The Walking Dead Forum

Ok, don't panic, but here's a headline grabber. Frank Darabont, creator, executive producer, writer, director, and showrunner of AMC's hit new series The Walking Dead has decided to lay off the show's entire writing staff. With the exception of him and the comic's creator, Robert Kirkman, everybody else is out. Amongst the writing dead is Darabont's sidekick co-executive producer/writer Chic Eglee. 
 
So here's the thing, though. Of the 6 episodes in this first season, Darabont wrote 2 himself ( Days Gone By and Guts), and non-staff writers Kirkman ( Vatos) and Glen Mazzara ( Wildfire) each wrote one. Darabont is said to have co-written and rewritten all of the episodes, so he's had a strong hand in everything the show has done so far. 
 
The plan for Season 2 is to employ freelance writers for the episodes. While it sounds rather drastic, this seems to me like a quality control issue. Darabont, writer/director of such films as The Shawshank Redemption, has clearly shown in his work that he's a man of high standards. He's also a man from the feature side of the business, so having to work with a staff of writers is likely not his style. 
 
My take on this is that it's a good thing for the series overall. It'll likely mean he writes more episodes himself, and will have a much stronger voice in the ongoing story. Were it not Darabont behind the wheel, or someone with an equally impressive track record, I'd be worried about the future of my favorite new series, but I'm pretty comfortable with this. 
 
In related news, it looks like those who are waiting for the DVD/Blu-Ray release to see the show, it's being planned for a Spring 2011 release. AMC has wisely decided not to wait for the run-up to Season 2 for its release, as that's almost a full year away.

So what do you all think of this? Detriment to the series? Saving grace? Not a big deal either way?

Biggest problem with the series so far is the characterisation. It can only get better with new writers. Of course it wasn't helped at all by the slow, interminably pacing of the show so far.  The comic had it's downtime/slow moments but it always picked up quickly afterward, using those emotional beats as a basis for the action that propels the story forward.
 
Hopefully, since he fired the writers, Darabont has acknowledged that the show needs to be better. And that can only be good for the viewers (Unless he brings in Chip Johannessen and Manny Coto to ruin it like they ruined Dexter).

Haven't been watching, but it sounds like he's just getting rid of dead weight NO PUN INTENDED.

At first I freaked out, but after reading this article, I think I'm cool with it too.

I think it's a bummer for the writers who thought they were part of a popular new show and now they are booted for not being good enough.  They must have some feelings toward this guy after this.  Anyway, as long as the show is good I am happy.
 
@Martin_Blank: How was Dexter ruined for you?   

The quality of the first episode was extraordinary for a TV show. Since then, the episodes have gotten progressively less consistent... The CDC stuff in "Wildfire" really could have used more time in the writers room, so if this move gives Frank more control then I'm all for it.

More control to mr Darabont would only make this series better, the writing has been one of the drawbacks and seeing as I find some actors on the show really sub-par the actors really need better scripts to work with or else they will continue to perform sub-par and ruin the show.

Sounds like a step in the right direction. Psyched for the dvd release!

@JoelTGM said:

@Martin_Blank: How was Dexter ruined for you?    "

Mostly in the quality of the writing. Season 4 was pretty hit and miss for me, John Lithgow's presence helped a lot. But this season is just flat-out awful. It's like the writers have no grasp of who the characters are, which leads to unnatural and forced dialogue. 
 
Debra: I don't want to be alone tonight.
Quinn: I'm no good for you.
Debrea: I'm not looking for good right now.
 
That kind of tripe wouldn't be out of place on The Bold and the Beautiful. And If I thought Batista and LaGuerta's "relationship" was bad last season, this season has plumbed unimagineable new depths of shit.  

And the scenes are so poorly contrived it's like I'm watching an episode of C.S.I.. For example. some hooker hears gunshots and homicide are immediately called, just so we can have Deb and Masuka on the scene to create some fake tension as Dexter runs around trying to clean up. Most of the tension and drama on the show is now derived from cheap gimmicks or ridiculous situations.

@Martin_Blank: 
I can agree with a lot of that.  This is the first season i find myself fast-forwarding nearly every scene that has Deb & Quinn alone in it.  I'm thankful for Peter Weller though, he seems poorly written and acted but it's what makes his character so interesting.

Films of such high quality as The Majestic and The Mist, his most recent works by the way....I don't know, Mr. Darabont has never been especially reliable in regards to quality. He has two good movies, one of which people love far to much (Shawshank), so not sure granting him more creative control is a big plus. I've enjoyed what I've seen of the show thus far, hope this doesn't mess that up for season 2.

I canceled my season pass after this week's episode. The writing in the comic book was shockingly bad (though I don't really read comics, so maybe that's par for the course?), and it's a shame the TV show couldn't fare much better. 
 
While Shawshank is and always will be awesome, he's also responsible for The Mist, a movie that was so maddening to watch, by the time the way-way-way-way-way too melodramatic ending rolled around, I burst out laughing at the absurdity of it. 
 
So yeah, a little inconsistent.

I imagine there also wasn't much reason to keep a writing staff employed for a lengthy break when they wouldn't be doing anything. But who knows.

This seems like the only way the show can be qualitatively salvaged for season two. I miss Rubicon so much right now, even when that show was bad, it was better than this.

Pope, you have eased my fears, sir.

@Martin_Blank said:

" @JoelTGM said:

@Martin_Blank: How was Dexter ruined for you?    "

Mostly in the quality of the writing. Season 4 was pretty hit and miss for me, John Lithgow's presence helped a lot. But this season is just flat-out awful. It's like the writers have no grasp of who the characters are, which leads to unnatural and forced dialogue. 
 
Debra: I don't want to be alone tonight.
Quinn: I'm no good for you.
Debrea: I'm not looking for good right now.
 
That kind of tripe wouldn't be out of place on The Bold and the Beautiful. And If I thought Batista and LaGuerta's "relationship" was bad last season, this season has plumbed unimagineable new depths of shit.   And the scenes are so poorly contrived it's like I'm watching an episode of C.S.I.. For example. some hooker hears gunshots and homicide are immediately called, just so we can have Deb and Masuka on the scene to create some fake tension as Dexter runs around trying to clean up. Most of the tension and drama on the show is now derived from cheap gimmicks or ridiculous situations. "

Oh, yeah.  I've learned to ignore that stuff.  That crap really feels like TV show filler, and it's awful, but I think the rest of the story and the main characters who are actually involved in the plot are good.  I like the Dexter character enough that I want to see what happens.  I dunno, even though it has moments where I'm rolling my eyes and waiting for the crap to hurry up and get off my screen, it's still a very enjoyable show for me.  The mexican characters, like the lady who is in charge and the guy with the hat, are useless and I have no idea why they need so much screen time.  They need to keep those characters to the side, instead of trying to shoe horn them into the plot somehow... they're not even in the plot really, it's like they always have their own little soap opera going on that I'm supposed to care about.  So I see what you're saying... I don't remember filler like that in the earlier seasons.

I like this. I trust Darabont and, truthfully, the quality of the writing hasn't been all that great so far (aside from the first and second episodes). 
I'll still watch, but, now, with a greater degree of hope.

I panicked a bit when I read the title, but hopefully this will be a good thing. 

@tsigo said:

" I canceled my season pass after this week's episode. The writing in the comic book was shockingly bad (though I don't really read comics, so maybe that's par for the course?), and it's a shame the TV show couldn't fare much better.  While Shawshank is and always will be awesome, he's also responsible for The Mist, a movie that was so maddening to watch, by the time the way-way-way-way-way too melodramatic ending rolled around, I burst out laughing at the absurdity of it.  So yeah, a little inconsistent. "

I almost agreed with you completely... then you came in with that shit about the Mist. 
The Mist was fucking great.

I have almost complete faith in Darabont. 
He seems to be a pretty competent dude.  If he thought it was a good idea to let them all go there must be a good reason for it.