The Walking Dead!

[lance]

What was a let-down was that we never learned anything substantial about the disease. Yeah, it restarts the brainstem, but that much was obvious. What was bad that he couldn't answer whether the thing was viral or bacterial or parasitic or what. Considering how long he has been working on the tissue samples, that is a bit weird.
.

This is the part that bugs me in this. I can not imagine them not being able to get not get to that point. Unless that guy is just a wannabe scientist janitor. That might do it.

[aieeegrunt]

Wannabe scientist glorified paper shuffler administrator type who managed to marry the woman in charge of the facility. This would explain his in depth knowledge of procedures and protocols of the facility. He was only attempting science because of his promise to a dead and obviously idealized wife.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Wannabe scientist glorified paper shuffler administrator type who managed to marry the woman in charge of the facility. This would explain his in depth knowledge of procedures and protocols of the facility. He was only attempting science because of his promise to a dead and obviously idealized wife.

That's what I figured. He's an assistant of some sort playing at science he couldn't possibly understand to try and make things right. Makes it all the more tragic.

[Alyeska]

Wannabe scientist glorified paper shuffler administrator type who managed to marry the woman in charge of the facility. This would explain his in depth knowledge of procedures and protocols of the facility. He was only attempting science because of his promise to a dead and obviously idealized wife.

That's what I figured. He's an assistant of some sort playing at science he couldn't possibly understand to try and make things right. Makes it all the more tragic.

He probably was a scientist/doctor. But its probable that his field was something that doesn't give him significant knowledge on researching the outbreak. And as you said, quite possibly a research assistant. Certainly intelligent, but not in the same league as the main researchers.

[Azazal]

I'm going to agree that he was more then a lab assistant, he did have a key and authorization to lock down the command center. As for what he told Rick,
Spoiler

I'm betting he did not tell him that Lori is pregnant or that Shane tried to rape her in the Rec Room. I'm guessing that he stole Rick's thunder from the comic and did a mini version of this speech and that Rick delivers the full version an episode or two into the second season.

[Vympel]

All in all, I liked this season. My standards really aren't that high, I was entertained, what else do I want? And Dale is awesome. Such a nice old guy.

[aieeegrunt]

I'm going to agree that he was more then a lab assistant, he did have a key and authorization to lock down the command center.

Administration/Beaurocratic dude with a science background. Fits both his high command access and his practical hands on actual science ineptitude. He's got a science degree, hence the whole "Dr" thing and working at the CDC, but spent the majority of his career as an administrator.

He's only attempting science because of the death of his wife.

[FSTargetDrone]

There is some new and rather important news concerning Frank Darabont and his firing from the show late last month (which I just saw today). I haven't seen anyone talk about it elsewhere and since we've discussed various production/staff issues, I figured it was appropriate to have this news here.

Fired:

The Walking Dead': What Really Happened to Fired Showrunner Frank Darabont

3:42 PM 8/10/2011 by Kim Masters

The cast is "scared," the crew is crushed after Darabont is canned while working to fix an episode that a director turned in with unusable footage.

When Frank Darabont appeared on a Comic-Con panel July 22 to promote The Walking Dead, he didn't realize he was a dead man walking. Neither did the cast and crew. Everyone was shocked when news broke three days later that AMC had taken the extraordinary step of firing Darabont from the network's biggest ratings hit.

In hot, sticky Atlanta, where production on the second season had been under way since June, the cast was summoned to a lunch meeting with AMC vp scripted programming Ben Davis, who confirmed that Darabont was out. The crew was briefed separately. One insider says those gathered were stunned at "the duplicity of AMC" for having used Darabont to promote the show at Comic-Con before firing him. And they were angry about the lack of explanation; they were simply told, cryptically, "This isn't working." Above all, they were disheartened. "It's a crushing blow," says the insider. "Even when you have a hit, they can still destroy you."

Darabont -- like many showrunners, not known for a small ego or manageable temperament -- had been working on an edit in Los Angeles. After he was sent packing, he returned to give some final notes. He sent farewell e-mails to associates on the show. But he has maintained a steady silence in the media as his representatives work out the terms of his departure. Through his lawyer, Darabont said he has no interest in talking to the press.

There also have been no public comments from the cast, and a source with knowledge of the situation says AMC has been "terrorizing" them and their representatives to discourage them from speaking out on Darabont's behalf. "They're scared," confirms another insider. "They're on a zombie show. They are all really easy to kill off."

AMC issued a statement after Darabont was dismissed, expressing gratitude for his "innumerable" contributions to the show. Asked to comment on criticism for the handling of his departure, a spokesperson said, "We have nothing further to add."

This drama makes it a hat trick: Within a space of months, AMC has become embroiled in messy public fights with the creators of its top three shows -- Mad Men, Breaking Bad and now Walking Dead. The battles have been about money, but in this case, at least, it was more of a slow burn than a sudden flare-up. Sources say last fall, even before the first episode of the show had aired, AMC let it be known that it would effectively slash the show's second-season budget per episode by about $650,000, from $3.4 million to $2.75 million. AMC cut the budget and pocketed a tax credit previusly applied to the show. An AMC source says the size of the cut cited by sources is "grossly inflated" and that the second-season budget represents a more typical and sustainable number for a basic cable show.

At a glance, it would appear AMC is taking a big risk with its only huge commercial success. Mad Men and Breaking Bad are Emmy magnets that average 2.3 million and 4.3 million viewers, respectively. But Walking Dead, based on a series of graphic novels, attracted an astonishing 5.3 million viewers when it premiered on Halloween. The season finale in December drew more than 6 million viewers. In the 18-to-49 demo, it chalked up the biggest number ever for any drama on basic cable.

AMC has enjoyed stunning success since it stopped relying on old movies and plunged into original series with Mad Men in 2007. But given its recent battles, several sources involved with its signature shows say AMC does not seem ready to handle its success. "It feels like they don't have the experience of being on top," one fumes. "They're total ball-busters, and that pisses people off."

But being on top can be more about perception than profit. It's no coincidence that these flare-ups have come at a time when success for the network will be defined in far more specific terms. In July, AMC was spun off from parent Cablevision as AMC Networks (which also includes Sundance Channel, IFC and others). AMC has been preparing to face Wall Street's scrutiny as its expenditures on programming have shot up. (According to SNL Kagan, the network's programming budget has climbed from $123.3 million in 2006, the year before it got into original series, to an estimated $174.5 million this year --actually not that much given the network's 180.)

What is also hugely significant is that Walking Dead is the only show AMC owns, which means the network bears all the financial risk (and could reap much greater rewards in success). That is not the kind of chance that the network had been willing to take before. AMC developed Mad Men and even fully financed a pilot before the company decided that the cost of the first season, about $25 million, was too much to bear. So AMC sold the idea to Lionsgate and licensed it from the studio. Lionsgate owns Mad Men, and Sony Television owns Breaking Bad.

And despite "being on top," AMC is still a newcomer in the world of original programming and still small potatoes compared with more established competitors. The network costs distributors about 26 cents per subscriber each month, compared to $1.08 and 60 cents for TNT and USA, respectively, according to SNL Kagan.

♦♦♦

A source on Walking Dead says wistfully that if a studio owned the show, the producers might have gotten help in the battles with AMC. In the case of Breaking Bad, Sony responded to the network's decision to cut the number of episodes from 13 to six or eight by shopping the series to FX, which isn't possible with Walking Dead. (Breaking Bad now appears likely to remain on AMC.)

Even when there's a studio involved, the fights have been tough. The conflict with Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner has been abundantly documented and concluded with Weiner getting $10 million per season for up to three more seasons and AMC getting more commercial time. The fracas didn't burnish any reputations with the public. Now sources involved with Breaking Bad are venting displeasure with the network. One says AMC could have dealt with Breaking Bad in a more timely and collaborative manner and come to an easier resolution, adding, "You hate when it comes down to the point where it gets stupid."

Laments a producer on one of the signature shows: "AMC may have had too much success too soon, and they think they know how to do it. But showrunners like Matthew Weiner and [Breaking Bad's] Vince Gilligan are so rare -- you can't replace people like that."

In the case of Walking Dead, AMC has replaced Darabont with executive producer Glen Mazzara, by many accounts a strong talent. But sources associated with the show say Darabont was an integral part of a lightning-in-a-bottle formula that had been working. "Everybody loves Frank and has had an amazing experience," says a talent rep with a client in the mix. "He's brilliant, and we want him there."

According to an insider, many members of the cast and crew feel the same way. "Frank's fingerprints are all over every single aspect of the show," this person says. "I heard a Teamster saying, 'How are we going to do this without Frank?' "

The rupture doesn't make sense for Darabont, either. His other best credit, The Shawshank Redemption, dates to 1994. Despite his public complaints about the grueling hours on the show, Darabont was hardly walking away from Walking Dead.

But AMC's budget-cutting upset him. "Frank doesn't like to see the cast and crew overworked and underpaid," says a show insider. As recently as the end of May, with the show's second season poised to go into production, Darabont seemed to be holding out hope that AMC would relent. "Creatively, I have no complaints thus far," he said at a THR roundtable. "But I believe if they do move ahead with what they're talking about, it will affect the show creatively … in a negative way. Which just strikes me as odd. If you have an asset, why would you punish it?"

An agency source says Darabont is "notoriously a pain in the ass" known for "taking a feature-film approach to television," which is meant to suggest that he didn't manage the brisk pace of television well. But an insider says Darabont's approach was what made Walking Dead special. "Frank fights for the show," says an insider. "He doesn't just do what the network wants him to do. … He's a filmmaker, and that's why the show was as good as it was." Sources with ties to the show insist it was on schedule and on budget.

♦♦♦

What remains a central mystery, even to those closely involved, is what triggered AMC's move to fire Darabont. As noted, AMC's decision to cut the budget dated to the previous fall, when the network instructed Darabont to produce 13 episodes for a second season, up from six for the first season, for less money. Not only would the show get a lower budget, but AMC also decided that Walking Dead would no longer reap the benefit of a 30 percent tax credit per episode that came with filming in Georgia. Now the network was going to hold on to that money.

At the time, a source says, the show's producers decided not to get into a confrontation. "To have a fight over a number when they didn't know what the show was going to do didn't make sense," says this source. But when Walking Dead began to break AMC records, those involved figured that a negotiation would take place and the cuts might be reduced.

But this source says that AMC had its own ideas about how to make the show more cheaply. The show shoots for eight days per episode, and the network suggested that half should be indoors. "Four days inside and four days out? That's not Walking Dead," says this insider. "This is not a show that takes place around the dinner table." That was just one of what this person describes as "silly notes" from AMC. Couldn't the audience hear the zombies sometimes and not see them, to save on makeup? The source says Darabont fought "a constant battle to keep the show big in scope and style."

Despite the show's success, AMC stuck to its original position on the second-season budget. When those involved with the show protested that the network was taking chances with its biggest hit, AMC's head of original programming, Joel Stillerman, is said to have declared, "Ratings have no bearing on this conversation."

The show went into production on its second season in June. Sources say an early episode came in with footage that was not usable. The director had shot a successful first-season episode and was a mutually agreeed-upon choice. Darabont was editing the episode in an effort to fix it but by then, an insider believes, AMC was looking for a pretext. "Joel thinks he is responsible for the success of shows on AMC, and not the creators," this person says. This person blames Stillerman for the decision to fire Darabont. (Stillerman also has a strained relationship with Mad Men's Weiner, who declines to speak to him.) Through an AMC rep, Stillerman declined comment.

With Walking Dead in the middle of production on its second season, a number of very key and capable players are still involved, including Mazzara, Walking Dead comic creator Robert Kirkman and effects master Greg Nicotero. Only time will tell whether the Dead will suffer when they return or -- who knows? -- maybe even rise. If the show stumbles, many of its most passionate fans will blame AMC for firing Darabont, and he will become an even bigger martyr in their eyes than he already is.

WHO'S WHO IN THE DISPUTE

Charlie Collier: AMC's president is finding that success creates its own challenges.
Joel Stillerman: AMC's head of original programming had ideas about how to keep costs down.
Glen Mazzara: The man taking over for Darabont joined the show after its first season wrapped.

CORRECTION: In the original version of this story, the ratings for Mad Men and Breaking Bad were transposed. The current version reflects the correct ratings for the two shows.

[Stofsk]

Whatever second chance I was prepared to give the show after seeing the preview from comicon, was more or less immediately killed when I heard soon after that Darabont had been fired.

[Flagg]

I dunno, I'm gonna give it a chance, but I don't have high hopes.

[Meest]

Wow interesting info on episode budgets, what the hell is wrong with AMC, they could break out even more a be a full fledged lineup channel instead of cutting.

[Big Orange]

He probably was a scientist/doctor. But its probable that his field was something that doesn't give him significant knowledge on researching the outbreak. And as you said, quite possibly a research assistant. Certainly intelligent, but not in the same league as the main researchers.

And he was the last guy left in the entire complex, which seemed a pretty big place, and couldn't run it properly when he failed to prevent the facility's over the top containment procedure of detonating a MOAB.

S1 of The Walking Dead was moderately entertaining and I watched it all the way through, but considering the unfortunate behind the scenes developments, the slow pacing, and a premise that seems repetitive, I wouldn't be surprised if AMC's The Walking Dead will fairly quickly deflate like BBC's Survivors.

[Guardsman Bass]

I just finished watching the series, and I thought it was fantastic. Particularly Episode 5's ending, where Rick finally starts to break down after Yet Another False Hope. Watching him desperately beg to be let in to the CDC, "we have no food and hardly any gas left, we have nowhere else to go" was heart-rending.

And it was another false hope. They got a brief respite and the opportunity to get one good night's sleep without the threat of being eaten, but they're back on the road, with no food and limited gas. They're worse off than the guys protecting the seniors while waiting until their food runs out.*

It makes sad that the show is getting fucked over. Great show and a great ratings draw (something that Mad Men can't boast)? It's understandable, but still frustrating.

* Speaking of food, they seemed to take the collection of it rather lightly. There is a lot of suburban area outside Atlanta's downtown - shouldn't they have been checking houses for canned food?

EDIT: The Season Two Trailer has come out:



It looks like the group is having issues with staying together. I'm not surprised. This is the second time that Rick has led them to near-disaster (the first being the expedition into "Deadlanta" to find Merle, which left the camp exposed when they fucked up sentry duty). They managed to get some solid food and rest, but are once again stuck with no food, little gas, and dwindling ammunition. And they just found out that there is no official rescue coming to save the day and put civilization back in place.

It would be awfully tempting for some of the more able members without dependents (like Daryl) to abandon the group. There's risk in going it alone like that, but Daryl's an experienced outdoors-man, and he seems to be accepting the reality of the new world much more readily than the rest of the group.

[Vympel]

Just heard about this. With Frank Darabont gone, the show's got a real chance to go down the toilet bigtime. AMC sound like a bunch of fucking amateurs - we already didn't get any Mad Men at all this year because of them, and they just had an ugly fight about Breaking Bad as well. Shitheads. Why does it always have to be the shows I watch?

[Aniron]

Just heard about this. With Frank Darabont gone, the show's got a real chance to go down the toilet bigtime. AMC sound like a bunch of fucking amateurs - we already didn't get any Mad Men at all this year because of them, and they just had an ugly fight about Breaking Bad as well. Shitheads. Why does it always have to be the shows I watch?

Really? The Walking Dead was already nonsense, with stupid romantic plots, stupid characters, and nothing new or even interesting being brought to the genre.

As for AMC, the network will be terrible after Breaking Bad ends. I can't believe The Killing, one of the worst shows I've seen in a long time, was renewed.

[Stofsk]

Darabont was the only good thing about the first season. While I ended up hating the season as it progressed, I really, really liked the pilot episode which was directed by Darabont.

In any case, Walking Dead isn't going to be that great anyway- the source material is shit. Having read through most of the comics I can tell you that if this show wants to succeed it'll ignore everything with 'Kirkman' as the credited author and diverge as much from it as possible.

But they won't. And all the problems with the show from the first season looks like it will continue.

[Aniron]

Darabont was the only good thing about the first season. While I ended up hating the season as it progressed, I really, really liked the pilot episode which was directed by Darabont.

I think it's a great pilot too. But then we get an episode where the morons go back to the city, which is infested, to get guns and save some racist asshole. Jesus.

[Stofsk]

Getting the guns was necessary though. But IIRC when they got there they had been stolen (lol). In any case, don't get me started on how bad this show was.

[Vympel]

Pfft, I think you guys are crazy. It was fun. Its no Breaking Bad or Mad Men though.

[Big Orange]

They were saving that racist, sexist thug to placate his almost as bad brother back in camp.

AMC's recent spate of irrational decisions and HBO going through a rough patch a few years back (with Rome going over budget and ending a bit early) makes me think the excessive stupid in the upper management of the terrestrial US networks (CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX) may be rubbing off a bit on the cable networks.

Andrew Lincoln, the lead star, does a pretty good midwest American accent and he's really English. The Walking Dead's no masterpiece, but I dug the pilot episode and the following episodes were watchable, shame they're likely going to run it into the ground.

[Knife]

Recently started watching it myself, yeah netflix, anyway only up to where they escape the CDC building. I love the show, but some times the stupidity hurts my brain. From the very first episode where Rick bypasses all the abandoned cars, HMMWV's, and other vehicles and grabs a bicycle to ride home on, to all the M16's and M240G, let alone ammo and grenades these people pass over for no apparent reason. Medical supplies, equipment. All just lying around on the ground in random military camps in the back ground. Yeesh.

Then, in one of the early episodes, it was explained in the dialogue that they couldn't post signs of how dangerous Deadlanta (I like that) is because they were too busy at camp. Were they busy building walls? Nope, busy making a fence? Nope. All you ever see them do is laundry down at the lake. I know, I know, if they had made a wall, then the drama of a Zombie attack at camp couldn't have happened.

I like shows like these because it ignites my imagination, a 'what would Knife do' type thing. But god damn to tosses me out of SOD when they do silly shit that is on the 'rules of what not to do in a horror film' list.

[Big Orange]

There was a big military encampment on the site of the hospital with fuel and weapons to salvage, but it seemed like Andrew Lincoln's character was in a state of trauma and just woken from a lengthy coma when lurching past the camp, his brain must've been mush for hours.

[Vympel]

They were saving that racist, sexist thug to placate his almost as bad brother back in camp.

AMC's recent spate of irrational decisions and HBO going through a rough patch a few years back (with Rome going over budget and ending a bit early) makes me think the excessive stupid in the upper management of the terrestrial US networks (CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX) may be rubbing off a bit on the cable networks.

Andrew Lincoln, the lead star, does a pretty good midwest American accent and he's really English. The Walking Dead's no masterpiece, but I dug the pilot episode and the following episodes were watchable, shame they're likely going to run it into the ground.

Rome was ages ago, and that's not too bad, that's just the show being too expensive to continue. HBO has a good amount of awesome shows right now (True Blood, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, and of course ... Game of Thrones).

[Guardsman Bass]

They were saving that racist, sexist thug to placate his almost as bad brother back in camp.

To be fair, said brother is one of the better "survivalists" in their group. He's the one who has been bringing back most of the game they've caught (including squirrels and the deer that the zombie got to first). Moreover, I think that was deliberately set up as a mistake on Rick's part, since both Shane and Lori thought he was crazy to do it.

AMC's recent spate of irrational decisions and HBO going through a rough patch a few years back (with Rome going over budget and ending a bit early) makes me think the excessive stupid in the upper management of the terrestrial US networks (CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX) may be rubbing off a bit on the cable networks.

I think it's because AMC is being spun off into its own public company with stock, and they're under a lot of pressure to get costs down and profits up. Some of that might be justified - Mad Men, for example, is getting increasingly expensive at time goes on (it's already an expensive show), and it doesn't really bring in the ratings.

Then, in one of the early episodes, it was explained in the dialogue that they couldn't post signs of how dangerous Deadlanta (I like that) is because they were too busy at camp. Were they busy building walls? Nope, busy making a fence? Nope. All you ever see them do is laundry down at the lake. I know, I know, if they had made a wall, then the drama of a Zombie attack at camp couldn't have happened.

Part of the reason they weren't putting up signs was Shane being over-cautious, which is one of his character traits throughout the entire season. But I agree that it's kind of strange that they weren't doing more to protect themselves at their base camp. Even circling the cars and RV and parking their tents and fire pit in the middle of it would have done wonders for their security. I chalk it up mostly to carelessness and complacency on their part (they hadn't seen a zombie in the vicinity of their camp in weeks before they found the one eating the deer).

They did put up a limited warning system with the cans, which didn't do them much good when the attack came.