The Walking Dead renewed for season 4/Glen Mazzara out

[Enterprise is Great]

deadline.com

Another high-level showrunner departure for an AMC series. AMC just announced that it has renewed flagship drama The Walking Dead for a fourth season. But Glen Mazzara, who had served as showrunner following the abrupt departure of creator/original showrunner Frank Darabont early into the second season, is leaving. Speculations about Mazzara’s future on the show started when AMC didn’t follow its regular routine of giving The Walking Dead an early pickup despite the record-breaking ratings performance of the show’s recent third season. There had been rumors that Mazzara was not happy on the show and may follow the slew of other showrunners who have departed AMC series – The Walking Dead‘s Frank Darabont, whom Mazzara succeeded, Rubicon creator/exec producer Jason Horwitch exited during production on its first and only season, and most recently Hell On Wheels showrunner John Shiban, who left after two seasons.

Good news about the renewal but what is it with AMC and their showrunners?

 

[Reverend]

You have to wonder what one earth is going on behind the scenes. Is it a political thing between the producers and the studio execs, or are they just not paying the top people enough to keep them around?

 

[Dream]

What the heck is going on?

I thought Mazzara was doing a great job on season 3 as showrunner and would be sticking around for the rest of the series.

 

[Silvercrest]

Paging Fred Freiberger.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

It is odd, you would think since AMC has had a lot of success that they'd want to do what it'd take to hold on to these guys. I suppose maybe they're a bit full of themselves and not giving enough credit to their talent.

 

[AvBaur]

Yeah, it's really strange. They have the highest-rated scripted show on tv and yet they can't stop tinkering with it. Don't they think that the creators of their most successful and popular show ever might actually know what they're doing?

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Kurt Sutter, the creator of FX's Sons of Anarchy totally blasted AMC over this. Check out his rant here. Shawn ryan also criticized AMC over this but not as colorfully as Sutter did (see the same link as above).

 

[bigdaddy]

Yeah, it's really strange. They have the highest-rated scripted show on tv and yet they can't stop tinkering with it. Don't they think that the creators of their most successful and popular show ever might actually know what they're doing?

It's the highest rated TV show in the history of cable, you would think they would bend over to continue getting those ratings.

 

[Dream]

My worry is that the new showrunner will suck and just drive the show into the ground. That's always a risk when you bring in a new showrunner.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Perhaps the big honchos at AMC follow the Republican model of business--paying as little as they can get away with for labor. Glen Mazzara must not know whose ass to kiss. Some big ass exec's knickers are in a twist because Mazzara probably asked for a raise and didn't properly kiss posterior.

 

[Dream]

So will the showrunner be replaced every season?

The morale of the cast is going to take a hit after all this is over with especially since it already happened with Frank Darabont.

 

[Roshi]

Whuuuuuuut? The Walking Dead is AMC's flagship drama?
And I thought it was Mad Men!

 

[trekkiebaggio]

Glad it's returning but I hope changing the showrunner doesn't mean it'll drop in quality .

 

[AvBaur]

Whuuuuuuut? The Walking Dead is AMC's flagship drama?
And I thought it was Mad Men!

Mad Men gets the awards, Walking Dead gets the ratings.

I love 'em both.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Maybe they can bring Darabont back, and then when they piss him off again they can bring back Glen Mazzara.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

I want to know who Mazzara pissed off. This has "he doesn't kiss enough ass" written all over it. It's a nonsensical, counterproductive decisions. Someone in a suit thinks the showrunner doesn't matter and, per usual, they're wrong.

 

[throwback]

I am not in a tizzy about this. I will form after an opinion after I have seen the fourth season.

 

[Shurik]

I want to know who Mazzara pissed off. This has "he doesn't kiss enough ass" written all over it. It's a nonsensical, counterproductive decisions. Someone in a suit thinks the showrunner doesn't matter and, per usual, they're wrong.

Apparently, this is how AMC works. They had almost lost Mad Men after the 4th season, had almost lost Breaking Bad, slashed the budget of The Walking Dead before the second season and caused Frank Darabont to quit, despite the great ratings. They don't seem to understand the principle of "if it works, don't fuck with it".

It won't be long before no sane person will pitch his show ideas to AMC.

 

[Kegg]

I hear they've also renewed their remake of the Killing for a third season. Has anyone actually enjoed that series?

Mad Men gets the awards, Walking Dead gets the ratings.

And Breaking Bad rules the internets.

It's a nonsensical, counterproductive decisions. Someone in a suit thinks the showrunner doesn't matter and, per usual, they're wrong.

The worst thing is is that season 3 has easily been the best stretch of the series. One can't hold Glen Mazzara completely to blame for how slow the second season was - Walking Dead's budget was slashed (after it was clear it was a monster hit for AMC) and the AMC wanted the whole thing filmed indoors, preferably on a single set. That the season had iffy character work can be more fairly laid at Mazzara's feet, but given a decent budget he's made season 3 a rollercoaster ride of Stuff Happening, with a real sense of momentum and arcing.

It's not been perfect - the often weak character writing that bedevilled season two rears its head more than once - but Walking Dead's first half of its third season was one of my most entertaining TV shows of 2012.

It's entirely possible the show can keep steamrolling along without him - it has Kirkman's comic to draw on, and Mazzara himself was a replacement (and frankly an improvement) over Frank Darabont - but I'd prefer this kind of thing to stop happening.

It won't be long before no sane person will pitch his show ideas to AMC.

Breaking Bad ends next year. Mad Men has what, two seasons left? Pretty soon AMC will be relying on Walking Dead, and although that show brings the ratings like crazy it doesn't quite bring the prestige.

 

[Dream]

Article: AMC's showrunner follies may well scare off other creative talent

AMC better treat TWD better since MM and BB are going to be gone soon.

Why would people bother taking their ideas to AMC if they know they are going to get replaced after a season or two of the show being on the air?

Imagine if Paramount fired Piller just after one season of TNG...