Getting sacked from one of the most popular shows in TV history has made Frank Darabont very surly.

When we first found out that The Walking Dead was, at long last, getting a well-deserved television adaptation, Frank Darabont seemed a perfect choice to develop and executive-produce. And, in a way, he was. Looking back on the show's pilot, it still stands out as one of the finest hours of television ever.

But Darabont did not see eye to eye with AMC, Robert Kirkman and one can only guess who else, and in short order he was given the boot. Whether you think the show is the better or worse for Darabont's abrupt exit, it has continued to be exceptionally successful.

And Darabont isn't terribly happy about it.

Now, several years later, while promoting his latest series, Mob City, Darabont opened up about his departure from AMC's zombie epic. The words he chose, however, were not terribly kind at all. When asked if he still watched The Walking Dead, Darabont said, "“Oh god no, why would I? If the woman you loved with all your heart left you for the Pilates instructor and just sent you an invitation to the wedding, would you go?”

But that sadness gave way to anger, and Darabont switched gears, saying, "There’s a deep commitment and emotional investment that happens when you create something that is very near and dear to you, and when that is torn asunder by sociopaths who don’t give a s--t about your feelings or the feelings of your cast and crew because they have their own reasons to screw everybody, that doesn’t feel good.”

Oof! Sociopaths? That's one heck of an indictment. Although, in fairness, The Walking Dead has far from a clean record. In addition to shuffling creative teams on the TV show, comic creator Robert Kirkman drew fire when the series' original artist, Tony Moore, claimed he had more involvement in the creation of the zombie juggernaut than Kirkman was willing to let on.

Be that as it may, Darabont and Moore are out, and The Walking Dead shambles on, and it seems there may be no stopping it.

(via Variety)