Television has a title for the person who runs the show. Know what it is? Its a showrunner. Makes sense, right? Now, think back to some of your favourite television shows of all time. Ill name a few of mine just for giggles. The Sopranos, Homeland, The Wire, Sons of Anarchy, Battlestar Galactica. Want to take a guess as to how many showrunners ran each individual show? One. One person ran each of those shows from beginning to end. Thats it. One vision, one direction, one consistent line of storytelling. Want to take a guess as to how many showrunners The Walking Dead has had? Three. Three showrunners in not even four full seasons. With that kind of chaotic change happening at the top, is it any wonder we have so many issues with the show? The first showrunner for The Walking Dead was Frank Darabont, who wrote and directed The Shawshank Redemption. I dont know about you, but that movie was so well done it made me want to go to prison just to see if I could escape. That same visionary storytelling was evident in the first season of the show, but Darabont wouldnt make it to the second season. He was reportedly fired after a strained relationship with AMC. The second showrunner for The Walking Dead was Glen Mazzara. Glens background includes being a writer and executive producer on The Shield, a show that had a tremendous creative team, including Kurt Sutter, who went on to create and be the showrunner for Sons of Anarchy. But in December of 2012, Mazzara would get the ax from AMC as well, taking the show from the second season up until midway through the third. Mazzara cited a difference of opinion about where the show should go moving forward, as reasons for AMC letting him go. The third showrunner, Scott M. Gimple, is also the current showrunner. Hes co-produced the television show Chase, and was a story editor on Flashforward. The problem is, after so much disjointed management at the top, Gimple is now in the process of trying to right a ship that may be headed for jagged rocks. Or is he? For a successful show to fire two showrunners in less than two years is unheard of. And, reportedly, its due to the comic book creator Robert Kirkman wanting more control of the show. He was described as very proprietary, and when it comes down to it, AMC needs him to for the fanbase. So its very possible that the person pulling all the strings is Kirkman himself. This is a tremendous mistake, both on Kirkmans part and AMCs. Writing comic books is a completely different medium from writing television. It would be akin to a painter suddenly thinking he or she could develop an entire animated series when there are other, more qualified, more talented people to do it. By contrast, HBOs Game of Thrones is a colossal hit with no mismanagement or changes at showrunner, despite the series being based off George R.R. Martins book series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Now Martin is a producer on the show, but he understands that the television show and book are two separate entities, and must be treated as such. He doesnt hold HBOs feet to the fire over creative issues, rather he entrusts his show to the showrunners and offers consultation when necessary. This is a healthy relationship. Out of all the things needing change for The Walking Dead, the stability, freedom and vision for the showrunner is probably paramount. Its no wonder this list is so long after learning about the disorganisation at the top. And its a shame, because The Walking Dead was once a great show. And, just maybe, with some changes and stability at the top, it can be once again.
