The Writers Guild Strike in Hollywood
Well, it happened. I wasn't surprised it did, not when I read what it was all about. The corporate head honchoes make millions if not more, while the rank and file slowly lose their rights. Oh wait, that's the private sector, but it does apply to union folk as well. The digital frontier is one that many fans are embracing, particuarly when they love a show so much they don't care if they download or not, they want to see it NOW.
Anyway, below the cut are some links - good places to visit to follow the strike - as well as a copy of a newspaper article listing the affected shows. Alas, the crappy reality shows aren't affected. I suspect they'll descend like locusts on the empty slots when the strike drags into 2008 (which some feel it will). Me? I'm getting out my tapes of ADDERLY!
source: http://www.nypost.com/seven/11062007/news/nationalnews/how_shows_and_networks_will_be_affected__939386.htm
WHAT’S AFFECTED BY WGA SRIKE
November 6, 2007 -- Going into repeats immediately:
"The Colbert Report"
"The Daily Show"
"Saturday Night Live"
"The Tonight Show"
"Late Night With Conan O'Brien"
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" - Staffed with WGA writers, so it would probably go into repeats. But Kimmel could also decide to wing it and do the show himself.
"Nightline" - Will remain live and in originals.
ABC
"Brothers & Sisters" - Expected to have 11 or 12 episodes completed.
"Cashmere Mafia" - Will have seven episodes out of an order of 13.
"Cavemen" - Expected to have 12 out of 13 episodes completed. [What? It’s not cancelled yet??]
"Dirty Sexy Money" - Expected to have between 11 and 13 episodes completed.
"Eli Stone" - Will have 13 of 13 ordered. Midseason premiere date is undetermined.
"Lost" - Expected to have eight out of 16 episodes ready.
"Men in Trees" - Has five episodes left over from last season, 10 new episodes shot, four more scripts to shoot.
"The View" - Will continue uninterrupted.
CBS
"Cane" - Expected to complete all 13 episodes.
"CSI: Miami" - Will have 13 out of 24 episodes completed.
"Jericho" - Will have seven of seven episodes.
"Moonlight" - Expected to have 11 out of 12 episodes completed.
NBC
"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.
"Journeyman" - Expected to complete 13 of 13 episodes.
"Medium" - Will have nine of 22 episodes completed.
"Scrubs" - Expected to complete 12 of 18 episodes.
------------------------
CW
"Americas Next Top Model", "Beauty and the Geek", and new shows such as "Crowned" (the mother-daughter beauty contest) are three of a number of reality shows that have already been ordered up, meaning they are covered for the rest of the season.
"Everybody Hates Chris" - Expected to complete all 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.
Fox
"24" - Will have eight or nine out of 24 episodes completed. Midseason, none have aired yet.
FX
"Damages" - No word yet on whether it would be picked up.
"Dirt" and "The Riches" - Production is underway, and they could 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.
"Rescue Me" - 5th season, just announced, would be affected since production is expected to start in early 08.
"The Shield" - The final season is written, no date set for airing.
"Thirty Days" - Completed, not expected to be affected.
HBO
"Entourage" and "Big Love" - Are currently in the writing stages and were scheduled to air in the summer of 2008.
"In Treatment" - New series will air as scheduled.
"The Wire" - Completed and will air as scheduled.
"True Blood" and "12 Miles of Bad Road" - Have begun production.
Sci-Fi
"Battlestar Galactica" - Has 10 hours of episodes, plus a two hour movie to air this Fall.
"Eureka" - Will be affected.
"Stargate Atlantis" - Expected to go on 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.
Information from the LA Times contributed to this report
USA
"Burn Notice" - Scheduled to start production of Season 2 in January.
"In Plain Sight" - New show, episodes are nearly wrapped.
"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.)
"Psych and Monk" - Enough scripts in hand to guarantee a full second half of each season.
"Starter Wife" - Scheduled to start production in March.
It's not a complete list. HOUSE isn't mentioned, and two of the CSIs aren't listed, but it's a start.
Sites to bookmark if you wanna follow the mess:
Variety's WGA Strike page
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=hottopic&id=2821
Maureen Ryan's Chicago Tribune column - good insight - just browse down as she's still reviewing TV shows tillt hey're gone ;)
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/
And how will this affect Stargate Atlantis? It's hard to tell. SciFi blogger Alex Levine said it would have no effect, and Joe Mallozzi said 'none,' but back in '88, the writer's strike DID affect Canadian productions. Also, Variety reported the following at http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975495.html?categoryid=2821&cs=1&query=strike+canada in regards to Canadian productions:
The AMPTP and IATSE threatened the WGA with legal action over the rule, under which violators could face expulsion, suspension, fines and censure.
The Canuck guild said anyone who is a dual member of the two guilds and lives in the U.S. will not be allowed to write for Canadian productions during the strike. But the guild added that dual members living in Canada can write for a Canadian production during the strike.
The guild's governing council passed a resolution stating: "The issues the WGA is addressing will affect every professional artist seeking compensation for their work in the digital age. Their fight is our fight."
So, dual members in regards to Stargate? http://www.wga.org shows Carl Binder and Robert C Cooper as being members of the Writers Guild of America, West. However, since Carl doesn't live in the States (that we know of), he can write for SGA. But if the strike drags on like the '88 strike, or it doesn't get a resolution, the next folks whose contracts are up for renewal are the actors.... some of whom are already showing solidarity by not crossing the lines.
Anyway, below the cut are some links - good places to visit to follow the strike - as well as a copy of a newspaper article listing the affected shows. Alas, the crappy reality shows aren't affected. I suspect they'll descend like locusts on the empty slots when the strike drags into 2008 (which some feel it will). Me? I'm getting out my tapes of ADDERLY!
source: http://www.nypost.com/seven/11062007/news/nationalnews/how_shows_and_networks_will_be_affected__939386.htm
WHAT’S AFFECTED BY WGA SRIKE
November 6, 2007 -- Going into repeats immediately:
"The Colbert Report"
"The Daily Show"
"Saturday Night Live"
"The Tonight Show"
"Late Night With Conan O'Brien"
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" - Staffed with WGA writers, so it would probably go into repeats. But Kimmel could also decide to wing it and do the show himself.
"Nightline" - Will remain live and in originals.
ABC
"Brothers & Sisters" - Expected to have 11 or 12 episodes completed.
"Cashmere Mafia" - Will have seven episodes out of an order of 13.
"Cavemen" - Expected to have 12 out of 13 episodes completed. [What? It’s not cancelled yet??]
"Dirty Sexy Money" - Expected to have between 11 and 13 episodes completed.
"Eli Stone" - Will have 13 of 13 ordered. Midseason premiere date is undetermined.
"Lost" - Expected to have eight out of 16 episodes ready.
"Men in Trees" - Has five episodes left over from last season, 10 new episodes shot, four more scripts to shoot.
"The View" - Will continue uninterrupted.
CBS
"Cane" - Expected to complete all 13 episodes.
"CSI: Miami" - Will have 13 out of 24 episodes completed.
"Jericho" - Will have seven of seven episodes.
"Moonlight" - Expected to have 11 out of 12 episodes completed.
NBC
"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.
"Journeyman" - Expected to complete 13 of 13 episodes.
"Medium" - Will have nine of 22 episodes completed.
"Scrubs" - Expected to complete 12 of 18 episodes.
------------------------
CW
"Americas Next Top Model", "Beauty and the Geek", and new shows such as "Crowned" (the mother-daughter beauty contest) are three of a number of reality shows that have already been ordered up, meaning they are covered for the rest of the season.
"Everybody Hates Chris" - Expected to complete all 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.
Fox
"24" - Will have eight or nine out of 24 episodes completed. Midseason, none have aired yet.
FX
"Damages" - No word yet on whether it would be picked up.
"Dirt" and "The Riches" - Production is underway, and they could 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.
"Rescue Me" - 5th season, just announced, would be affected since production is expected to start in early 08.
"The Shield" - The final season is written, no date set for airing.
"Thirty Days" - Completed, not expected to be affected.
HBO
"Entourage" and "Big Love" - Are currently in the writing stages and were scheduled to air in the summer of 2008.
"In Treatment" - New series will air as scheduled.
"The Wire" - Completed and will air as scheduled.
"True Blood" and "12 Miles of Bad Road" - Have begun production.
Sci-Fi
"Battlestar Galactica" - Has 10 hours of episodes, plus a two hour movie to air this Fall.
"Eureka" - Will be affected.
"Stargate Atlantis" - Expected to go on 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.
Information from the LA Times contributed to this report
USA
"Burn Notice" - Scheduled to start production of Season 2 in January.
"In Plain Sight" - New show, episodes are nearly wrapped.
"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.)
"Psych and Monk" - Enough scripts in hand to guarantee a full second half of each season.
"Starter Wife" - Scheduled to start production in March.
It's not a complete list. HOUSE isn't mentioned, and two of the CSIs aren't listed, but it's a start.
Sites to bookmark if you wanna follow the mess:
Variety's WGA Strike page
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=hottopic&id=2821
Maureen Ryan's Chicago Tribune column - good insight - just browse down as she's still reviewing TV shows tillt hey're gone ;)
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/
And how will this affect Stargate Atlantis? It's hard to tell. SciFi blogger Alex Levine said it would have no effect, and Joe Mallozzi said 'none,' but back in '88, the writer's strike DID affect Canadian productions. Also, Variety reported the following at http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975495.html?categoryid=2821&cs=1&query=strike+canada in regards to Canadian productions:
The AMPTP and IATSE threatened the WGA with legal action over the rule, under which violators could face expulsion, suspension, fines and censure.
- The Writers Guild of Canada has come out in support of its southern brethren.
The Canuck guild said anyone who is a dual member of the two guilds and lives in the U.S. will not be allowed to write for Canadian productions during the strike. But the guild added that dual members living in Canada can write for a Canadian production during the strike.
The guild's governing council passed a resolution stating: "The issues the WGA is addressing will affect every professional artist seeking compensation for their work in the digital age. Their fight is our fight."
So, dual members in regards to Stargate? http://www.wga.org shows Carl Binder and Robert C Cooper as being members of the Writers Guild of America, West. However, since Carl doesn't live in the States (that we know of), he can write for SGA. But if the strike drags on like the '88 strike, or it doesn't get a resolution, the next folks whose contracts are up for renewal are the actors.... some of whom are already showing solidarity by not crossing the lines.