AMC to milk The Walking Dead until that teat is sore and dry

[Dream]

They were already miking TWD when they decided to do The Talking Dead. A drama getting its own talk show? I mean what the hell?

 

[jbny67]

An anthology series could work too. A lot of story possibilities could be opened up that way.

That would be a cool way to go. Something like what they did in the webisodes.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

So there's this guy named Lee and this girl named Clementine....

 

[Dream]

Two teens fall in love while attending high school during the zombie apocalypse. Daryl Dixon will guest star during sweeps!

 

[Morpheus 02]

I think it could be very interesting to see what's going on elsewhere in the world, in different environments and maybe with characters who're in an area with a better flow of information. I just wonder if such a series will start in the "present" or at least show us more of how this all started and how society collapsed, and apparently collapsed quickly since it all happened while Rick was in a coma.

This might be better for a World War Z series...but I think it would be cool to have the episodes done by different countries, possibly in their style of filming.

They could do anywhere from 1-4 episodes, depending on their story.

Some countries that could produce some unique (and good) stuff (in no particular order, & I know I am missing some):

• India
• South Korea
• Nigeria
• South Africa
• New Zealand
• Mexico

 

[Greg Cox]

They were already miking TWD when they decided to do The Talking Dead. A drama getting its own talk show? I mean what the hell?

I actually kinda enjoy that show. Chris Hardwick seems practically giddy that somebody is actually paying him to geek out about zombies and stuff!

It's like attending a fun convention panel every week.

 

[bigdaddy]

I find it funny they want two shows when the network is too cheap to even give their massive hit enough money and that's why all the showrunners leave.

Well, Breaking Bad is over this season, so hopefully AMC recognizes how important TWD is to their network and give it a bigger budget.

But AMC was cheap with Breaking Bad too! They only wanted 8 episodes for a season 5 (creators wanted 13) and Sony (who makes BB) was looking into shopping the show around for a final season when AMC realized they could milk it for two years.

 

[Thestral]

So there's this guy named Lee and this girl named Clementine....

Hell. Yes. Problem: they have to canonize certain choices. Also, will there be a revolt if they don't cast Lee & Clem's VA?

 

[Captaindemotion]

I find it funny they want two shows when the network is too cheap to even give their massive hit enough money and that's why all the showrunners leave.

Well, Breaking Bad is over this season, so hopefully AMC recognizes how important TWD is to their network and give it a bigger budget.

Yes, the point which bigdaddy raised puzzled me too (that is to say, AMC's thinking and apparent self-contradiction puzzle me, not your post!).

My understanding is that AMC seems to regard Mad Men as its prestige programme and it also is coming to an end soon (I think there are one or two seasons left). So maybe with the loss of the two alliterative shows (BB and MM), they'll now put more effort and money into TWD and its spin-off. Here's hoping anyway.

 

[Relayer1]

I hope they don't stretch the idea too thin. My interest has already waned with season 2 being rather static and the tedious Governor storyline in season 3.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

My understanding is that AMC seems to regard Mad Men as its prestige programme and it also is coming to an end soon (I think there are one or two seasons left).

If AMC considered Man Men their prestige brand, they certainly had a funny way of showing it in 2011. To be fair, neither side handled the negotiations over the show's future very well, but AMC was certainly ready to kill the goose the laid the golden eggs.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Yeah, I heard about those negs, but MM seems to have gained from them at the expense of the other shows:

http://www.newsinfilm.com/2011/08/12/mad-men-cripples-walking-dead-breaking-bad/

AMC continues to make headlines as the fallout from expensive “Mad Men” re-negotiations takes a toll on its other programming, particularly the zombie thriller “The Walking Dead” and intense drug drama “Breaking Bad.”

Darabont became upset over cost cutting measures like moving scenes indoors or using far fewer undead shots. AMC reduced the budget from $3.4 million to $2.75 million — more than $250,000 an episode – constricting the financials of a show that relies heavily on special effects (both practical make-up and CGI) to create its zombie apocalypse. (By comparison, “Mad Men” episodes cost roughly $2.5 million each.) In an interview with Deadline, AMC President Charlie Collier chocked the “Walking Dead” decision up to amortization and a typical reduction from the pilot (which he considers episodes 1-6).

Widespread belief is the cuts were a result of Weiner and Hamm’s hefty contracts.

 

[FreezeC77]

Two teens fall in love while attending high school during the zombie apocalypse. Daryl Dixon will guest star during sweeps!

Japan beat them to it... Highschool of the Dead. Of course being an anime/manga the lead male character actually has to have multiple female chars in love with him.

 

[Kytee]

If this is done well, I'd be a fan for sure. As others have pointed out, there is so much more of the world to see.

I'd love to see them do a series of one off episodes that expand on the current show.
- What happen to the hispanic family that left them in Alanta.
- Back stories for the soldiers ( the tank crew in episode one, the folks ambushed by the governor )
- What happen at the old folks home
- They could show us the last days of the CDC
- Show us more about Morgan

Another idea that I think would be cool ; jump ahead 25 years and give us a show starring the baby Judith . Might not really work, didn't think this out much, just popped in my head.,

Kytee

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

Clearly, the zombies will be main the characters of the spin-off. We'll become emotionally involved with a pack of zombies as they struggle to get find enough humans to eat and as they cope with their own limited intelligence. Their could even be a narrator a la "March of the Penguins".

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Ha, very good! I'd totally watch that too!

 

[Vendikarr]

Clearly, the zombies will be main the characters of the spin-off. We'll become emotionally involved with a pack of zombies as they struggle to get find enough humans to eat and as they cope with their own limited intelligence. Their could even be a narrator a la "March of the Penguins".

They can use Andrew Lincoln as the narrator, using his real accent. Everything sounds classier British.

 

[trekkiebaggio]

Another idea that I think would be cool ; jump ahead 25 years and give us a show starring the baby Judith . Might not really work, didn't think this out much, just popped in my head.,

Kytee

I'd love that as well, with an adult Carl and Judith, maybe 15 or so years after TWD. But that may make the original series even more bleak than it is now.

Also, as much as we want this to be different from TWD I think the potential for crossovers probably means that the show will be similar to what we have now.

 

[DarthTom]

If you get a great new set of characters, you could do a rehash of the rural nomadic TWD setting and still have an interesting show with it's own unique "charm," but I'd still like to see this universe explored from a new perspective.

A couple of the ideas that popped into my head where you could change the dynamic significantly from TWD:

- Show the zombie apocalypse from the perspective of the President's administration as it slowly gets whittled down from a position of strength to barely surviving day by day like everyone else. Actually gives a big picture of how things are going around the country and the world instead of just the micro view of the survivors, so it adds to TWD's universe. Maybe they wind up in some fortified military base surrounded by zombies (missions outside would be carried out by helicopter or plane so we get some variety) and face challenges from other nations, militia groups, criminals, etc. but on a much bigger scale then we're used to (might be budgetary issues for AMC though).

- Alternatively, you could show things from the perspective of the mayor of a big city like New York, LA, or Chicago if you wanted to keep the same basic dynamic as above but give them reason to remain in an urban setting looking after their constituents as long as possible.

- Have a large group of survivors in their personal pleasure craft hook on to a big barge headed down the Mississippi River and form a sort of mini society of their own there. It would give greater opportunity for rotation of characters with a larger cast, and when not doing bottle episodes the same adventures of visiting cities and towns could be had as they take excursions to gather supplies and check for other survivors. The eventual goal would be to sail out onto the Caribbean and try and find an island they could live on where the plague hasn't reached yet (hopefully).

- Perhaps secure joint financing with the BBC/BBC America (for a bigger budget) and do a show located in Britain with excursions to mainland Europe in search of supplies or survivors (either by boat or with a harrowing car drive through the Chunnel).

Those are great ideas. In terms of an overseas twist, it's already part of the dialogue that the French were, 'close,' to a cure according to Dr. Jenner - so there is also a possibility there.

 

[bigdaddy]

My understanding is that AMC seems to regard Mad Men as its prestige programme and it also is coming to an end soon (I think there are one or two seasons left).

If AMC considered Man Men their prestige brand, they certainly had a funny way of showing it in 2011. To be fair, neither side handled the negotiations over the show's future very well, but AMC was certainly ready to kill the goose the laid the golden eggs.

That's my point, AMC treats their shows like shit. This wasn't the first time MM was delayed over bullshit. They have these hit shows but don't want to spend any money on them.