it up.
Underwhelming at times, yes...but terrible? Boring? Please save those adjectives for the shows that deserve them. -
Aug 11, 2011 1:37:28 PM CDT
For the record, season 1 was NOT awful. Just disappointing, given its pedigree.
by dahveed1972
Im still more than willing to give it a chance, but now im pessimistic vs optimistic. thanks AMC/wallstreet.
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but really, the only good thing about the rest of the show was it had zombies on TV. That is all that matters. A TV series with zombies.
What they needed was to channel Romero's work on Dawn of the Dead. He went to shit after that, but it was THE only really well directed and written zombie item. -
It was very slow and there wasn't much of a story arc. Now, I know it was to test out of the show would do well and all. So I have high hopes for this season. The effects and make up are awesome. So as long as they get a show runner who is a fan of zombies and good as a storyteller, the show will be fine. Hell, it might be better.
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Fucking Hollywood suits.
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Discovering Denis Leary while an executive at MTV.
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then I will continue to watch. Otherwise I'm probably done, Kirkman-written eps or not
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Aug 11, 2011 2:27:07 PM CDT
I suppose this is stating the obvious, but AMCs PR dept should be shot...
by weylandyutani
It seems to me that corporations (in all industries) are less and less willing to invest and more and more merely looking to save a quick buck. This is not to say that businesses have not always used their accountants to "shape" or "find" profits but I seem to read about companies trying to squeeze profits out of a product more as the norm.
To a degree this makes sense, I understand, in the case of AMC and their parent AMC Networks, that they have an annual operating budget that they need to stick to in order to satisfy shareholders etc. and I understand series like The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad and Mad Men are pricey. However, cheapening your products in such an adversarial and public manner seems to be counter to making long term profits.
Wouldn't AMC rather have MM, TWD or BB compete with HBOs dramatic series... win awards... have a relatively long run due to quality and a robust fan base... which brings in ad revenue and long term DVD/online sales? It seems to me that if you cut corners (especially in such a public way) you run the risk of losing fans and ratings and eventually ad revenue? Sure they may save a few million up front with their current tactics, but at the cost of potential millions and their reputation.
I would have expected more from the outfit that brought us three of the better dramatic series on TV.
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"Corporations are people too, my friend."
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Their prestige titles: Mad Men and Breaking Bad still pull in a fraction of the audience (and ad revenue), that a Jersey Shore or a goddam Disney or Nick kiddie flick brings in for basic cable. Where do people think production dollars come from?
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And they get some hammerhead from the Crash show to helm it?
Is KNB still involved?
What a g dam shame. At least Game of Thrones and Dexter are still charging along. God bless them everyone. -
bastards are going to fuck this show to hell
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Aug 11, 2011 2:52:36 PM CDT
i haven't seen Walking Dead so I won't comment on the show, BUT...
by ragingfluff
I'm surprised at the comment in the article that Darabont "takes a feature film approach to TV" and that he is a "pain in the ass". Everything I have ever heard about the man says that he is universally loved by cast, crew and studio alike and a genuine nice guy ... plus on 'The Mist' commentary he enthuses about how much fun he had directing an episode of 'The Shield', and how he relished working under a smaller budget and under a much tighter filming schedule than he was used to ... and how he took that with him to 'The Mist' shoot. Perhaps in executive-speak by 'pain in the ass' they simply mean 'artist'
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Aug 11, 2011 3:48:39 PM CDT
source says that AMC had its own ideas about how to make the show more cheaply...
by titus05
The show shoots for eight days per episode, and the network suggested that half should be indoors. "Four days inside and four days out?
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Aug 11, 2011 3:51:48 PM CDT
source says that AMC had its own ideas about how to make the show more cheaply...
by titus05
..."Couldn't the audience hear the zombies sometimes and not see them, to save on makeup"
..."The show shoots for eight days per episode, and the network suggested that half should be indoors. "Four days inside and four days out?"
terrible ideas...the head guys at AMC are idiots and have no idea what goes into making a successful show...AMC deserves to lose all their hit original shows and go back to showing 'classic' movies from the 80's such as Demolition Man and The Perfect Storm -
They decided to fuck up this show very early and succeeeded. People will realize it in a season or two just like they did with Heroes..it just takes awhile for it to sink in with those with brains that don't work that well.
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When you have directed one of the most universally beloved contemporary films of the past generation (The Shawshank Redemption... check IMDB's Top 250 at any given time for verification) then term "hype" no longer applies, at this point it would just be called "reputation." Specifically in these parts, where The Mist is quite the crowd favorite as well.
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At least three episodes were dreary crap. They were trying to do emotional death scenes but hadn't earned it; we barely knew these characters, and didn't yet care about them.
Plus why the fuck weren't they holed up on an island instead of camping wide out in the open? Stupid assholes. -
Fucking assholes who have no idea what they are doing
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the pilot and episode 4 I think it was (the one that ended with the sister getting bit) were really good. I hated the finale though. Talking computers and countdown clocks? It was like watching a different show.
And John From Cincinnatti was awesome. Like the guy above said, like LOST minus the bullshit -
Wow... just... wow. This was my favorite show on television last season, and not by a little. Whatever happens, I'm done with it. I won't be returning as a viewer for season 2. I'm going to spare myself that grief.
The show is fucked. -
Aug 11, 2011 5:26:51 PM CDT
Holy shit, that torso-less zombie from the first ep, was stunning and sad...
by billyeveryteen
I guess it cost a fuckton, 'cause well NEVER see it's like again...
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I expected more. There were some good parts, sure, but the acting was hammy and the writing was a little trite.
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Just emailed AMC to let them know that I am boycotting the show.
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ok,so they did a dishonest thing but that's how life is.those on higher places will always screw those on lower ones.
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The Walking Dead pilot was like a cross between Dark Tower and The Stand. It proved to me that Frank is the only man for the job regarding any Dark Tower adaptation, whether it be feature or HBO (yes, HBO) series. Make it so!
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over such a shitty, derivative television show. I could barely make it through the awful pilot, and i've heard the show only got worse over the course of the season. The writing is just dreadful. Awful plotting... even worse dialogue and character work. What a silly, silly show.
Yet there's this rather vocal geek minority who praise it solely because Darabont's name is attached to it, and also because it features ZOMBIES.
lol
Fuckin' nerds, man... Unobjective dorks with shitty taste, BITCHING for the sake of BITCHING. -
It was fucked from the get-go.
Goddamnit... this is the HEROES debacle all over again. Like when those retards cried about how shitty the show got in season TWO. As if season 1 wasn't a terribly written, poorly acted, horribly contrived piece of shit.
Sweet JEEBUS. -
Aug 11, 2011 6:34:09 PM CDT
I did like the pilot, and I liked the general theme that the zombies were to be repected and pitited as much as feared
by countryboy
Remember in GUTS when they killed the one zombie, then Rick went through his wallet and said his name, and showed the photo of his girlfriend?
But overall, as many are saying, the show just wasn't that great. Will darabont's departure matter that much, quality-wise? Or will it plummet even further without him? -
Sheesh.
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Aug 11, 2011 7:03:36 PM CDT
concur, better not become a "Heroes"-y downward spiral of shittiness...
by bunger!
... though, to be fair, Heroes was a little bit fucked from the beginning by an incoherent set of rules and the fact that it was bound by regular broadcast network content concerns.
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I have a feeling that they're going to feel some pain when the ratings half then dwindle to nothing.
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They need to introduce a giant spider into the show. This is the only way the show survive without Frank Darabont.
Giant spiders fix everything. -
That's what it boils down to, they dont want to shell out the extra cash tp produce quality work. but yet still want the same quality on a shoestring budget. the execs just dont fucking get it!
IT DOESNT WORK THAT WAY! -
All three can be laid at the feet of this Stillerman douche
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...a great deal of the show's success is due to Darabont's efforts, putting a nice fat paycheck in Kirkman's pocket. Of all people, he should be the one to publicly acknowledge, if not defend Darabont. But he (Kirkman) has said nothing.
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Their 10 mil a season for its tiny ratings is now making the idiots at AMC who caved in, to now take the money out of their 2 highest rated shows Breaking Bad and Walking Dead.
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Aug 11, 2011 11:03:40 PM CDT
Just when AMC was running neck and neck with HBO, they decided to channel their inner JEW and start penny pinching. Damn!
by victor_von_gloom
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I'm such a big dork that I sat through a five hour interview with Matthew Weiner that he did right as season four was about to air it's season finale. He went into great detail about how much he's had to fight for the show's production costs.
He said that AMC is essentially a family business and the family is very much stuck in their old ways and still not sure about handling television shows. They've only been doing this for four years now and they are still going to be making a ton of mistakes.
He said the first problems started when season one finished. They had finished ahead of schedule and under budget. The numbers for the show weren't incredible but they were 90% higher than what AMC usually pulled in at that time. The show would go on to win the Emmy for Best Dramatic Series. And the thanks they got for all this was that the second season had to have it's budget slashed and the episodes be shorter. The Walking Dead sn't the first time the network had the wrong idea about how you treat your shows.
I think the only reason Weiner has gotten by is strictly because he was the first at the network and got away with a lot based on them not knowing how shows were run. It's been a mixed blessing for him. I think the same is true of Vince Gilligan with Breaking Bad.
Weiner also had a great point about television ratings and how AMC can't be judged the way network television is. They air their show back to back on it's premiere night. They will also air it at least 8 times throughout the week. Tons of people DVR/Tivo and watch them later, which doesn't get taken into account at all. Also, the day after it airs, it's available on Itunes for everyone. He claims AMC has never let him see the Itunes numbers and believes it's "because they know they would have to pay me more." I also know a ton of people that adore the show that wait for DVD/BLU. And now every single episode is on Netflix to stream. Not to mention the number of people that illegally download the shows.
Basically the old style of TV ratings is mute in this case and using the Neilson numbers is not even close to an indicator of how many people actually watch the show.
AMC is young at this and hopefully learn their lesson. I agree with most everyone that the first season was interesting but far from perfect and needed a lot of improvement. I am very skeptical that this will happen. AMC also made an iffy decision with The Killing. I know it's a hit in the ratings, so I don't blame them, but based on the fan and critical backlash, they should have gotten a new show runner.
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it's not about ratings??
... then where's Season 2 of Rubicon??
you cut the budget of the show that got you the most desired demographic in the MILLIONS ... then fire the creative force behind it??
ummm ... when the bottom drops out and Mad Men is finally seen for the "wtf ... this really isn't as good as I thought!", AMC can return to being a non-factor in the cable world.
The dum-dum who made these decisions should be face-punched -
I mean who is gonna want to bring a show to them knowing they are gonna run it into the ground?
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there is a new economy in hollywood
blowback from the writers, sag and wga strikes was hollywood found out that they could make money (gobs of it) from "reality" tv...cuz people didnt care
so they changed the name to "unscripted" and gave less space to scripted tv
less work...its a buyers and assholes market
so the suits can and do do anything they want now
which leads you to a show called pan am, about the early 60s excitement of jet travel...where no one smokes and their were black stewardesses before 66
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Aug 12, 2011 2:32:52 AM CDT
You go girls!! Your crusade/boycott against AMC for cancelling a shitty show is absolutely...
by viggeo_morgenstein
adorable.
: )
Keep fighting the good fight guys!
You'll show them!!
*SHAKES FIST IN AIR EXCITEDLY* -
Aug 12, 2011 3:04:01 AM CDT
So that POS the killing gets praised to high heaven
by judge dredds dirty undies
and everyone now starts dissing the walking dead. It wasn't perfect, but season one was GOOD.
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"Walking Dead" is probably going to die a slow, gruesome death, unfortunately...
We'll see what happens with the 5th seasons of "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad". -
That's just Weiner chow! The show is like $50 mill/ season now, right...?
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Aug 12, 2011 4:34:47 AM CDT
Just give us a final season 5 of 'Breaking Bad' and I'll be happy
by tangcameo
Mad Men's going nowhere (and spawning some really crappy copycats). Walking Dead is just people trying not to die from zombies. The Killing you can watch in the original Euro version. Rubicon is gone.
Only Breaking Bad has a purpose, a goal and an endpoint. Give us one more season of that and AMC can become a 24/7 badly censored Clint Eastwood channel for all I care. -
cancel walking dead
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I consider myself very lucky to have seen Shawshank on it's original theatrical run. I am and will always be a fan of this Frank Darabonts work.
The 250,000 budget per episode sounds ridiculous tight. Three million, two hundred, and fifty thousand dollars for 13 episodes or 9.75 hours of media.
It sounds impossible to me, absolutely impossible.
I honestly don't know how to feel about this show anymore...
I was excited to read about Greg directing a series of Walking Dead webisodes. I loved his Monster United Talent Agency short.
Gale, Kirkman, and Greg are still involved with the show, and of course some of the actors on the show are long time friends/collaborators of Darabonts.
Hone of them are talking about it. Even Frank remains silent about it.
I love that this site is supporting Frank. The animated Shawshank icon is an awesome Tribute/Protest.
I wish Frank, Kirkman, Gale, Greg and some of the Actors could sort out a way to fix this.
Frank fights for quality. He spent 5 years trying to make this happen. Season 1's success was supposed to be a victory. It more than proved itself to be something that AMC should reward and fight for- To ensure that quality was not compromised.
AMC better believe that the Fans know who Frank Darabont is. Some of us gave the show a chance for no other reason than his involvement.
This is very sad news.
I am very busted up about it. If Frank wants the fans to stick around to support his friends- who are still tied in. Then I will, but if he says otherwise...
He's part of the family that made this show. It's pretty damn obvious that the suits don't care about the fans or the parents of the show when they do stuff like this.
We know the deal.
I am waiting on Franks comments. -
... is one puffed-up douchbag suit to alienate a guy like Darabont -- a massive talent, worth twenty of Stillerman on a bad day. Sounds like Stillerman's at least smart enough to get the right talent in the door... but what good is that when you kick them right back out after a hugely successful first season?
You can't just replace Darabont. Who else is making films like the Mist these days? He makes horror films we don't laugh at, films believable enough to scare the shit out of us, which is why he was perfect for Walking Dead.
Mr. Stillerman: Weiner won't talk to you, Gilligan's threatening to leave AMC, Dead is dead ... so all your successful shows have this kind of drama with the network and you think, what -- they can all just be replaced? That this kind of crap won't discourage other talent from working with AMC in the future? Good luck with that, genius. -
Aug 12, 2011 9:35:06 AM CDT
Seriously, considering the first season of the Walking Dead was a piece of shit, who cares?
by nabster
It's not like the show can get worse right? I mean it could.
But, if Darabonts presence gave us season 1, why the hell should anyone care if he is fired?
So he made a good, yet over-rated film in Shawshank, and another one in Mist. That doesn't exactly make him some genius or great TV creator. -
Aug 12, 2011 11:37:52 AM CDT
Sons of Anarchy's Kurt Sutter blasts AMC over Frank's firing
by scott_baiowulfgang_amadeus
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/walking-dead-frank-darabont-kurt-sutter-222649
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He was working on Fahrenheit 451 not long ago.
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Aug 12, 2011 12:14:06 PM CDT
The pilot was great, but not representative of the whole
by iwasinjuniorhighdickhead
the best decision made in the remaining five was to use 'Surface of the Sun' by John Murphy in one of the scenes (and they didn't even use that in the UK version). I'm pissed off at AMC, but things were obviously awry already. I mean, a director shooting unusable footage??
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The Powers That Be: grab Darabont now. AMC's awkward stupidity is your gain. Grab two A-list writers, three A-list tv directors, lock them all in a room, and formulate a pitch to HBO for a per-season structure for "The Dark Tower."
It could be something big and special with the right people. It doesn't get any more RIGHT than Darabont. -
To say it was horrible because it was not spot on to the source material makes you a moron. Who gives a f'in s*it! The show was brilliant regardless!
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Has this troll always been a douchebag? I don't post often enough to matter.
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This news doesn't bode well, but I really liked the comic con trailer..
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is an...
... inflamed rectal-boil that needs lancing. -
sutter blasted weiner and madmen more than amc
the suits have the talent exactly where they want them....now they are attacking each other
what i believe we are seeing happening in hollywood, is what happened in the mlb...collusion
the studios are colluding to eff the talent...forcing them to get on hands and knees
and thanks to this economy...the suits are gonna win
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Was the lenscap left on?
Was it due to Georgia's extreme summer heat and humidity?
A bunch of cussing?
Over-the-top nudity?
Too many brains being eaten? -
sent him a couple of tweets asking why he bashed weiner and mm...and the dude blocked me
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What's so hard about that?
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This is just like FOX network and Firefly. Take something that's gathering critical and viewer success, and fucking kill it seemingly out of spite. Darabont may indeed rub many the wrong way, but he's good at what he does...And was a big part of the success of the show. Fuck these assholes.
If you ask me, the REAL zombies are these Execs in original programming at AMC. I'd love nothing better than to break a fucking axe off in their heads or beat their grey, soulless bodies to a pulp with a Louisville Slugger while they wander around in an aimless lope, groaning....
Seriously, it's shit like this and the hijinks of the current residents of Congress and the White House that have really, really made me lose faith in humanity, and a benevolent God...Chaos and pea-brained shitheads rule the universe, IMHO.... -
Read this online a few days ago, just crazy....
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As many others have noted, this is a match made in television heaven.
All the pieces are aligned.
The time is right.
Let it happen. -
Then maybe you should have complained when Darabont fired the whole goddamn writing staff.
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I actually thought that latino scene was what made Walking dead a bit special, yes it was a stereo type, any other show would have just left it at that, but the fact those boys were actually protecting and caring for those old folk showed that even in a time of absolute horror, they were willing to do something selfless and away from the bravado they were still boys who could be scolded by their elders. Shame really, hope it doesn't tank.
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...Glen Mazzara was also one of the creators on "The Shield".
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Aug 14, 2011 5:58:46 PM CDT
If AMC had any type of sense - they would get Darabont back.
by suntzu77
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"Walking Dead" earns sky-high ratings and AMC's brass want to cut the show's second-season budget?
This makes no sense, business-wise, at all.
I'm seriously questioning AMC's commitment to quality. Why would you CUT your breakout show's budget AND fire its creative director? Bad blood must've been brewing behind the scenes. I'm sure we'll hear more soon. -
http://tinyurl.com/3bj9fjy
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http://www.change.org/petitions/dont-kill-the-zombies
If you would like to petition AMC's firing of Frank Darabont visit the link and sign it -
http://www.change.org/petitions/dont-kill-the-zombies
If you woild like to petition AMC's firing of Frank Darabont visit the link and sign it -
Walking dead is not the great work so many people are claiming it to be. The usual clown chorus of idiots defend this show just because they're at a deficit of geek/nerd entertainment.
I'm not saying Stillerman is right, it sounds like he's a stupid fucking asshole, actually. One of those people who thinks that just because he's Jewish, he can run a fucking network.
But Walking Dead needs some help. I don't think they're doing the right things to help it, but I don't think Darabont was necessarily as great an asset as so many are saying.
So fuck off. -
thanks for the bigoted comment
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but now that he is free...he needs to be the director attached to the stand...not that hack from harry potter
what everyone seems to miss about the stand...what made it brillaint literature and horror..was king got the reader to care about the characters...something that the mini totally effed up
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Fuck you asshole. I'm Jewish. Nothing bigoted about what I said. Oversensitive stupid motherfuckers like yourself, who are looking to be offended must love this site.
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So AMC was cheap with their budget and unwilling to work under Frank Darabont's direction/advice, and they forced him off the show. This is turn led to Jon Bernthal's departure. Although Bernthal later claimed it was in the works anyway, that is bull and you know it, these shows are rewritten constantly and he would have stayed with his friend Darabont had AMC not forced the latter to leave. So by taking a hard line on money, AMC has killed the one character that held the whole show together, that gave the others a reason for being. Who is goody-two-shoes Rick without Bernthal? Who will fill that depth of character lost, the Asian delivery boy, the farmer's daughter, t-dog? The show is utterly devoid of depth and darkness without Bernthal. It is flat and masturbatory, like so many other cheap zombie movies that you can barely sit through and usually don't. Before AMC killed Bernthal to save a buck, they had the best zombie cinema ever created. They now have something I cannot even watch. I fast forwarded much of the finale. Caught the end, when Rick was trying to act dark, trying to become both a Rick and a Bernthal. Nice try Rick, but that act was pathetic. At this stage I would accept a time machine to bring back Bernthal. But it won't happen. Please just let it be cancelled sooner rather than later now, to avoid the fate of so many other amazing shows that tried to save a penny and became piles of shit, e.g., Melrose Place for those of you who are old enough to remember what happened to that amazing turned POS show. Way to go AMC, hope those few pennies and that power trip of your producer were worth the millions of pounds you will now lose. Walking Dead, I'm sorry brother, Rest in Peace.
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