Frank Darabont Still Mad At "Sociopaths" Who Fired Him From 'The Walking Dead'

Four seasons in, AMC's The Walking Dead is currently on its third showrunner. But its original showrunner still hasn't quite forgiven the network for ousting him in the first place.

While doing press rounds for his new TNT series Mob City, Frank Darabont has admitted that he no longer watches the megahit series he helped create, blasting the "sociopaths" who dumped him halfway through production on Season 2. Hit the jump to read his candid comments.

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? 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 shit 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.

He expressed a similar sentiment in a conversation with Rolling Stone (via Vulture).

I had to take some time off after that to really reassess everything, to really get over the emotional devastation of having some truly malevolent people tear asunder a brilliant family that had gathered to create this hit for them. It was a very, very deep and loving family, the cast and the crew, and to have that torn apart was – when somebody throws a hand-grenade into that situation, it's tremendously emotionally trying. So would I want to watch another episode of The Walking Dead after that? Are you fucking kidding me? No, you put that traumatic disappointment behind you and move on with your life.

Though Darabont was behind The Walking Dead's splashy first season, he was fired in the summer of 2011 while working on Season 2. The surprise decision was attributed to various factors including budgetary issues and Darabont's trouble adjusting to the pace of a TV (as opposed to film) schedule. He was promptly replaced by Glen Mazzara, who in turn was replaced between Seasons 3 and 4 by Scott M. Gimple.

Darabont has attempted to be more diplomatic in some of his other interviews. "Suffice to say, there was some conflict that couldn't be resolved," he told the NYT. He later added, "I try to avoid that sort of aggravation in my life. It's simply better for my spirit and my state of mind. I've always believed more in taking the high road than the low."

But while he's long since moved on to his next big project, it's obvious that he's still feeling pretty burned over the whole AMC debacle. Hopefully he'll have better luck with Mob City, which debuts on TNT December 4.