Glen Mazzara stepping down as EP

[Darthphere]

A set insider who probably has their own agenda.

[Sawyer]

It's T-Dog. He wants back on the show, now that there'll be a new showrunner.

[Sawyer]

http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/glen...ox-tv-studios/

Glen Mazzara Signs Overall Deal With Fox TV Studios
By NELLIE ANDREEVA

Three months after his highly publicized exit from AMC’s The Walking Dead, former Walking Dead executive producer/showrunner Glen Mazzara has launched his own production company, 44 Strong Prods, and has signed an overall deal with Fox TV Studios. Under the pact, Mazzara will develop cable series through 44 Strong — named after his address in Brooklyn, 44 Strong Place — and will shepherd other writers on their own shows. It reunites the writer-producer with FtvS, the studio behind FX’s The Shield, where Mazzara spent six seasons. “The Shield was the show that really put FtvS on the map, and Glen was a huge part of that show’s success,” FtvS president David Madden said. “Years later, Glen has become a lauded and expert showrunner, and after his extraordinary stint on The Walking Dead, we are proud to bring Glen back home.” Added Mazzara, “I’ve had a long history with Fox Television Studios… This is where I want to be, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner as I take the next step in my career.” Mazzara joined hit The Walking Dead in Season 1 as a freelance writer, rising quickly up the ranks to become series developer/showrunner Frank Darabont’s No. 2. Upon Darabont’s departure, Mazzara was elevated to showrunner for the second and third seasons, which have been smashing ratings ratings. Prior to The Walking Dead, Mazzara served as creator and showrunner of Crash, Starz’s series adaptation of the Oscar-winning film. He also co-executive produced NBC’s Life.

[Sakuraba]

Reading this thread again, and the old "insider" rumors about the second half of season 3 dipping in quality and how apparent it would be...

BULLS***

The second half has been excellent, and we got what was probably the best episode since the pilot. Is there any info out there for what Mazzara was wanting to do in season 4 that so offended AMC and Kirkman?

[Randal Graves]

Here's something from Gale Anne Hurd:

I think it's odd that people think [Mazzara] was fired. The truth is his contract was up and there was a negotiation that ended up not working out. That's often the case.

http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethe...n-4-plans.html

Hmm...

[Shifty]

Originally Posted by Sakuraba

Reading this thread again, and the old "insider" rumors about the second half of season 3 dipping in quality and how apparent it would be...

BULLS***

The second half has been excellent, and we got what was probably the best episode since the pilot. Is there any info out there for what Mazzara was wanting to do in season 4 that so offended AMC and Kirkman?

Could be they did produce great shows but the scripts were handed in late or they had to shut down production while they rewrote scripts which costs the network money. And then maybe they didn't like his pitch for season four. You can be a great writer but there are more aspects to being a showrunner and perhaps the pressure got to him and he dropped the ball in some places.

That was one of the reasons Dan Harmon was canned from Community, having scripts come in late and being a dick to the network.

[Sakuraba]

Yeah, but the sources said you'd see the quality of the show drop in the second half of season 3, yet the show keeps improving. That nugget of information did not pan out.

I saw the stories about there being days when there was no material to shoot, but I specifically wanted to know what Mazzara wanted to do in season four since that was cited as one reason for his sacking.

[Sawyer]

These have been good episodes, but the first half of the season was undoubtedly better.

[Legion]

Originally Posted by Sakuraba

Reading this thread again, and the old "insider" rumors about the second half of season 3 dipping in quality and how apparent it would be...

BULLS***

The second half has been excellent, and we got what was probably the best episode since the pilot. Is there any info out there for what Mazzara was wanting to do in season 4 that so offended AMC and Kirkman?

I'd say that's a matter of opinion...I think it HAS dropped in quality. All of the episodes since the show came back for the second half have felt like filler. They are killing any tension that existed from the first half of the season. The episodes are poorly acted and full of cliches. Some times it feels like a day time soap opera.

[Zatanna]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

These have been good episodes, but the first half of the season was undoubtedly better.

I totally agree.

[Shifty]

Originally Posted by Sakuraba

Yeah, but the sources said you'd see the quality of the show drop in the second half of season 3, yet the show keeps improving. That nugget of information did not pan out.

I saw the stories about there being days when there was no material to shoot, but I specifically wanted to know what Mazzara wanted to do in season four since that was cited as one reason for his sacking.

We probably won't find out until after season four. Someone will interview Glen and ask him what his pitch was and enough time will have passed where he'll tell.

Increasing the episode order to 16 has been a challenge. I hope for next season they try and use each half as a mini-season.

[Darthphere]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

These have been good episodes, but the first half of the season was undoubtedly better.

I think they've been about the same, actually better IMO. Clear can be argued as the best episode of the series and the following episodes have been great. I don't think the first half has been "better".

[Sakuraba]

Originally Posted by Legion

I'd say that's a matter of opinion...I think it HAS dropped in quality. All of the episodes since the show came back for the second half have felt like filler. They are killing any tension that existed from the first half of the season. The episodes are poorly acted and full of cliches. Some times it feels like a day time soap opera.

Yeah, but that feels like a minority opinion, at least with respect to these episodes being filler.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Darthphere

I think they've been about the same, actually better IMO. Clear can be argued as the best episode of the series and the following episodes have been great. I don't think the first half has been "better".

*takes off belt*

You know I don't like backtalk, Darth.

[Darthphere]

Originally Posted by Sakuraba

Yeah, but that feels like a minority opinion, at least with respect to these episodes being filler.

It feels that way because it is. How anyone can call these episodes filler is beyond me. I could see that argument for season 2 but not for this season. If anything, there was a few "filler" episodes in the first half of the season as well.

Originally Posted by Sawyer

*takes off belt*

You know I don't like backtalk, Darth.

Now now, lets not make this sexual.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Darthphere

Now now, lets not make this sexual.

It's never been anything but!

[Darthphere]

Butt what?

[Sawyer]

What what...

[Darthphere]

In the butt?

[Sawyer]

How inappropriate.

[Sakuraba]

Originally Posted by Darthphere

It feels that way because it is. How anyone can call these episodes filler is beyond me. I could see that argument for season 2 but not for this season. If anything, there was a few "filler" episodes in the first half of the season as well.

I guess all of this time devoted to developing characters and paying off old storylines just gets the way of the one big battle that some people want stretched over eight episodes.

[Schlosser85]

This has been my favorite season.

[Randal Graves]

I dunno. I mixed on this half of the season. The story seems kinda stretched out ever since they came back from mid-season break.

There are really good moments in there though, but it does seem the report of production being shut down could be true. Like, is that when Mazzara and AMC started having problems? Because it feels a bit different from the back half of season 2 and the beginning of season 3.

Or it could be just me.

[Darthphere]

It's called building up to the story's conclusion. That thing that irritates me is when people cry about filler episodes, it's mostly comes down to them believing that because there was no big battle or crazy **** going down. There has been some amazing character development over the last few episodes. It's filler because people were talking too much essentially.

[Schlosser85]

The last few episodes have been awesome.