The Future Looks Grim

Last week we were shocked to learn that Frank Darabont left The Walking Dead after having enthusiastically promoted the show only days before at Comic-Con. Clearly, something unpleasant was afoot behind the scenes.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the problem might stem from money being poured into AMC’s flagship show Mad Men. A renegotiated contract lead to a pay hike for its creator and executive producer Matt Weiner to the tune of $10 million per season—with no budget cuts to the show.

Meanwhile, the budget for The Walking Dead has been slashed $250,000 per episode and Breaking Bad’s season five show order has been reduced to six or eight from thirteen—prompting Sony Television (the studio behind the show) to consider selling it to another network.

Interestingly enough, The Walking Dead handily surpasses both shows in terms of viewership. It averaged 6 million viewers per episode during its first season while Mad Men averaged 4.3 million last season and Breaking Bad 2.3 million this year.

AMC president Charlie Collier had this to say on The Walking Dead budget cuts:

“If you look at pilot budgets vs. pattern budgets usually the pilot budget is much higher than what ends up being the pattern budget. With The Walking Dead, instead of doing a pilot, we went straight to 6 episodes because we believed in the team and the talent in front and behind the camera. Then we came back with a 13-episode second season, and amortization over 13 episodes is very different than over 6. But we settled into one of the highest pattern budgets for a basic cable series,” said Collier.

Still, it seems counterintuitive to take anything away from a show that is clearly AMC’s biggest hit. I like Mad Men, but The Walking Dead should be their top priority—and they may have lost the show’s driving force because they don’t have their priorities in order.

(via The LA Times and TWDP)

Re-Kill

It’s been 5 years since the outbreak that wiped out 85% of the world’s population, but the war between Re-Animates (Re-Ans) and Humans wages on. Most of the major cities are still uninhabitable. Within the few surviving cities, the Re-Ans have been segregated into “zones” and are policed by the R-Division of the QUASI S.W.A.T. Unit who hunt to re-kill the Re-Ans in the hope of quelling a second outbreak.

“R-Division, Frontline” is America’s #1 TV show in this Post-Apocalyptic world. Weekly, the show follows different R-Division units on the battlefield as they work to keep America Safe and Re-An free. Jimmy, the videographer for the Outbreak Network, thought this week’s episode would be like every other. He was wrong. Through the lens of his eyes and camera, we see raw, revealed and uncut, that which could be mankind’s last day.

The footage you are about to see is graphic and disturbing and may not be suitable for children. Viewer discretion is highly advised. Here

A Very Zombie Holiday

From the gamer girls that your brought your that horrible but pretty hot Gamer Girls and Geeks video (ala Katie Perry – California Girls). But, this is much better and has some real useful info as well. enjoi

AMC Beauty Tips from The Walking Dead

AMC has released another behind-the-scenes featurette from The Walking Dead, this time examining the fascinating work that went into creating the make-up effects for the first zombie that will appear on the show. What’s so great about this clip is the old-school make-up work that is being done on the series. The classic techniques on display above would be just as home on an 1983 episode of Standby: Lights, Camera, Action as they are here.Topless Robot – Beauty Tips from the Walking Dead.

SDCC: See The Walking Dead Walk in This Horrible Bootlegged Trailer

Topless Robot – SDCC: See The Walking Dead Walk in This Horrible Bootlegged Trailer.

Music TV and Zombies Bwhaa?

So for some reason WordPress doesn’t like to embed Flash movies on my page. Maybe I just need to get a real account or uncheck a box or something, who knows. But here’s the link to watch this footage on M-tv’s site. Cause ya when I think Zombies, I think M-tv… wtf!

M-tv Zombies!

The Goon = Joy

This looks very interesting. Action, some yucks, and the undead! What more could you ask for, wait it’s based off a comic. Whats that you say!? Well pure awesomeness is correct.

Meet The Cast of The Walking Dead

There have been a few photos and a poster from the Frank Darabont shoot and Andrew Lincoln in character as Rick Grimes, but this is the first time we have seen the full cast together for the first season of AMC’s The Walking Dead – The adaption of Robert Kirkman’s zombie comic.

From left to right we have a zombie, possibly Emma Bell as Amy , Jon Bernthal as Shane Walsh, Steven Yuen as Glenn, Sarah Wayne Callies as Lori Grimes, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Jeffrey DeMunn as Dale and Laurie Holden as Andrea.

The photo looks great and matches the style of the comic book. Everyone looks spot on, but I still have a niggling doubt about Lincoln as the lead. Doesn’t look quite right, but will wait to see him in action.

Topless Robot – Meet the Walking Food of the Walking Dead.

The Least Practical, Most Awesome Zombie Weapon Ever

Topless Robot – The Least Practical, Most Awesome Zombie Weapon Ever.

So if any of you were wondering what to pick up for my bday. THIS! And form of this would be the best present, ok pretty close to a years membership to Craft Beer of the Month Club (thx family!) but awesome none the less. Here’s the OG post from Unreality.com The link is to Topless Robot, a great Nerd Blog.

It’s the greatest weapon possibly ever conceived, the RPC, or Rocket Propelled Chainsaw.  Yes, it is EXACTLY what it sounds like, and provided you have an unlimited amount of chainsaws, you’ll be the zombie killing champion of the post-apocalyptic world.

I’m frankly surprised such a device hasn’t shown up in a game or a movie yet, but there’s still hope for Dead Rising 3, which literally attaches chainsaws to everything you could possibly imagine. I’m pretty sure the protagonist of that game will literally have chainsaws for arms, legs and a head, with a secret compartment in his chest…for another chainsaw.

Part Two of Quint’s day on the set of THE WALKING DEAD!

A few days ago I posted on Quint’s day on the set of AMC’s upcoming series The Walking Dead. This was a two part post and he is back with the rest of the day and some more photos. After reading this, I have very high hopes for The Walking Dead. It seems that the people making this are very into it. And the writer has a lot of influence over what happens with the story. Nothing I hate worse then a great book, or comic and someone decides that they know better then the author. Normally if it was popular enough to become a movie/tv series then the book/comic had something going. Don’t fuck up a good thing!!

Sorry had to vent there a little. And now the link to rest of the story. Here!