Frank Darabont talks his “Walking Dead” departure, calls it “tremendously regretful”

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

It’s no surprise with Frank Darbont’s departure from AMC hit series “The Walking Dead” went a great portion of the show’s quality. Remember, they weren’t just losing Frank’s brain-trust, they’re budgets from season one to two nearly halved, this despite being the most popular cable TV show ever.

But Frank has moved on, set to launch his new gumshoe series “L.A. Noir” on TNT. Yet out promoting his new show, the inevitable “Walking Dead” subject was broached. As you might expect when you put your heart and soul into creating something from the ground up, here’s what Darbont had to say to TV Guide:

“It was, for the sake of my cast and my crew, a tremendously regretful thing to face, to have to leave. But I was really given no choice. I don’t understand the thinking behind, “Oh, this is the most successful show in the history of basic cable. Let’s gut the budgets now.” I never did understand that and I think they got tired of hearing me complain about it. It’s a little more complicated than that, but that’s as far as I want to go with it because otherwise it’s just provoking more controversy and that’s not really of interest to me. I just want to keep my head down and do my job and be allowed to do my job, that’s key, and continue to, hopefully, enjoy it and do good work.”

About the roiled nature of his departure in the press:

“It was a lot of obfuscation and on my end just maintaining what I thought was the most dignified silence that I could. Who needs a cat fight in the press, oy vey. There’s plenty of stuff in this world that I’m excited about doing, and how lovely that we’re getting the opportunity to do this with TNT. How great is that.”

Well, at least TNT seems to see eye to eye with Frank, for the time being anyway. You going to check out “L.A. Noir” when it hits the airwaves?

“The Walking Dead’s” Sarah Wayne Callies