I think it was due to budget concerns. He wanted more money spent on the show per episode, the studios just care about ratings.

@NotoriousRio said:

I think it was due to budget concerns. He wanted more money spent on the show per episode, the studios just care about ratings.

Yeah, from what I understand AMC kept interfering with creative control because they wanted to produce the show on the cheap. It still hadn't experienced its massive global surge in popularity. This is why most of Season 2 was spent on Hershel's farm. They were literally pinching pennies on every walker and every walker kill shown. I'm not sure what Darabont's original concept was for the storyline but it didn't involve them staying put for long. I've heard a trip to Washington DC was involved, and he actually wanted to film on-location at certain places where it would be allowed - i.e. not the Capitol Building or the White House, maybe the mall or the Lincoln Memorial, places like that. Can't confirm this. I've just heard it mentioned multiple times. Anyway, whatever he wanted to do they wouldn't let him do it and kept meddling in every decision so he got pissed off and quit.

Apparently Jeffrey DeMunn (Dale) announced he wanted to be written off the show after Frank Darabont's departure. He later changed his mind, but the producers told him the script had been written and the money already budgeted for his character's death scene so it was too late. Did I mention before that they were being cheap as hell in Season 2? The original story didn't call for him to die then. I believe in the comic it was Dale the governor killed instead of Hershel, who had already died when the group got driven off his farm.

@chrisjdel said:

Apparently Jeffrey DeMunn (Dale) announced he wanted to be written off the show after Frank Darabont's departure. He later changed his mind, but the producers told him the script had been written and the money already budgeted for his character's death scene so it was too late. Did I mention before that they were being cheap as hell in Season 2? The original story didn't call for him to die then. I believe in the comic it was Dale the governor killed instead of Hershel, who had already died when the group got driven off his farm.

Dale actually had Bob's death in the comics. He was the one yelling "tainted meat". Tyrese had Hershel's death in the comics. Beheaded by the Governor.

@tipsymcstaggers said: Dale actually had Bob's death in the comics. He was the one yelling "tainted meat". Tyrese had Hershel's death in the comics. Beheaded by the Governor.

Good to know. I've avoided reading the comics while the series is ongoing because I don't want the potential spoiler of knowing more or less what to expect. I could see Dale enjoying the look on Gareth's face when he said that, though. Did the Terminus people live enough to see whether they got sick, or were they dispatched by Rick and the gang too quickly in the comics too?

@chrisjdel said@tipsymcstaggers said: Dale actually had Bob's death in the comics. He was the one yelling "tainted meat". Tyrese had Hershel's death in the comics. Beheaded by the Governor.

Good to know. I've avoided reading the comics while the series is ongoing because I don't want the potential spoiler of knowing more or less what to expect. I could see Dale enjoying the look on Gareth's face when he said that, though. Did the Terminus people live enough to see whether they got sick, or were they dispatched by Rick and the gang too quickly in the comics too?

I'm sorry if I gave too much away, but I figured, both events already happened in comics and the show. As far as I know, the terminus people were dispatched pretty quickly.

@tipsymcstaggers said: I'm sorry if I gave too much away, but I figured, both events already happened in comics and the show. As far as I know, the terminus people were dispatched pretty quickly.

Don't worry about it. Like you said, both things have already happened on the show. I'll probably read the comics eventually once the show ends (they're not going anywhere, right?).

@chrisjdel said:

@tipsymcstaggers said: I'm sorry if I gave too much away, but I figured, both events already happened in comics and the show. As far as I know, the terminus people were dispatched pretty quickly.

Don't worry about it. Like you said, both things have already happened on the show. I'll probably read the comics eventually once the show ends (they're not going anywhere, right?).

No, I wouldn't think so.