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TV Strike and the effect on viewers

ixcuincle

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ixcuincle Hall of Famer

ixcuincle

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So we all know the writers for popular TV shows went on strike today. Rumor is shows in sequence , such as 24 and Lost , may be pushed back from original release dates if this dispute is not worked out soon.

http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-...eason/800059822

What the WGA Strike Means for Your Favorite Shows

WGA strike by Rita Clavin for TV Guide

The writers' strike started today, and the writers themselves will be picketing studios and making themselves heard. If the Writers Guild of America strike keeps TV scribes off the job for a while, it's going to alter your viewing habits big time. The WGA called for a work stoppage after failing to get a bigger slice of revenue from DVD sales and a piece of what the networks expect to earn from digital downloads of TV shows.

All of the networks say they have enough scripts on hand to keep making sitcoms and dramas well into January. But here's what you should expect if both sides don't reach an agreement soon.

ABC

Since the writers who work on reality shows (yes, they do have writers) are not covered by the WGA contract, every network will be heavily dependent on that genre. ABC's got a stockpile of Supernanny and Wife Swap to draw on, and more episodes of the summer series Just for Laughs and Oprah's Big Give.

While episodes from midseason series such as Notes from the Underbelly, Cashmere Mafia and Eli Stone will be ready, the network will have to make a decision on Lost. A few episodes have already been shot, but the network will have to decide if it will be worth it to run those eps if the full, season-long story arc can't be concluded. Meanwhile, Jimmy Kimmel Live, like the other late-night shows, will go into repeats.

CBS

While procedurals such as CSI and Criminal Minds tend to draw viewers in repeats — giving CBS an edge over the competition — the network has been loading up on game shows. Power of 10, a moderate success over the summer, will be back. CBS also has Do You Trust Me and a new version of Password hosted by Regis Philbin.

The network is also ready to let the cameras roll in the Big Brother house if necessary. On the scripted side, you'll definitely see all seven produced episodes of Jericho. The network will also have close to 13 episodes of The New Adventures of Old Christine ready to go. The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson will go dark immediately, but the conventional wisdom is that Letterman will return after a few weeks out so that the rest of his staff can remain employed. Once he returns, so will Ferguson.

Fox

Even though it will run out of episodes of its fall sitcoms and dramas shows by January, Fox will make sure it has an original House to air following the Super Bowl.

Fox has also put its midseason shows into production as if they were fall shows, so it will have a healthy number of first-run comedies (Unhitched and Jezebel James) and dramas (New Amsterdam, The Sarah Connor Chronicles). But an extended work stoppage is likely to mean that there will be no new season of 24. Fox won't start the show if its story can't be completed in the real-time format (and 24 episodes) that viewers expect. The strike won't impact the production of American Idol. It's likely that a strike will unleash some new reality fare from Fox as well.

NBC

NBC could become the Law & Order network again, with about 10 fresh episodes of the mother ship already in the can. NBC also has the second run of USA's Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and the durable Law & Order: SVU will still be on the air in repeats.

On the reality side, the network has already expanded The Biggest Loser to two hours and has a full run of Celebrity Apprentice. It also has a few game shows ready to go — the returning 1 vs. 100, the new Amnesia and a revival of American Gladiators. If the strike lasts for a few months, NBC will even look at running some of the reality shows from its cable networks such as Top Chef and Project Runway.

The Tonight Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Later with Carson Daly and Saturday Night Live will immediately go into repeat episodes. But the feeling is that if one late-night talk-show host returns, the others will follow. “They could come back without writers,†said an insider at one of the shows. “But it will be tough.â€

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midaz101 All-Star

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You have no idea just how happy this makes ne, in a sense it is sad that i am gonna be missing Heroes and Prison Break, but my favorite show will finally get the attention it deserves after USA basically ruined it with poor advertisement, look out for The 4400 in NBC, greatest freaking drama out there.

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krawhitham Legend

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The TV Grid

The writers' strike would take an immediate toll on television viewers' favorite programs, dealing a setback to shows that are written day-to-day -- such as Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" -- as well as scripted programming already underway or about to go into production.

Soap operas would theoretically start disappearing from the airwaves soon, since most have episodes to last them only until the end of the year. But during the 1988 strike, producers wrote in place of striking writers, and soaps stayed on the air.

Prime-time scripted series have episodes through mid-January or early February, depending on how many reruns they space out in the next few months. Unscripted shows -- such as "Survivor," "The Amazing Race," and, when it returns in January, "American Idol" -- would continue uninterrupted.

Here's a look at where many shows stand:

Late Night

"Colbert Report", "The Daily Show", "SNL" Will go into repeats immediately.

"The Tonight Show" and"The Conan O'Brien Show" Will go into repeats immediately.

Letterman, Craig Ferguson - going into repeats immediately [from Nikke Finke's Hollywood Daily blog]

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" Staffed with WGA writers, so it would probably go to repeats. But Kimmel could also decide to wing it and do the show himself.

"Nightline" Will remain live and in originals.

ABC

"Grey's Anatomy" 13 episodes of 23 episodes written, 11 of which have been shot and six have aired. This means there are five more episodes in the can.

"Boston Legal" Will have 14 or 15 of 22 episodes completed.

"Lost" Expected to have eight out of 16 episodes ready. Midseason, none have aired yet

"Cavemen" Expected to have 12 out of 13 episodes completed; has not received an order for a full season.

"Men in Trees" Has five episodes left over from last season, 10 new episodes shot, four more scripts to shoot; adds up to 19 out of 27 for the season.

"Cashmere Mafia" Will have seven episodes out of an order of 13.

"The View" Will continue uninterrupted, according to a spokesman.

"Dirty Sexy Money" Expected have between 11 and 13 episodes completed.

"Brothers & Sisters" Expected to have either 11 or 12 episodes completed.

"Eli Stone" Will have 13 of 13 ordered. Midseason premiere date is undetermined.

"The View" Will continue uninterrupted, according to a spokesman

CBS

"CSI Miami" Will have 13 out of 24 episodes completed.

"Moonlight" Expected to have 11 out of 12 episodes completed; has not received an order for a full season.

"Criminal Minds" Will have 12 of 22 episodes completed.

"Cane" Expected to complete all 13 episodes; has not yet received an order for a full season.

"Jericho" Will have seven of seven episodes.

NBC

"Medium" Will have 9 of 22 episodes completed.

"30 Rock" Has nine out of 22 episodes completed, with several days of shooting for the 10th episode scheduled for this week.

"Friday Night Lights" Expected to complete 15 of 22 episodes.

"Scrubs" Expected to complete 12 of 18 episodes.

"Journeyman" Expected to complete 13 of 13 episodes; has not yet received an order for a full season. [Nikke Finke reports an agent says they shut down production 11/5]

CW

"Everybody Hates Chris" Expected to complete 22 of 22 episodes.

"Gossip Girl" Expected to complete 13 of 22 episodes.

"Supernatural" Has 10-12 episodes completed;

Those shows also have roughly five scripts that are ready to shoot.

"America's Next Top Model," "Beauty and the Geek" and new shows such as "Crowned" (the mother-daughter beauty contest) Three of a number of reality shows that have already been ordered up, meaning they are covered for the rest of the season

Fox

"24" Will have eight or nine out of 24 episodes completed. Midseason, none have aired yet.

USA

"In Plain Sight" New show, episodes are nearly wrapped

"Psych" and "Monk" Enough scripts in hand to guarantee a full second half of each season

"Law and Order: Criminal Intent" Enough for first half of the season (10); the second half (12) will be affected (meaning not enough scripts to guarantee production start as scheduled.)

"Burn Notice" Scheduled to start production of Season 2 in January

"Starter Wife" Scheduled to start production in March

Sci-Fi

"Stargate Atlantis" Expected to go on as scheduled.

"Battlestar Galactica" Has 10 hours of episodes, plus a two hour movie to air this Fall.

"Eureka" Will be affected.

FX

"Thirty Days" Completed, not expected to be affected.

"Nip/Tuck" 5th season, the 22 episodes were planned for two cycles: 14 to run from now to February and eight next year. All 14 in the first cycle have been written. So, only the second cycle could be affected.

"The Shield" The final season is written, no date set for airing.

"Dirt" and "The Riches" Production is underway, and they could be affected.

"Rescue Me" 5th season, just announced, would be affected since production is expected to start in early '08.

"Damages" No word yet on whether it would be picked up

HBO

"Entourage" and"Big Love" Are currently in the writing stages and were scheduled to air in the summer of 2008.

"True Blood" and "12 Miles of Bad Road" Have begun production.

"The Wire" Completed and will air as scheduled.

"In Treatment" New series will air as scheduled.

Showtime

"Dexter," "Weeds," "Californication" and "Brotherhood" Have ended or will be ending their season runs.

"The Tudors" Second season returns in late March, completed production Nov. 1 on 12 episodes.

A new Tracey Ullman series Five-episode series is shot.

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Padres67 Draft Pick

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Oh no I will have to kill myself-how can life go on. Tv is a waste. I watch 24, and even that was a dissapointment last year. Just gives me more time to play these great classic games. Funny that all these "funny" men can't do their own comedy without the writers. They are all over paid anyway. Life goes on-what did people do without TV, probably talked to each other more.

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ixcuincle Hall of Famer

ixcuincle

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24 was a disappointment last year but this year at least from the previews it looks better. It could still be a disappointment (after all when everyone saw the first 4 episodes of S6 they were amazed) ... but I still want to see Bad Tony as soon as possible instead of having 24 pushed back because the writers are on strike.

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fred13 Legend

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If this keeps me from seeing one second of Tina Fey, heads will roll.

30 Rock is currently the only reason to own a TV.

Definately the best network show. I love every second of it. I was reading today that all of season 2 has already been taped though, so hopefully all is well when season 3 rolls around. On a side note, did anyone catch Tina Fey and Seth Meyers at the picket lines? If I was a writer/producer like Fey I think I'd have a tough time picking which side to be on.

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evil1182 Legend

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I don't blame the writers at all for striking, these guys are totally under paid. Some of these actors make a ridiculous amount of money each episode and most of these actors don't deserve it, most of these so called comedies are not funny at all an they get paid so and that's not counting the royalties they get for DVD's and syndication.

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fred13 Legend

fred13

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Phew! Good news there! Although, life would go on even if it is affected. Hopefully this thing can get resolved so Burn Notice can go on as planned.

wow, I thought I was the only one who watched that. It'll probably continue since they have a huge break anyway. Its not supposed to come back until June.

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