Glen Mazzara (The Shield) has come aboard as a writer/executive producer on the highly-anticipated second season of The Walking Dead.

We reported back in December that the hit AMC zombie series had laid off its writing staff, including Charles H. Eglee, who was considered second-in-charge behind series creator Frank Darabont. At the time, Frank Darabont was considering hiring freelancers to write Season 2, as opposed to a traditional writing staff. Now Glen Mazzara will put together a staff of five additional writers for Season 2.

Glen Mazzara is no stranger to the show, having written Wildfire, the fifth show in the six-episode run. Ironically, that was the only episode of The Walking Dead to be written freelance.

Although an exact premiere date hasn't been given yet, Season 2 of The Walking Dead will premiere sometime in October, during AMC's annual Fear Fest programming block.