Frank Darabont left
The Walking Dead as the showrunner six months ago due to unknown reasons, then it was up to Glen Mazzara(the second in command during Darabont's reign) to tave over as the first in charge. Now with the show about to come back from a big hiatus this Sunday, Mazzara spoke with
Vulture in a big interview, in which he discussed his early life and works, the transition to
The Walking Dead, and what we can expect from the show with his leadership.
But now, six months after Darabont left, with the first all-Mazzara episode about to air, can you say you have your own vision for the show? I do. I see it as a horror show, and that just means to me that it needs to be incredibly suspenseful. That suspense could come from interpersonal drama or it could come from the zombie scare of the week. I’ve really been trying — and you’ll see in these next six episodes, but even in the midseason finale, which was the first final script that Frank did not touch — I’ve been trying to amp up the intensity of the show. To make it feel less safe, more dangerous, more in your face, taking away any good options for the characters. Their backs are against the wall and they’re frightened. I’m trying to keep the show as immediate as possible, so that an audience member can imagine themselves in that situation, and wonder, What would I do? That is something that I think I’m bringing to the show. Hopefully you can see that I’m trying to push people into new emotional territory.
Any particular characters you’ll be doing it with? In the second episode, you’ll see Lori [the lead character’s pregnant wife] make a choice which is very, very different for her and very unique, and I bet you people will have strong reactions on the Internet: "Would she do this, wouldn’t she do this? I hate her!" or "I can’t believe what she’s doing!" And I’m just trying to explore new characters.
There have been recent news stories about things that Darabont wanted to do with the second season that were overruled by AMC. Were they — and you — unhappy with where he was taking the show? Well, I would like to say that the first part of the season was something that Frank Darabont had a large hand in, and I helped design that under his direction. That was a vision that we both believed in. It was not a vision that he had and I didn’t believe in or that I had and Frank didn’t believe in. It’s not true that Frank had a particular vision of the show that was rejected by AMC and then I was brought in to create a demonstrably different vision of the show. That’s not accurate.
Want more? Head to
Vulture to read the full interview in which he gives in depth details about making changes on Darabont's scripts and more.
Thanks to
nailbiter111 for the heads up.
S2E08: "Nebraska": After the barn incident, there is much conflict among both groups of survivors, Hershel wants Rick and his group to leave immediately and Shane accuses Rick to be just as delusional as Hershel saying that Hershel knew about Sophia the whole time and hid her from the group. Dale tells Andrea to be careful about her relationship with Shane since Dale knows what kind of person Shane is and now wants him gone from the group. He also reveals this to Lori, including the fate of Otis. The Walking Dead returns Sunday, February 12 on AMC!
ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.