The creator of the world’s reigning hit cable TV drama, The Walking Dead, has spoken for the first time about the rift which nearly tore the hit US series apart from the inside.
Asked by Rolling Stone magazine whether he still watches the series he created, but was unceremoniously pushed out of, writer/producer Frank Darabont did not mince his words.
“Are you f-cking kidding me No,” he said in reply. “You put that traumatic disappointment behind you and move on with your life.”
Darabont created The Walking Dead for the US channel AMC in 2010.
A schism behind the scenes saw him walk away from the production after only one year.
It is now steered by a team of executive producers including Gale Ann Hurd and Greg Nicotera.
No one associated with the program has talked about the split in any detail, and interviews with the producers are usually preceded by a warning that the subject is off limits.
But Darabont has opened up to US journalist Blaine McEvoy in an interview which will be published in the US edition of Rolling Stone next month.
Asked about the series’ direction since he left, Darabont said he had no idea where it was at.
“I wouldn’t know,” he said. “I haven’t seen an episode of The Walking Dead since then.”
Darabont said that after the split he needed to take time off to “reassess everything”.
He said he had to “get over the emotional devastation of having some truly malevolent people tear asunder a brilliant family that had gathered to create this hit for them.
“When somebody throws a hand-grenade into that situation, it’s tremendously emotionally trying.”
Darabont is now working on another series, Mob City, for the US channel TNT.
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– Sydney Morning Herald
