Deadline is reporting that executive producer Frank Darabonthas let go of the show’s entire writing staff, including his number 2, Charles H. Eglee (Dexter, The Shield). As Deadline notes, many shows have some writer changes in-between seasons, but it’s unusual for such a major overhaul.

In addition, Deadline says they hear Darabont wants to go forward into Season 2 without a set writing staff, instead assigning all scripts he doesn’t write himself to freelancers. Deadline points out that Darabont fully wrote two episodes of the first season (and co-wrote or re-wrote the others) and that two of the others were written by non-staff writers, including Walking Dead comic book creator Robert Kirkman. They also note that Darabont would be using the same model employed byTorchwood, which has several writers working on episodes for the upcoming re-launch on Starz (including Buffy’s Jane Espenson), but no full time writing staff.

Full Article: http://tv.ign.com/articles/113/1137550p1.html

The end is near. That’s right, kids, it’s been a hell of a ride, but AMC’s six-episode mega-hit series “The Walking Dead” is drawing to a close. In the end the show has lived up to all expectations, and the wait for Season 2 is going to be nothing short of agonizing. Missed an episode? No worries. You’re going to be able to catch up or relive the goods in succession.

On Sunday, December 5th, starting at 4:30/3:30c, AMC will air the entire first season of “The Walking Dead”, culminating with the season finale at 10/9c.

Full Article: http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/41186/walking-dead-marathon-amc-sunday

Other than a bullet to the brain or the odd axe handle upside the noggin, it seems that nothing can stop AMC’s The Walking Dead.

The fall’s biggest buzzmaker scared up its best numbers Sunday night, as the fifth and penultimate episode of season one drew 5.56 million total viewers. The Nov. 28 installment of the zombie-apocalypse serial also put up its strongest demo performance, averaging 3.71 million viewers 18-49 and 3.31 million adults 25-54, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data.

Through the first five installments, The Walking Dead is averaging 5.09 million total viewers, making it far and away AMC’s most-watched original series. By comparison, season four of the critics’ darling Mad Men averaged 2.92 million viewers, while the even more compelling drama Breaking Bad delivered 1.52 million viewers per episode in its third season.

Once the live-plus-seven deliveries are accounted for, look for The Walking Dead to cover even more ground. When seven days of time-shifted viewing were thrown into the mix, the season opener averaged 4.54 million viewers 18-49, an increase of 27 percent from the 3.57 million members of the demo who tuned in on the premiere date (Oct. 31).

Full Article: http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/cable-tv/e3i34a063bb249a3cf28015f492381314c1

Makeup and effects artist Joe Giles, the unofficial zombie rep of AMC’s The Walking Dead, spills his guts on becoming the undead poster boy and his thrilling role in Michael Jackson’s This Is It. The Walking Dead airs at 9 tonight.

Are you more of an effects guy or an actor?

My main job is I work in the effects shop at KNB EFX Group. I do acting here and there.

Entertainment Weekly and others have used this one horrifying photo of you as an emblem of the undead. How’s that feel?

It’s really great! My buddy called me from the supermarket and said, “Hey Joe, you’re in Entertainment Weekly!” I don’t even know most of the time – I’ll just pick up the magazine and say, “Whoa! There I am!”

Full Article: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-peo_1128gd.State.Edition1.4b83eda.html

“One of my other zombie friends from the show texted me a picture and was like, ‘Look! You’re on the cover!’” says Alyssa Courtney Gruhn (a.k.a., “Bottom right cover zombie”). “I was like, ‘Whaaat?’ It came out of nowhere. It was pretty awesome.” Music store manager Charles Casey was similarly surprised to find himself following in the EW cover-decorating footsteps of such luminaries as Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, and, uh, the dog from Frasier. “I got a call from my boss, who subscribes, and he informed me that I was on the cover,” says Casey, who is the zombie on the far left. “I actually work next to a Barnes & Noble, so I gave the heads up to my friend who works there and he bought all the copies they got this week. I have 15 sitting in front of me.”

Full Article: http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/11/27/walking-dead-cover-nicotero-kirkman/

Both shows have to do with groups being (no pun intended) LOST, in The Walking Dead it’s one group in the city while the other in the woods hiding from the Walkers.

Both shows have one main male character who both share many characteristics watch Jack and Rick in one episode and you will begin to draw parallels No only the male but the main female characters too show themselves as women warriors and very defiant females who are a power house in their group.

The whole sense of survival and the story not including the zombies, the characters go through a whole crucible. While Lost was on ABC a major network, and The Walking Dead on AMC which is not a major network TWD has more freedom, which may be the reason why it has so much gore especially for TV…

Full Article: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/the_walking_dead/news/?a=25711

How in the world did a show that begins with a policeman shooting a little (albeit zombified) girl in the head ever make it on to television? And how did it become the hottest new series of the year? The new issue of Entertainment Weekly examines the past, present, and future of AMC’s zombie survival epic, The Walking Dead — from the comic book’s humble beginnings, to unlikely path to the small screen, to even more unlikely path as a bona fide hit. We talk to all the key players, including comic creator Robert Kirkman, executive producers Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd, and star Andrew Lincoln, who was as shocked as anybody by the subject matter when he was first approached for the project. “I got an e-mail outlining the project,” says Lincoln. “The first thing I read was ‘AMC.’ I went, ‘Great! I’ve been waiting for an AMC opportunity!’ Then it said ‘The Walking Dead.’ Terrific title. Then the names. ‘Frank Darabont.’ ‘Gale Anne Hurd.’ Great. And then it said ‘Zombie survival horror.’ I think I actually did a literal double take. I was like, ‘Really?!’

For more on The Walking Dead, check out the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on sale Nov. 29.

Q: Daryl seems well-suited to the apocalypse. Do you think you’d fare as well?

A: Oh no way dude, I would run and hide. I don’t know what I would do. I’d probably just end up stealing a purple Lamborghini and go joy-riding until a walker caught me. I mean, I am pretty tough, but I’m not Daryl tough.

Q: Having starred in Blade II, where do you land on the Vampires vs. Zombies debate?

A: Dude I am so about this show right now, so I say zombies all the way. I have got to say this is one of the most fun jobs I have ever had. Vampires are fun too, and that was a blast, but I am all about the zombies right now.

Q: Having become known for your Irish accent, was it difficult to pull off a Southern one?

A: Actually Irish is harder to pull off. I know southern people and I really like the midwest, so I can tap into that a little bit. It’s easier to sound angry with southern than it is Irish. Yelling Irish you can sound like an angry Leprechaun. I think me screaming like I am going to kill you in Irish doesn’t work. Plus, it just goes so well with Daryl. It’s just something about having a crossbow and having squirrels around your neck and being sweaty down in Atlanta.

Full Article: Q&A – Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon) – The Walking Dead – AMC

If you thought you’d seen the last of Grickle creator Graham Annable’s comic commentary on your favorite TV shows after Lost wrapped earlier this year, then think again. After catching the first four episodes of AMC’s The Walking Dead, the cartoonist is back at lovingly parodying his televised dramas of choice. For those who have tuned in, it’s a wonderland of leaps in logic. But be careful fans who are waiting to watch the season in a batch — these hilarious gags are all kinds of spoilery.

Full Article: AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’ Gets Parodied by Graham Annable [Art] – ComicsAlliance | Comics culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews

It seems a bit odd that my three main objections to a graphic TV series about flesh-eating zombies is that it lacks realism, that its characters are hackneyed, and that it has too few flesh-eating zombies. After all, it’s hardly a genre most folks associate with realism or complex characters and not having zombies seems to miss the point. Our hopes were so high, but AMC’s The Walking Dead sadly does lack realism, falling into the usual horror film trap of forcing its characters to do stupid things for no better reason that it is necessary to propel the plot. If stupid were money, these characters would be George Soros.

Full Article: Big Hollywood » Blog Archive » ‘The Walking Dead’: Populated with Racist Southerners & Dumb Characters