Search for TV Listings, Movies, Celebrities, Photos & More
Home > News & Views Home > TV Guide Editors' Blogs
TV Guide Editors' Blogs

In This Section

TV Guide Spotlight

Also on TVGuide.com

« Ausiello Report

Exclusive: Grey's, Housewives Plot Post-strike Returns!

080203_GreysDH_blog.jpg
Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives by by Ron Tom/ABC
Paging the cast of Grey's Anatomy... you're needed back on set, STAT!

With a tentative agreement between striking writers and Hollywood moguls expected to be announced sometime this week, my moles at Grey's tell me that production on the show is expected to resume in early March. The plan is to shoot four or five episodes to air in April/May.

A similar scenario is expected to play out at three other ABC hits, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty and Brothers & Sisters. Conversely, freshman shows that have already been given full-season pickups (i.e. Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money, Samantha Who?) will likely restart production over the summer ahead of a fall relaunch. Expect a similar pattern to play out at CBS, NBC and Fox: Established shows returning in the spring; newer ones held till fall. The fate of heavily serialized shows like Lost, Heroes and 24 remains unclear.

Meanwhile, high-level sources close to the talks tell me that the WGA deal is close to the DGA deal, with a few exceptions — one of which represents a "major breakthrough."

Bottom line: There's a lot more than one measly football game to get excited about today. We're getting our TV shows back! Can I get a hallelujah in the comments section?


Posted by Michael Ausiello
Feb 3, 2008 1:28 PM
That is good news. I hope we can get at least 4-6 episodes out of most of the non-new shows.

Supposedly there are two Heroes episodes that have already had some (most?) scenes filmed. So hopefully they could go back into production and get a good number of episodes in and be back on the air quickly. I'll be interested to see what they do with 24. My thought would be to start airing them in March, air 12-16 in the spring, and then finish it out with 8-12 in the fall. They could then do another 24 next spring. Not ideal, but better than waiting for this season until 2009, or truncating this season! (The better option there is truncating this season, though.)

Mike, please use every mole you have to find out Lost's plan! They HAVE to finish their other 8 episodes, even if it means taking a break in late March/early April and airing the finale in June! In Mitovitch's interview with Naveen Andrews, he suggested that if the strike were over in Feburary, there was the possibility that they could finish the season. Please let that be so!!

The other show I worry about is Friday Night Lights. What is the deal with this dvd release supposedly in April?? There is no way they are going to be able to make 7 (I think) more episodes to get to 22, and have them made and on the air before the dvd comes out. That does not sound good!!

I wonder if it would be possible to update your "Strike Countdown" chart whenever you find out how many post-strike (fingers-crossed) episodes each show is going to be able to make?
Posted by patobrien
Feb 3, 2008 1:40 PM
YAY!
Posted by kasluvs
Feb 3, 2008 2:20 PM
Hallelujah!!

Sad that we won't get any more of our new shows before the fall, but at least they will come back strong! Any word on if they'll throw a few extra episodes into the next season to make up for the ones we lost this season?

Also, if the strike does end next week, does this mean we can expect to see summer season shows (The Closer, Army Wives, etc.) returning on schedule?
Posted by ColleenNYC
Feb 3, 2008 2:37 PM
Do you have a list of which shows will resume filming if this news is true?

'ER' ?
'NCIS' ?
Posted by Jonih59
Feb 3, 2008 2:38 PM
and this just on the hills of the news that NBC will release Friday Night Ligths Season 2 DVD in April...all 15 episodes. does that mean that FNL has no chance to resume production and shoot the remaining 7 episodes to complete the season order? given that they managed to shoot more eps that any other show, they would certainly manage to produce the remaining 7 on time if given the chance.
Posted by chinga
Feb 3, 2008 2:41 PM
hallelujah
I'm so thrilled the writer's are coming back. And I'm hoping for a few more episodes of my favorite returning shows: The Office and Bones. However, I'm sorry to hear it looks like the end of Chuck and Pushing Daisies (at least for this tv season).
Anyway... thanks for the great news.
Posted by locksley
Feb 3, 2008 2:50 PM
I also was wondering about Friday Night Lights. Does their DVD announcement mean that the season is over? Or with the end of the strike, will we get at least a few more episodes and have the DVD release pushed back? Also, any news on a season 3?
Posted by mary_ann5
Feb 3, 2008 3:00 PM
Well I hope this doesn't mean they'll be getting rid of all of the great reality shows that will be coming up. Big Brother is to start this month as well as Survior. They do better in the ratings anyway so I hope they don't take them away just because the strike is over.
Posted by MrsT1040
Feb 3, 2008 3:01 PM
Your mole at Grey's has been wrong with everything. I'll believe it when a real news report comes out.
Posted by jjjg
Feb 3, 2008 3:02 PM
So Numb3rs will come back? I sure hope so, this may be the best news i have heard this young year:-D:-D:-D
Posted by austyn
Feb 3, 2008 3:08 PM
Grey's? They want to punish the viewers more. That**** needs to be canceled.
Posted by karly12
Feb 3, 2008 3:18 PM
HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the best day of my life!
Posted by GGfanfoeva
Feb 3, 2008 3:25 PM
HALLE-F*@!#$-LULAH!!!
Posted by Drew123
Feb 3, 2008 3:34 PM
I really only care about Scrubs and Galactica. Everything else can come back next season. (Though the Back 8 of Lost would be highly welcome.)
Posted by arby64
Feb 3, 2008 3:39 PM
Pages: 7 - [ 1 2 3 4 5 7 | Next ]
Advertisement