18. Nic Pizzolatto Quit The Killing To Develop True Detective
Before he jumped ship in 2011, Pizzolatto was a staff writer on The Killing, partly responsible (as co-writer) for season one's much-derided finale. His explanation for that apparent blip? A lack of control. "When you work on a show as a staffer, your job is to serve the showrunners vision", said Pizzolatto. "So, you know, there wasnt much ownership for me of it". He left two weeks into production on The Killing's second season, saying "I want to be the guiding vision. I don't do well serving someone else's vision. I'm not at my best there, and I don't think Im worth as much to the people who pay me".