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The Walking Dead Changes Showrunner As Ratings Fall

Dead swap.

149 Comments

AMC's zombie drama The Walking Dead is changing showrunners. It has been reported that Scott Gimple will leave the role he has occupied since 2013, and will be replaced by Angela Kang, who has previously worked on the show as a writer.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gimple will now serve as chief content officer for the Walking Dead media franchise, which also includes the spin-off show Fear the Walking Dead, as well as "gaming and future brand extensions on a variety of platforms." Kang has worked on the show since 2011, and has written over 20 episodes. She will take over at the start of Season 9, which is expected to premiere in the fall.

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This change of personnel comes at a time of falling ratings for The Walking Dead. The 7.9 million broadcast viewers of the mid-season finale last month was the lowest number since Season 2's in 2011. This is in comparison to the 10.58 million viewers that watched the mid-season of Season 7 in 2016, and nearly half of what the equivalent episode achieved for Season 5 in 2014.

Last month, producer David Alpert defended the show in light of its decline in viewers. He explained that looking at the figures for the show's live broadcast was misleading as to how popular it really is. "I don't think in any way the brand has lost its relevance in general," he said. "I think we're just seeing a decline in urgency across all media to consume something at a specific time. I still get people coming up to me at conventions talking about, they're in the middle of season six. They can't believe what's going on."

The Walking Dead Season 8 returns in February. In the meantime, you can click here to find out why we think Negan is ruining the show.

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peacebaby

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So they kill off all of the main characters that we have loved from the beginning and now Carl is going to die ,we only have Maggie who still isn’t showing she’s Preggo, Carol, Darryl,Rick and Michonne left. You give us characters that we don’t care about (WierdTrash people) ! Extra people to kill off and not care (The Kingdome, cared more about that ?tiger) . The Hill Top (Don’t Care ) And Negan who has grown to be just annoying. So in conclusion, if you want to know why ratings have gone down it was the episode you killed Glenn and Abraham cause it went to sh#t after that. I am going to finish out this season and that’s it ! Toodles

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LonelyHippie27

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@peacebaby: That was actually the only decent episode they had in a really long time. I'm talking since season 4. That episode was pulled right from the comics. Abraham should have had his comic death. It was way more suiting for him but instead they gave it to a totally meaningless character.

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slider9499

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Edited By slider9499

The show is past its prime. It should have wrapped up a season or two after the Governor was knocked off. Neegan is the single most annoying character in tv history. And not annoying in a good way. When he is on the screen the show spirals out of control and I want to turn it off. The actor is so one dimensional in his moves, speech pattern - it truly is comical. It is totally absurd to believe that no one can just kill this guy! He has a baseball bat! That's it. A baseball bat. He should have died a few shows after he was introduced to the series. It has become repetirive, boring and monotonous. The show needs to end and wrap things up with this season, which really should be its last.

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peacebaby

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@slider9499: do you remember when Rick was a crazy mother f#cker, he was biting peoples ears off and sh#t , killing people left and right ? Now all the sudden he’s a pussy who can’t take down a guy with a bat ! Lol

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slider9499

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@peacebaby: well said.

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Merwanor

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Wrap it up!

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XenomorphAlien

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Bad writing, no end in sight.

Time to put down this sick dog.

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Wasteland2058

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The Negan character is just becoming annoying and boring now, he should have been killed off already. Kill him off and do something new with the show please.

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Chronica

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@wasteland2058: If everything said is true, you won't be getting your wish. They say Gimple made the decision he did with Carl to 'give Rick a reason not to kill Negan'.

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Avatar image for deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911
deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911

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Stopped watching years ago after they showed men lip locking in my living room. I know everyone is promoting the LGBT agenda now a days, but I didn't need to see that. LGBT characters are fine as long as what they do is kept behind closed doors. Seems to be the way of Hollywood now. I miss the good ole days when TV shows were entertainment, not just another avenue to promote a political agenda.

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chriss_m

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@EliOli: just a quick note: I accidentally upvoted your ridiculously entitled whining.

Just in case anyone thinks your comment is more popular than it actually is.

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Avatar image for deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911
deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911

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@chriss_m: No whining here on my part. Just a comment in the comments section. I was under the impression that the comment section was for comments. And if you did up vote me by accident, just click on it again to un-click it. There is no need to whine to me about your mistake.

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micdagoat19

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@EliOli: Yeah he had no need to inform you he upvoted by mistake other than to make a comment and make himself feel important.

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chriss_m

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@micdagoat19: Except I was on an iPad, which isn't responsive. Otherwise, I would have whizzed right past his comment. Nice try, though.

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mypetmonkey

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@chriss_m: Cool story

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micdagoat19

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@mypetmonkey: Made no sense lol

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micdagoat19

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@plefrancois: Now thats a little much. I didnt wanna see it either but its not that serious.

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Avatar image for deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911
deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911

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@plefrancois: Never said that God hates homosexuals. God actually loves everyone, including those caught up in the sin of homosexuality. And... Because He loves everyone,. He does not like this push in our modern culture to legitimize and celebrate sexually deviant behavior. It will only lead people astray.

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Henry_The_Red

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@EliOli: That's why you stopped watching? Not because of the poor writing and foolish subplots..but because two men kissed? This way of thinking is pathetic. When you grow up, the world is going to be a scary place where adults kiss and hold hands, don't worry..they won't give you cooties.

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deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911

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@Henry_The_Red: Yep... I still have control over what enters my home. Let the world do what it wants outside my house. You have the right to do the same. I won't tell you what you should allow in your home. This is known as freedom of choice my friend.

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micdagoat19

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Edited By micdagoat19

@EliOli: They should have a filter for certain things when watching shows at home. That would be great

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Henry_The_Red

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@EliOli: I can not be friends with someone that narrow-minded.

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deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911

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@Henry_The_Red: I can't be friends with a person that tells me what I should or should not allow in my own home. So it works out just fine for me.

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Henry_The_Red

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@EliOli: Firstly, I never did tell you what to do. Secondly, I never called you my friend. Reading comprehension is fun.

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deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911

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@Henry_The_Red: Never said you called me your friend and yes you told me what to do. Like I said, I wont tell you what you should allow in your home and I'm going to decide what's allowed in mine.

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Avatar image for deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911
deactivated-5c60a3d1c2911

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@yourefakenews: Of course you do. It's attitudes just like yours that tells me I did the right thing.

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X-7

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@EliOli: Just looking at his name I cringed. XD

Thank you Eli for taking a stand for what is right. I was about to stop watching the show myself due to the introduction of the homosexual content. I said if it occurred one more time I would stop watching. (The lazy writing was not helping) Ironically the thing that killed it for me was Negan's murder porn episode where he brutalized Glen and Abraham. The show already had a few kills that were pushing things,however, that put it over the top. I could not support the show anymore after they began pushing the homosexuality and pointless, over the top violence.

People should be allowed to do what they want in their homes. Whether it be having homosexual relations or deciding to turn of the TV. It is narrow minded to believe that everyone should believe as "you" just because. Whether or not "you" agree with homosexuality or not does not matter as much as respecting others' beliefs. No matter how misguided "you" believe them to be. The "you" in this case are those saying you, Eli, are narrow minded in your beliefs. Stay strong. Never give in. Those who are persecuted for his sake will be rewarded.

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GamerSince78

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season 8...and still no talk of a cure, or....even how this disease came to be....season 8! Tells you everything you need to know about the planning that went into this show over the years, or lack there of.

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Chronica

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@gamersince78: Who the hell's gonna make the cure? The only one of any remote intelligence is Eugene, and he is NOT THAT smart.

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YoureFakeNews

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@gamersince78:

Ahh

I see you never read the books.

Good to know.

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slider9499

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@yourefakenews So thats the criteria now, you have to have read the source material or you cannot criticize a bad show? Grow up.

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wexorian

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Edited By wexorian

@gamersince78: What cure? zombies should be DEAD after year or so MAX.

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pelvist

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@wexorian: A lot of them should be yeah, but as it was explained in season 1 and 2, everyone is already infected so Zombies would still be around since anyone that died would turn into one.

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Dragerdeifrit

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@wexorian: A vaccine at least, the show needs an overarching plot. They need to find a charcater who is immune to the infection or something, it wouldn't be original or new, but it would be something.... the show has been on the same loop for 8 seasons, give the charcaters and the viewers something interesteing to look forward. Make the Zombies mutate into somthing more dangerous like the red heads of RE: Remake or something... -_-

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micdagoat19

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@Dragerdeifrit Hopefully Carl is immune

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MoondogCCR

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@wexorian: This is my main gripe. Honorary mention to the poorly written characters and situations (all of them by now).

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deactivated-6793e8ba0e8bf

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Running into the DBZ problem of trying not to catch up to the source material. Drawing things out and using filler. Game of Thrones was pretty much forced to circumvent this, and it may be time for WD to do the same, but that could really hurt the comic sales.

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Dark_Matters

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The show is appropriately named.

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X-7

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@Dark_Matters: HAHAHA! So true. The show was dragging on with ZERO purpose or reason to watch it. They kept killing off core members and bringing in sad replacements only for them to die after 3 or 4 episodes. What a joke.

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deactivated-5eecdca5bab06

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The reason why ratings have fallen is because people have gotten tired of the show. There are way too many filler episodes or moments that take place within an episode, just to get to an actual point which will further move forward the story. If TWD was like Breaking Bad in terms of story arc where every episode is crucial because every scene is important to further the story then it would be better. Mr Robot has taken inspiration from Breaking Bad as all the episodes in the three seasons so far have all been crucial. And I don't believe it will go over 5 seasons. Sons of Anarchy did go over 5 seasons just and because of that it got dragged slightly too long just like The Sopranos. But TWD has no real purpose anymore, like the gang has tried to survive in different locations and at this point know wherever they go it will always end the same. So because there is no purpose this show will continue on for no good reason until everyone dies. And at that point when they loss even more big name characters, they will hire new actors to become the new Glenn, or Rick, or Shane. The Walking Dead has turned more into a marketing franchise to sell things rather than a great TV show with the purpose of being a tight knit meaningful story about a set of characters.

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X-7

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@nickyparmar92: Hit the nail on the head. The relationships ceased to mean anything a long time ago. Just a merch pushing franchise now. Like Star Wars. But let's not get into that...

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karnis

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I'll watch it till it's done but the show needs to end

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GanonsDad

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i've watched since day 1 but honestly, TWD is getting tired. the time has come to wrap this thing up, put it to bed and go out on a high note.

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DecadentDescent

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@ganonsdad: "...and go out on a high note."

Sorry to say but that ship has already sailed.

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LonelyHippie27

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@decadentdescent: Yup, that is impossible at this point

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bruta

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Show died when Shane died.

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Hillsy_

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Walking Dead should be 12 episodes, too drawn out now. Rick would have killed Negan when Gabrielle spoke to Rick. Rick wouldn't have changed his mind. Negan is dangerous, we know how much from the end of season 6, beginning of season 7 and the end of season 7, Rick would have killed him at the earliest opportunity in season 8 without hesitation.

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