'Red Widow' Gets The Axe
'Grey's' Isn't Going Anywhere
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frank darabont
'The Walking Dead' Season 2, Episode 7 Recap
by Mike Ryan, posted Nov 27th 2011 10:05PM
['The Walking Dead' - 'Pretty Much Dead Already']Hey, zombies are human, too! Well, I guess not, as Shane so eloquently demonstrates with a couple of well placed rounds through the heart. Honestly, why does the voice of reason on this show have to be such an asshole? Yes, Shane has become the voice of reason. And not just because he was 100 percent right about the walkers in the barn being dangerous – I mean, look at the risk Rick and Hershel took while trying to "guide" those two walkers into the barn. But, without Shane, we'd still be watching a show about a group looking for a lost girl in the woods. It took seven episodes to find her. They did find her. At least that's over.
AMC Comments on 'The Walking Dead' Shakeup (Updated)
by Jean Bentley, posted Jul 28th 2011 11:35AM
After yesterday's news that 'The Walking Dead' showrunner Frank Darabont had left the hit AMC show and Glen Mazzara would take his place, the network has finally opened up about the shakeup.AMC released a statement Thursday commenting on the news (UPDATE: see comment from AMC vice president of original programming Joel Stillerman below):
"'The Walking Dead''s Glen Mazzara, writer and executive producer, is expanding his responsibilities to assume the role of showrunner. AMC is grateful to executive producer, writer and pilot director Frank Darabont whose contributions to the success of 'The Walking Dead' are innumerable.
Glen Mazzara Named New 'The Walking Dead' Showrunner
by Chris Harnick, posted Jul 27th 2011 4:45PM
According to Entertainment Weekly, Glen Mazzara has been named the new showrunner of 'The Walking Dead,' replacing Frank Darabont.Darabont, known for his feature film work, served as director, executive producer and showrunner during the first season of the hit AMC series. News recently broke that Darabont left his post as showrunner and there's no word on what role -- if any -- he will have with the show.
Mazzara, whose credits include 'The Shield' and 'Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior,' was hired as executive producer for Season 2.
Frank Darabont Quits as 'The Walking Dead' Showrunner
by Catherine Lawson, posted Jul 27th 2011 5:00AM
Now here's something totally out of leftfield. Frank Darabont has stepped down as showrunner of 'The Walking Dead.'Deadline.com reports sources as saying that Darabont, a feature film helmer and multi-Oscar nominee before moving to the small screen, was unaccustomed to the fast pace of TV production, and "never quite adjusted to the daily grind of producing a TV series."
Production recently got underway on Season 2, which is due to premiere on AMC in October. There's been no word yet on whether Darabont, who is also an exec producer on 'The Walking Dead,' will remain on the series in some capacity.
So, why has Darabont quit? Was it because he couldn't take the pace? Or was it because of rumored budget cuts?
'Sons of Anarchy' Creator Kurt Sutter Rails Against Emmy Nominations
by Catherine Lawson, posted Jul 15th 2011 4:50AM
When the 2011 Emmy nominations were announced yesterday there were some surprises and some snubs. And don't say we didn't warn you: One guy who's not taking being snubbed lying down is 'Sons of Anarchy' creator, Kurt Sutter.He's been letting it rip via a series of potty-mouthed posts on Twitter since the nominations were announced.
Despite predicting on Wednesday that 'Sons of Anarchy' wouldn't be nominated -- "Tomorrow morning I'll be the fat kid who didn't get picked to play" -- the lack of nods still seems to have annoyed Sutter.
He wrote, "Best part of not getting an emmy nod. now i don't have to pretend i give a s**t about the profiteering d*****bag academy ... because you know if we were nominated i'd be all humble and blowing smoke up their asses. now i can stay true to myself and just be a d**k."
PaleyFest 2011: 'The Walking Dead' Cast Talk Love Triangles, Action Figures and Season 2
by Laura Prudom, posted Mar 5th 2011 12:00PM
'The Walking Dead' started PaleyFest 2011 off with a bang (or was it a cry for "braaaaains"?) in Beverly Hills last night, as the cast and creators of the hit AMC show took to the stage of the Saban Theatre to answer -- or artfully sidestep -- many of the fans' burning questions.
The undead drama was the first of many popular shows to be honored by the Paley Center for Media at its 28th annual television festival, with upcoming events set to spotlight 'True Blood,' 'Parks and Recreation,' 'Supernatural,' 'Community' and 'Glee,' to name a few.
Though writer/director/producer Frank Darabont and creator Robert Kirkman were infuriatingly tight-lipped about much of what season two has in store, we were able to glean a few tasty tidbits to whet our appetites for the fresh batch of episodes (13 in total) before their October debut. Join us after the jump for more. Heavy spoilers for the comics and light spoilers for the series ahead.
Justin Bieber Returns to 'CSI' Feb. 17, 'Glee' Gets Nail Polish Line and More
by Chris Harnick, posted Jan 11th 2011 6:30PM
It's official: 'CSI' has come down with Bieber-fever once again: Justin Bieber is returning to the CBS drama.According to CBS, Biebs will reprise his Jason McCann role this February. In the episode, 'Targets of Obsession,' Bieber's character calls Nick (George Eads) to tell him he's in grave danger. The episode is set to air Thurs., Feb. 17.
In addition to his 'CSI' appearance, one (or many, depends on who you believe) of Bieber's songs will be sung by the cast of 'Glee' this February.
In other TV news ...
• It's official: Mary Murphy will be screeching on this season of 'So You Think You Can Dance.' Murphy's return to the dance series had been rumored for months, but Fox officially announced Murphy's return to the judges table at TCA. [TVLine]
• 'Glee' nail polish is heading to stores. Yes, 'Glee' nail polish. The colors from Sephora include 'Slushied' and 'Sue vs. Schue.' [Entertainment Weekly]
• Frank Darabont, Martin Scorsese and Beth McCarthy Miller are among the nominees for Directors Guild of America Awards. Another nominees include Ryan Murphy, Jack Bender and Steve Levitan. [Deadline Hollywood]
Robert Kirkman Says 'The Walking Dead' Writers Weren't Fired
by Catherine Lawson, posted Dec 3rd 2010 8:15AM
Fear not, 'Walking Dead' fans. Reports of the writing staff's demise earlier this week may have been exaggerated.
Executive producer Robert Kirkman, upon whose comic books the zombie drama is based, has spoken out about this week's news that showrunner Frank Darabont had apparently fired the entire writing staff..
Kirkman told tvguide.com that this week's report in deadline.com was "premature," and said "It's kind of unfortunate that it's being reported that our writing staff has been fired because that's not the case. ... It makes Frank look bad. I don't think Frank wants it out there that he's just firing people off of a successful show."
According to Kirkman, what really happened was that Darabont's "go-to guy," executive producer and writer Charles "Chic" Eglee ('Dexter,' 'Dark Angel') chose to leave the series after Darabont decided to stay on for Season 2. The original deal had been that Darabont would be showrunner for Season 1 and then move on, leaving room for Eglee to take over.
'The Walking Dead' Walks Away from the Entire Writing Staff
by Catherine Lawson, posted Dec 1st 2010 6:45AM
Do you ever find yourself watching TV and thinking "I could write that"? Or dreaming up new scenarios and dialogue for your favorite characters? Are you a knowledgeable fan of zombie dramas? If so, then Frank Darabont may have an opening for you.It's been reported that Darabont, executive producer of AMC's hot new show, 'The Walking Dead,' has fired -- or "let go" to put it more politely -- the entire writing staff. What's more, he's apparently considering not replacing them for Season 2, instead assigning scripts to freelancers.
Is he completely crazy, or what? Only this week our own Jason Hughes called 'The Walking Dead' "the best show on television" and said he could see it getting an Emmy nomination for writing. So what's up?
'The Walking Dead' Producer Gale Ann Hurd Talks about the Rise of the Zombies
by Maureen Ryan, posted Oct 28th 2010 4:20PM
Zombies are known for eating brains, not using them. But Gale Ann Hurd and Frank Darabont, the executive producers of 'The Walking Dead,' a zombie drama that debuts Sunday on AMC, faced in interesting intellectual challenge when it came to adapting Robert Kirkman's acclaimed graphic novels for television.
The goal was to stay faithful to Kirkman's story and to the gory undead genre, yet still attract viewers who may not be hardcore horror fans.
To make sure they channeled Kirkman's graphic novels, which tell the story of a sheriff and a few other people trying to survive in a zombified Atlanta, Darabont and Hurd consulted the author every step of the way. And though Sunday's pilot is ultra-tense, in subsequent episodes, 'The Walking Dead' evolves into a quest saga that won't be unfamiliar to viewers of 'Lost.'
"It doesn't hold back on the violence and gore, but what I think we're most proud of is that we were going for the emotional resonance as well with the characters," Hurd said in a recent interview.
AMC's 'The Walking Dead' Gets Second Season -- Before the First Even Airs!
by Ryan McKee, posted Sep 1st 2010 2:30PM
Anticipating that America will soon get over our vampire fascination, AMC is investing heavily in zombies. Frank Darabont's new series, 'The Walking Dead,' hasn't even pushed its first fist up through the soil and the network is already renewing it for a 13-episode second season. Appropriately, the first wave of zombies will hit AMC on Oct. 31. The show is based on Robert Kirkman's monthly black and white comic series and follows a group of people struggling to survive after the zombie apocalypse. Wait, isn't that every zombie storyline? Why is AMC clamoring to renew it so quickly?
'The Walking Dead' Cast Talks Zombie Rules, Blood & Brains (VIDEO)
by Maggie Furlong, posted Aug 10th 2010 11:35AM
When the apocalypse happens and zombies take over, what becomes of the last humans standing?'The Walking Dead' -- an adaptation of the hugely popular comic book -- will explore just that, with an amazing cast (including Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Jon Bernthal and Emma Bell), a legendary leader (Oscar nominated writer-director Frank Darabont) and a wealth of source material for inspiration, the series is one of the most talked about this season.
I caught up with the 'Walking Dead' cast and producers who marveled at the uprising of zombies in pop culture, promised that "if you like gore, this is gonna be for you" and, just in case, listed off the rules for surviving a zombie attack.
'The Walking Dead' Talk at Comic Con
by Michael Maloney, posted Jul 24th 2010 1:45PM
For a show about zombies, the panel on Friday for the upcoming AMC series 'The Walking Dead' was pretty lively. This is due in no small part to the cult following that the Robert Kirkman-created comic book has. (Imagine, a panel at Comic Con that actually has a connection to comics.)Comic Con could be the biggest PR event that the cast and producers do this summer, but it won't be the last. Producers are hoping that by the time the show's October premiere rolls around that the whole world will know about 'The Walking Dead.'
Kirkman, who will also serve as the show's executive producer, was joined on the panel by cast members including Sarah Wayne Callies, Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Laurie Holden and Emma Bell and executive producers Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd.
The show hired some actors to play zombies to walk up and down the aisles during the panel. "I'm shaking," said Callies, who accidentally knocked her name tag off the table (perhaps so the zombies couldn't find her?).
The show announced two cast additions: Michael Rooker and Norman Reedus will play brothers Merle and Daryl Dixon.
AMC has its Lead Zombie-Killer for 'The Walking Dead'
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 7th 2010 12:02PM
Andrew Lincoln has been cast as the lead in the upcoming AMC series 'The Walking Dead' based on the comic book of the same name. The series will be executive-produced by Frank Darabont, who is also writing and directing the pilot.
I've never seen any of Lincoln's previous work but I have read the comic. Lincoln seems a good casting choice although truthfully the part is somewhat generic and there are probably many lead actors who might have done the role just as well. Upon reading the comic, one actor that came to mind for the main character of Rick Grimes was Scott Bakula, but he's probably a little too old for that character now.
Jon Bernthal has been cast as Rick's partner in the police force, but he's likely only going to be seen in flashback as he's never really seen over the course of the comic. In fact, he's likely zombie food by the middle of the first issue. This is assuming the television series follows the same general story as the comic, which is no guarantee. See 'True Blood' for an example of this.
AMC's 'Walking Dead' Nabs Lead
by Allyssa Lee, posted Apr 6th 2010 3:20PM
And the ranks of 'The Walking Dead' just keep on growing. AMC has announced that it has recruited Andrew Lincoln to fill the lead role in its new zombie drama series, adapted from the comic books by Robert Kirkman.
Lincoln -- a British actor perhaps best known Stateside for his role as the lovelorn Mark in 2003's 'Love Actually,' or on the UK television series 'Teachers' -- will play Rick Grimes, a small-town cop trying to lead a pack of human survivors to safety after zombies have taken over the world. Jon Bernthal ('The Pacific') has already been cast as Shane, Grimes' old police partner.
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