Writer’s Strike Fallout
Now that the Writer’s Strike is over, the TV industry, can start picking up the pieces. According to The New York Times, some shows will resume production immediately, while others will sit out the rest of the season.
24, which already had the start of its seventh season delayed indefinitely, will now sit out the entire year and return next January. Heroes will not be back on the air till the fall. The best new show of the season, ABC’s Pushing Daisies, also won’t return until the fall. But at least it won’t have to deal with American Idol.
The worst news is that ABC will (probably) cut LOST’s season order from 16 to 13 segs. This is a step-up from the 8 episodes that were completed before the strike shutdown production. So, at least we’re getting a little more.
Saturday Night Live will probably be the first weekly scripted show back on the air and could return as soon as February 23. Daily shows, like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, should have their respective writers back this week.
According to Variety, powerhouse shows — like Desperate Housewives, The Office, CSI, and Two and a Half Men — will likely be back on the air by the end of March. They’ll probably produce four to eight episodes for broadcast this season.
Lastly, the San Francisco Gate has a piece that talks about how even the writers won the strike, they might still lose in the long run.
One thing’s for sure, the industry will be feeling the effects of the strike for some time to come.