Scott Gimple tapped as new Showrunner

[Sawyer]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/liv...mazzara-406144

Scott Gimple Tapped as New 'Walking Dead' Showrunner
1:00 PM PST 1/14/2013 by Lesley Goldberg

The executive producer joined the zombie drama in season two and will take over for Glen Mazzara, becoming the series' third showrunner.

AMC's The Walking Dead has found its third showrunner.

Executive producer Scott Gimple will become the zombie drama's new showrunner, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Gimple replaces season three showrunner Glen Mazzara, who cited creative differences with the drama and departed the series in late December.

Gimple first joined the series based on the comics created by Robert Kirkman in season two and penned the third and seventh episodes, co-writing the 10th episode with Mazzara. He wrote the sixth and upcoming penultimate episodes of season three.

When Mazzara was promoted to showrunner after Frank Darabont's abrupt dismissal ahead of the season two premiere, Mazzara tapped Gimple as his No. 2.

Gimple would become the third showrunner to take the helm of the series when it resumes production later this year for season four. Mazzara took over as showrunner midway through season two, after Darabont had already completed production on the first few episodes of the season. Mazzara will remain on board as showrunner through the second half of season three, overseeing postproduction on the series, with filming already having been completed on the final eight episodes of the ratings juggernaut.

"Both parties acknowledge that there is a difference of opinion about where the show should go moving forward and conclude that it is best to part ways," AMC said in a statement early Friday announcing show's fourth-season renewal. "This decision is amicable, and Glen will remain on for postproduction on season 3B as showrunner and executive producer."

Sources told THR that Mazzara's shortcomings in running the series became "abundantly clear ... especially for the second half of the season," with production shut down several times because of a lack of material.

Gimple's credits include Chase, FlashForward and Life. He's repped by UTA and Thruline.

Glad they're keeping it in the family. Hope he enjoys it while it lasts. AMC will probably just pull the rug out from under him at the end of his second season as showrunner.

[Kane52630]

Countdown before he loses his job by the end of the season.

[Sawyer]

Pretty much. The episodes he's written for the series so far have been pretty great, but there's no telling how that will translate to showrunning ability.

Still, good or bad, AMC will have no problem making him walk the plank sooner or later, I'm sure.

[Sawyer]

Fairly Accurate Analogy

[the dmg]

I still want to know what these shortcomings are, but I wish Gimple luck as the new showrunner.

[Sawyer]

If said "shortcomings" were Mazzara's difference of opinions with Kirkman, ehhhh I gotta be honest... I think Mazzara might have been a bigger asset for the series going forward than Kirkman is. Yeah, it's his book, but if I'm going to be honest, Andrea's annoyingness notwithstanding, this season thus far has surpassed a tremendous amount of stuff to come out of the book. It's been a helluva ride. Sad to lose Mazzara, and hope Gimple keeps up the good work. If not...

[TDK elbowstrike]

Yeah, the episodes Gimple wrote were pretty good. I just hope they stay invested in their showrunner this time. And I hope the AMC execs stay off his back and let him do the job he was hired to do.

[Sawyer]

It's Official

Plus they've added a new writer from White Collar.

[Randal Graves]

Let's hope this lasts. Gimple wrote some great episodes.

[Sawyer]

I really wonder what Gimple's run on the show will look like compared to Mazzara's and Darabont's... and more importantly, how long it will last.

[Randal Graves]

Gimple's will be radical, or course!

IGN: Cool! Any teases you can give us about what’s coming in Season 4?

Kirkman: I’ll say that there are a lot of familiar elements that are remaining. Michonne is still around, Rick and his group are still in the prison, the Governor’s still out there… so there are a lot of things that are carrying over from Season 3 to Season 4, but I can’t stress how different things are going to be. There are going to be some radical changes to those elements that are going to bring in a lot of new storytelling. While [Season 4] does seem somewhat familiar, it’s going to be vastly different from Season 3.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/...eases-season-4