Image Credit: AMC
Has The Walking Dead gone brain dead? Fans and critics are sweating the possibility now that Frank Darabont will no longer serve as showrunner of AMC’s hit adaptation of the Robert Kirkman zombie comic. Veteran TV scribe Glen Mazarra (Crash) will succeed Darabont as the drama’s major domo. Theories abound for Darabont’s abrupt departure, from frustration with the exhausting grind of making TV to budget concerns. Regardless, the news has made Walking Dead fandom rather uneasy. One entertainment blogger and fan – in an addendum to a recently posted essay ruminating on the drama’s long-term viability — said: “I think this adds some murkiness to the future and the direction of the show.” Wrote critic Alan Sepinwall of HitFix.com: “I’m a big believer in creative continuity on shows — though at least Robert Kirkman, who writes The Walking Dead comic, is still on staff — and at first glance this certainly doesn’t seem like great news for season 2. But there are too many unknown variables here to say for sure.”
What seems certain is that The Walking Dead, just days after a triumphant appearance at Comic-Con, has suddenly acquired a PR problem that will frame the experience of watching (and critiquing) the series when it returns on Oct. 15. Even if Darabont has walked away from with the second season already mapped out and most of the episodes plotted (it’s believed the writing staff have been at work since the spring), his absence could impact the way the show is perceived. The Oscar-nominated director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile brought with him an aura of prestige that helped position The Walking Dead as something more sophisticated and broadly appealing than just a creepshow for horror geeks and comic book fanboys. I, for one, bought into the sell that Darabont’s involvement made the show a Must Watch. I attribute the quality of the first set of episodes to him, and I was looking forward to seeing a full season of Frank. Knowing that Darabont won’t be there quality-controlling every episode of the forthcoming season will definitely impact the way I watch the show. I also wonder about — and worry about — the actors when things like this happen. Do they lose confidence and enthusiasm when they lose the storytelling talent that drew them to a show? Will their disappointment get in the way of doing their jobs? I also feel the grand project that is The Walking Dead has been put at risk. Like Sepinwall, I like creative continuity over time. I like the idea — the lie, perhaps — of a TV series as an expression of a singular authorial vision. Regime change shakes my faith and reminds me that TV is artfully constructed product, not art.
Still, there are many reasons to remain optimistic. The risk I speak of can be managed, perhaps easily. I don’t think the tone and style that Darabont developed for the series is beyond replication by other writers and directors. And unlike Matthew Weiner’s Mad Men or Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad, the vision for The Walking Dead isn’t locked up inside Darabont’s head. It’s actually on paper, in Kirkman’s comics, a deep and rich treasure trove of ideas, characters, and stories that the TV series has barely begun to exploit. There’s also hope that Darabont may continue to work on future seasons of the show in some meaningful capacity, perhaps as a creative consultant and/or director of the occasional episode — assuming, of course, that The Walking Dead can survive the season to come.
Bottom line: I will be watching. But what about you, fellow Walking Deadheads? Are you worried for the future of the show?
Read more:
Glen Mazzara named new showrunner for ‘The Walking Dead’
‘The Walking Dead’ showrunner Frank Darabont stepping down
‘The Walking Dead’ season 2 trailer
These questions are so stupid because many people dont know nor care who Frank Daramont is. Just tell a good story and all will be fine…
You’re right that a lot of people have no idea who Darabont is, but you also must know that Jensen has a good point when he says that Darabont/AMC’s involvement instantly elevated this project in the eyes of a lot of viewers (myself included) beyond some zombie show that could’ve aired on SyFy or something.
Exactly, krayzeman. I wasn’t watching this show for Frank Darabont and I will continue to watch now that he’s gone.
Considering that Darabont directed the only good episode of Season 1 (the first), yeah, I’d say it’s a big deal.
Considering that he was strongly rumored to be firing the hacks that made 2-6 90% trite and lame (sister death notwithstanding),
yeah, I’d say it’s a big deal.
Even though I know who Darabont is, and respect his work; I decided to watch Walking Dead because of Kirkman’s deep involvement. Kirkman’s involvement makes Walking Dead the show that is in a way similar to Martin’s deep involvement with HBO’s Game of Thrones.
I just reread what I typed and apologize to the English language.
RIGHT ON!
When I heard Darabont was attached to this, it didn’t really matter to me.There’s zombies on television, that’s what mattered to me. I will continue watching.
While Darabont leaivng is certainly not good news, I don’t think you’re going to find too many people (outside the Darabont family maybe) who are going to stop watching just because he isn’t directly involved.
I DO think that if the show suffers any sort of sophomore slump (which isn’t all that hard to imagine) writers/critics will trip over themselves to fairly or unfairly attribute that to Darabont’s departure. For a highly-anticipated show that will have been off the air for almost a year, I think they could’ve done without that added pressure.
Mr. Holloway, I absolutely agree. Well said. I don’t watch a show only because of the actor, producer, or show runner. If the story interests me I will watch it. Many show runners have left after the first season and those shows have gone on fine without them.
I hope there is NOT a season 2 slump. I just want to watch an entertaining show that I don’t have to over analyze or worry about.
I’ll give it another shot. I was very nervous when they fired all of the writers and now I don’t hold much hope for the show at all. But I will give it a chance.
Other than creator Robert Kirkman Frank himself, the writing staff only consisted of two other people. So only two people were fired.
*and Frank
Yes. I will still watch it. I had no idea who Frank Darabont was until the other day. Im pretty sure the show will do fine without especially with Kirkman still on board it will be just as good. Lots of shows have lost their main writer or story creator and have done just as well. Can’t wait for October 15
“Lots of shows have lost their main writer or story creator and have done just as well.”
I swear to you that I’m not being a smart a$$…but name 3.
I’m honestly curious.
Soooo, you really don’t sweat it when the guy who directed The Shawshank Redemption and the far and away best episode of Season 1 leaves the show?
Well, at least you’re an optimist.
Stupid question. Of course I’ll still watch given the show is still entertaining. If I don’t like the new episodes, then I’ll decide whether or not I will continue to watch.
I’m not TOO worried. This isn’t a show like Heroes that requires a lot of intricate plotting, and went off track when the showrunner left. As long as they continue focusing on the characters, and continue using the comics as a guide, things should be okay.
Heroes never lost its showrunner. It’s sanity? Sure, but Tim Kring was around for the entire run of the show…
Great show. I will continue to watch.
It’s far too early to say whether this will make any difference. I mean, this isn’t like Amy Sherman-Palladino leaving Gilmore Girls after six years, or Aaron Sorkin leaving West Wing after five or six. Darabont’s voice was never all that clear in the first six episodes. I don’t think I could have said “Oh this is a Frank Darabont show!” If anything, Kirkman’s pervious works shone through most of all. I dunno. One has to wonder how much of season 2 was written before Darabont left. If most of it was finished, I suspect season 2 won’t see much change, save for some different decisions being made in production and in post….
lol. pervious. that’s all.
I think having Frank Darabont there in Season 1 was helpful in establishing a tone and getting the show off the ground, but I loved the source material and would have watched it regardless. I can understand the grind of producing hours of television would be difficult for a director/producer unused to doing so every week, so I’m hoping that passing the torch to someone with previous television experience will only be a good thing. I’m sure Darabont’s influence will still be felt.
The creative inspiration for the series, the original comic books/graphic novels written by Robert Kirkman, are still there. Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and other producers are still involved in the series. And I’m certain that most of the season’s story arcs have all been worked out and decided upon.
It’s also my understanding (can’t remember where I read it and no idea if it’s true) that they already have six episodes in the can.
So, overall, I’m not too worried.
But without knowing all the behind-the-scenes info, not knowing how involved Darabont was in the first season, none of us have any idea how much his absence will affect the second season. All we can do is guess.
But I will be watching. No worries there. The comic is the only series I buy religiously, and the first six episodes were beyond awesome.
It was the story from the comic book that makes the show different from most zombie movies. Frank Darabont has left but the same writers and directors and producers are still there that put together last season’s show. I expect it may be better now and perhaps more in line with the very popular comic book.
By the way they never fired all the writers last year. That was a Frank Darabont stunt. There was like one writer that left because he was at odds with Frank.
Absolutely!
I’m hopeful that Season 2 will be just as good. When F.D. and the other writers left, enough of their influence would be there to keep the quality going. As long as Robert K. is involved and expereienced TV producers are there, it should be a real fan-pleaser! LONG LIVE ZOMBIE’S!!
Woow. You think the show will still be as good once the budget, direction, director, scenery, and zombies are cut? That was the point of Darabont. He fought to keep it gritty dark and all the stuff we love and got canned for it. Btw for people that still dont know, the first episode was written and directed by him, and directed all 6 so I don’t know why more people are pissed. AMC just lost a lot of viewers from this move ones that know what’s going on and the series will ultimately die.