The Walking Dead Writers Fired!

The Walking Dead Writers Fired!

According to Deadline, The Walking Dead Director/Executive Producer Frank Darabont has fired the writers of the fan favored First Season!

News
By selinakyle - Nov 30, 2010 08:11 PM EST
Filed Under: The Walking Dead
Source: Deadline.com

The Walking Dead, AMC's Comic Book based acclaimed series is about to lose some writing talent courtesy of Frank Darabont.



Deadline reports that "Frank Darabont has let go of the writers on the hot freshman AMC series, which has already renewed for a second season. That includes Darabont's No. 2, writing executive producer Charles “Chic” Eglee. Writer turnover on series between seasons is commonplace but wholesale overhauls are unusual. "

Darabont directed the Pilot episode of the First Season while one of the episodes was written by Robert Kirkman, the writer of the Original Comic Book on which the Show is based. The First season was a total of 6 episodes but the Second season will reportedly have 13 episodes. What exactly does he plan on doing?

"Darabont is looking to forgo having a writing staff for the second season of Walking Dead altogether and assign scripts to freelancers. The freelance model is employed by the Starz/BBC series Tourchwood, which in turn borrowed it from the U.K. where the show originated. Having BBC as producer has allowed Torchwood to proceed with no writing staff but I hear such a plan on an U.S.-based network series such as Walking Dead may face issues with the Writers Guild. And, while the first season of Walking Dead was only 6 episodes, its second-season order is for 13, which may prove harder to manage in pre-production, production and post-production with no writing staff.

AMC hasn't given the go-ahead to use free lance writers only. I have a bad feeling about this. According to fans of the Comic Book itself, the show has deviated from the source material. What will this mean for the Second season?

Missed any of the episodes? AMC is having a Season 1 Marathon on Sunday, December 5 starting at 4:30/3:30c to be followed by the Season 1 Finale episode at 10/9c.
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WireySpindell
WireySpindell - 11/30/2010, 8:23 PM
NOOOOT COOOOOOOL

Episodes 3-5 have been the best so far, Frank

KEEP 'EM!

and, First
MintBerryCrunch
MintBerryCrunch - 11/30/2010, 8:24 PM
Darabont and Kirkman should be the sole writers, in my opinion. Episode 5's ending was Lost-like bullshit. I hope this CDC storyline doesn't last for long.
tazmaniak
tazmaniak - 11/30/2010, 8:25 PM
I think it's good that the show is deviating from the source material.I certainly don't want to watch several seasons of the same material I've read for the last 7 years.

Did anyone else notice that even though the episode was still good, the one written by Kirkman last week, was the weakest of the series?
mk
mk - 11/30/2010, 8:30 PM
@taz true.. i found it weak kinda had not much interest on it
ironknight
ironknight - 11/30/2010, 8:34 PM
Is this a reliable site, cuz this doesn't make any sense.
selinakyle
selinakyle - 11/30/2010, 8:35 PM
@ckal...its not like he had no control whatsoever on the written episodes. He is the director after all. I really dont like this at all.
selinakyle
selinakyle - 11/30/2010, 8:44 PM
@ironknight http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=frank+darabont+walking+dead+writers
selinakyle
selinakyle - 11/30/2010, 8:50 PM
Still no way he is gonna say he had no idea what was going on with the episodes.
CapFanLex005
CapFanLex005 - 11/30/2010, 8:54 PM
I love the Show Eps 1 was by far the best. As long as they dont kill the soul of the show im happy.
preacher
preacher - 11/30/2010, 8:55 PM
Why is it that no one can understand this? Everyone BITCHES about comic book movies deviating from the source material all of the time! Purists can't stand it! Hell, Harry Potter fans can't STAND it if the film makers deviate even the slightest bit from the source. Why is it that no one really seems to have a problem with the fact that this IS NOT "The Walking Dead"? I for one was looking forward to seeing the characters that I've invested so much time in, characters that I really cared about and the situations they were facing, on the small screen. Changes can be made, yes, but DRASTIC ones? Completely new plot lines? Completely new characters? If you have to change it, why not add to the character's backstories? Why change what was great about the comic in the first place? If it ain't broke...
The first season hasn't even given us much of a chance to care about the characters because they've added too many new characters! The first two episodes were great because they followed the comic, albeit some small changes. I don't know WHAT the hell has happened since then.
selinakyle
selinakyle - 11/30/2010, 8:56 PM
because of this part of your comment I wonder why Darabont fired them all. Maybe it is because they started deviating from the comic books so much recently.
Reasonnnn
Reasonnnn - 11/30/2010, 9:06 PM
It's common for TV shows to fire some writers in between seasons, but firing all the writers is a bit unusual. They're trying to do freelance writing which is done with some TV series and has not suffered setbacks in ratings and quality.
supert
supert - 11/30/2010, 9:09 PM
It has nothing to do with them deviating from the original comic book.

Another article went into further detail about why the writers were let go. Robert Kirkman & Frank Darabont both wrote three of the episodes this season while a freelance writer who wasn't apart of the original writing staff wrote a fourth episode.

That means the the original writing staff only wrote TWO episodes this season, and the article mentioned that those two scripts went under further review and revision by Darabont himself.

So basically, what's the point in having a writing staff if you end up doing most of the work yourself or hiring a freelancer to do it in the first place. Sacking the writing staff saves money as well.

Not such a big deal once you know all the details.
selinakyle
selinakyle - 11/30/2010, 9:18 PM
Keep in mind the next season is going to be 13 episodes not 6. Lets see how this goes.

And i have to agree...the 5th? episode was my least favorite of the entire season.
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 11/30/2010, 9:23 PM
ITS ALOT OF WORK, WHY FIRE MORE HELP?
skidz
skidz - 11/30/2010, 10:26 PM
I think this could be as bad as what the writers strike did to HEROES before it was canceled.
ShadowkinG
ShadowkinG - 11/30/2010, 10:37 PM
SAVE EM ALL
LET GOD SCREW EM UP
TheNameIsBetty
TheNameIsBetty - 11/30/2010, 10:43 PM
@WireySpindell NO FIRSTING!!!!
Galactus, kindly delete the post. :-/

But wow for real that's weird. Totally awkward too.

@ralphmouth-- *You sir need to be slapped*. Just a spelling correction ;) I laughed out loud when I read your post
OTWarrior
OTWarrior - 12/1/2010, 12:09 AM
I stop watching after the 4th episode. The first episode was good, but I started to lose interest after episode 2. It did seem like they wrote the main character as the hero (perfect family man, leader), whilst everyone else was corrupt (racist, cheating, betrayal). Felt like it could become predictable very quickly.
Blight
Blight - 12/1/2010, 12:22 AM
it's like when heroes tried to keep goin during the writers strike...and then fired Jeph Loeb -__-
crusader686
crusader686 - 12/1/2010, 12:54 AM
this is...... a good thing, feel like they missed alot, like every other episode, solid show but i might drop off next season if they dont do something different, and kill shane, shane's annoying
croniccris
croniccris - 12/1/2010, 12:56 AM
man...i hope it doesn't hurt the show i love the walking dead...:(

otherwise GREAT JOB MSK!!
Growler
Growler - 12/1/2010, 1:40 AM
The first season's not yet over and the backlash has already started?!?
If Darabont, in his role as Executive Producer, thinks changing the writing staff will be for the betterment of the show, so be it. He's taken the whole concept under his wing and if the show fails, it'll be his reputation that suffers, no one else's.

So the show deviates from the sourc material. So what? I watch two TV shows that originate from literary sources, deviate wildly from those sources, yet still keep the essence of the source material at the heart of the shows AND THEY'RE EXCELLENT!! These are Dexter and True Blood. The books are great and the TV shows are too but they are completely different animals, each tailored to the medium in which they are presented.

Yes, I know comics are cinematic in their way but there's also the fact that a television drama depends on the timing of certain dramatic beats to keep the show interesting for the viewer, and this invariably means that certain aspects of the original source material have to be altered.

This show both respects the comic and adds to it by giving, if you like, an alternate universe view to the proceedings.

PLease enjoy this for the high quality show that it is and be thankful that Frank Darabont had the balls to make this show happen.

Gunslinger
Gunslinger - 12/1/2010, 2:15 AM
Idiots. Decisions like this always fall on the lap of idiots.
thedon786
thedon786 - 12/1/2010, 2:46 AM
this is some BULLSHIT man
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 12/1/2010, 4:19 AM
WTF... FIRE THE SMALLVILLE WRITERS!!!!!!!!!!

WTF!!!
marckos
marckos - 12/1/2010, 5:10 AM
this smell like Heroes
the best in fist and second seasons
but a shit in third ....

i hope was wrong.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 12/1/2010, 5:29 AM
@ ralphmouth

you were right the first. The GOVERNOR cut off Rick's hand, not the MAYOR. lol

anyway, sure, it deviates from the source material and purists are going shit a brick. isn't that par for the course? Purists will ALWAYS find something to complain about, and they'll never be happy.

Bottom line is, yes, there have been stories and episodes that don't follow the comics, but honestly, they haven't left out anything important either. or would you guys rather have 2 ful episodes of everyone sitting around the camp and doing nothing? come on, episode 1 was just like the comic, the zombie attack that killed Andrea's sister still happened, Shane screwing Rick's wife is still there, as well as, i'm assuming the fallout from that. (no to give any spoilers.) All the extra stuff is to keep you on your toes.

again, NOTHING IMPORTANT HAS BEEN LEFT OUT.
marvel72
marvel72 - 12/1/2010, 5:38 AM
not good,a lot of shows fail because of writers being fired.

hire the "zombieland" writers.
brapster
brapster - 12/1/2010, 5:42 AM
think about it, there is already a story line to follow anyway, so the new writers just need to use a bit of artistic "flair" and it should be fine. Have quoted this story on the site: http://www.walkingdeadchat.com I hope this story is legit! :)

IT WILL BE FINE, season 2 will rock!
Warmaster
Warmaster - 12/1/2010, 5:50 AM
Really hope they [frick] this show up
spawn00x
spawn00x - 12/1/2010, 5:56 AM
The best show on television, following the comic almost to a T, and they get rid of the writers. What a dumbass...
BetaRayB
BetaRayB - 12/1/2010, 6:11 AM
Great idea bogged down by terrible, totally unconvincing acting, and the characters themselves seem so damn stupid! I have never yelled at the TV more in my life than watching this show. And it's not edge of your seat stuff, it's plain stupid, not following the rules of the world they created stuff. Like not assuming every dead body they see could be a zombie, not being nearly as scared as they should be, etc. They are all way too cavalier to be existing in a world where the dead walk the Earth eating people. Stuff like that. Just poorly executed and not nearly as intelligent as it ought to be. It would have been WAY better on HBO. The zombies themselves are absolutely amazing, though. But I can't stand that main character. I feel nothing and couldn't care less if he died. This show needed more than just Siege and Attack, it needed Quest. He found his family in the 2nd episode, for crying out loud! BRUTAL!
LucasMend
LucasMend - 12/1/2010, 6:16 AM
What the [frick].
I smell Season 2 failure.
blueorangeny
blueorangeny - 12/1/2010, 6:24 AM
@ LEEE777 - You truly have something for Smallville lol, jeez get off their nuts lol it's 10 seasons it's done this season. You won't have to worry any longer.
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