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« WGA Post-Strike Watch: News About Returning Shows
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.
The CW
A full season of Everybody Hates Chris is already in the can. Otherwise, CW will depend heavily on reality shows, which typically do better than CW's scripted series. Ready to go are Farmer Needs a Wife, a mother-daughter beauty pageant competition called Crowned, and Search for the Next Pussycat Doll.
CW could also get extra cycles of Beauty and the Geek and America's Next Top Model ready. WWE Smackdown's writers also won't be affected by the strike. Reporting by Stephen Battaglio
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Nov 5, 2007 6:34 AM
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Well I am so relieved to hear WWE Smackdown won't be affected. It has such gripping dialouge, I was sure it would be in reruns.
I plan on watching new scripted shows, and once they go to all reality all the time, I will be tuning out and watching DVDs or playing games or reading. Anything is better than reality crap.
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Nov 5, 2007 9:02 AM
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Ok, don't throw rotten vegetables at me for this but when I first heard about the writer's strike I was actually hoping it would last a few months. It was for purely selfish reasons, I admit it. Since I'm a total TV addict and I also work two jobs, I am soooo behind on several shows. If there was nothing but repeats on for a few months then I would finally be able to find the time to watch those shows and get caught up.
But then they mentioned that there might not be any new Lost this season and that I just can't have!!! So, with that being said, I hope this writer's strike is settled quickly. VERY quickly!
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Nov 5, 2007 9:05 AM
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While I'm typically anti-union I think the writers have a legitimate point of contention in this case. While some shows will be missed if there's a long strike, I've got plenty of DVDs to watch. I do not and will not be watching mindless reality trash and game shows in primetime (as opposed to daytime) just never made sense to me.
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Nov 5, 2007 9:56 AM
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Wow. I can't believe you made a blog just for the strike. Too funny.
The only thing good I saw listed is that NBC might air Project Runway and Top Chef. That would be awesome. (and another big brother) But the rest is just sad. We already have too many game shows and 'reality' shows. I don't watch anything but the ones mentioned above and just because they will be the only new stuff airing, doesn't mean I have to watch.
I'll stick with cable and my many tv-on-dvd sets and netflix.
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Nov 5, 2007 10:35 AM
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I also understand why the writers feel they are getting stepped on with 3 cents per DVD going to them. But it does not make me any happier about my shows possibly not being on.
One thing I am wondering is how it will affect the new shows this season. Pushing Daisies, I am sure will be safe for another season, but what about the on-the-fence shows, like Bionic Woman. Will this affect whether they are picked up or canceled?
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Nov 5, 2007 11:00 AM
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Well it looks like until the strike is resolved tv will look more like summer tv than fall/winter/spring tv. I had heard over at E! that "Lost" had 14 of 16 (I'm sure they probably mean scripts, although I have no idea of how many episodes they have actually taped) ready, so maybe we won't lose "Lost" (*crosses fingers*). There are also a few mid-season replacement shows I'm looking forward to such as Lipstick Jungle, Cashmere Mafia, Miss/Guided and Swingtown, so maybe between those (and hopefully "Lost") and having atleast through January to watch the shows on now it won't be too terrible. I guess I'll also make do with movies & tv shows on DVD. As for reality, I'll probably only watch those if I'm just completely bored and desperate. All that said though, here's hoping that the writers get what they're asking for (seriously, the producers need to realize that without writers they'd be absolutely nowhere) and soon!
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Nov 5, 2007 11:04 AM
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I guess the cable networks are not affected by this either. I have been very puzzled by the complete lack of mention about them. I guess USA Scifi, etc will continue to be able to produce their own shows and really maybe this is a chance for them to put a dent in the networks.
I also guess that reality includes documentaries like one sees on A&E, Discovery, Nat Geographic etc so I persume that they are safe as well.
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Nov 5, 2007 11:10 AM
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I would never watch reality. When the networks run out of scripted dramas, I will either start watching tv-on-dvd from Netflix that I wanted to catch up on or will read more books. I completely support the writers.
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Nov 5, 2007 11:10 AM
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Great - more reality tv. Sooooooooo glad that genre will not be affected (please note HEAVY sarcasm).
No 24, no Lost? Say it ain't so!!!
I do sympathize with the writers, but I hope there will be an agreement soon.
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Nov 5, 2007 11:17 AM
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I support what the writers are doing, as we are only talking about a few cents' raise in revenue from DVD sales. This should not be a point of contention for the network moguls, to be honest. They have enough money as it is.
That being said, I hope this comes to a swift and positive resolution. I don't like the idea of not being able to see new Supernatural episodes, since this season has really been superb!
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Nov 5, 2007 11:26 AM
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Ugh! I hate reality TV, and now the networks will be flooded with it.
I will definitely either be reading or watching great shows on DVD. The DVDs I've already bought for which the writers got either no or very little compensation for, which is why they're striking.
I support the writers.
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Nov 5, 2007 11:40 AM
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It might also be interesting, if this strike lasts a while, to see if the networks would dig into their vaults and show some really old reruns from series that aren't on the air anymore. That, at least, would be better than an all-reality lineup!
Fox should just rerun Arrested Development to make up for canceling it. 
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Nov 5, 2007 12:08 PM
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I knew it was coming but I was in total denial until today, reality has set in and I'm not sure how I'm gonna handle it.
I already have a healthy reading habit so more books won't really fill the void of TV & Film; and I can only afford to attend 2 stage shows a month, so I don't know where I'm going to get my entertainment fix. Suggestions?!?
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Nov 5, 2007 12:54 PM
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I support the writers 100% and hope that the strike results in an increase in the royalties they receive.
Having said that, I will not be partaking of the reality and game show drivel, there are too many good DVDs out there. I have a real concern for new shows however...this season has been unusually rich with good offerings and I would hate to see them lost to the strike. A protracted interruption in the schedule could be fatal to some.
Fingers crossed that it's a short strike!
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Nov 5, 2007 1:03 PM
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