Once again The Walking Dead has managed to prove that a live action series based off of a comic book can in fact work! Season 2 of The Walking Dead continues to produce high ratings, with 7.3 million viewers tuning in for the seasons premier, breaking the previous seasons opening numbers by 2 million!  Showing no sign of stagnation, AMC has opted to renew the series for a third season just days after its second episode aired.

The news is a welcome breath of fresh air, as there was much controversy surrounding the series in summer due to the sudden firing of series executive produce, writer and director Frank Darabont. Cast and crew alike were shocked at the sudden announcement a mere three days after Frank promoted the series at Comic-Con in San Diego. Reports from The Hollywood Reporter, suggest that AMC and Frank were in disagreement in regards to budget cuts made by the company. AMC opted to support their Emmy-magnet show, Mad Men, while undercutting their hit series by cutting $650,000 per episode from the series total budget.

With the second season already being considered a huge success, we can only hope that AMC will respect the show in regards to budget, and quality.  However, Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman had some words to ease the anxieties of its fans, “I can’t say how proud I am of the second season of the show. It’s better that season one in just about every possible way. While losing Frank on the show has been difficult, it has remained a ‘behind the scenes’ problem and will not, in any way, affect what you see on screen.”