All the best shows on TV are going away

[JasonEvans]

This is the best explainer yet that I have seen of the ramifications of the upcoing writer's strike. It makes it clear which shows will stick around (reality crap and animation) and which will go away (pretty much everything else at different rates with Colbert, Letterman, and Daily Show going away immediately).

--Jason "with the Producers apparently intent on breaking the Writer's Union, this could be a nasty strike!" Evans

[YmoBeThere]

What is the potential for scabs to come in and fill the slack?

[JasonEvans]

What is the potential for scabs to come in and fill the slack?

Almost zero for the short-term because the directors, actors, and most of the other technical folks on movies and TV shows are also in unions and they would likely refuse to work with scab writers.

If the work stoppage goes long enough, you may see some buckling of all the unions though. In the short-term, a lot of non-union, low-budget, kinda stuff will get made. It could actually be a very interesting time from a film standpoint.

But TV is gonna suck, that's a given

--Jason "game shows and reality TV are going to be on CONSTANTLY" Evans

[snowdenscold]

This is the best explainer yet that I have seen of the ramifications of the upcoing writer's strike. It makes it clear which shows will stick around (reality crap and animation) and which will go away (pretty much everything else at different rates with Colbert, Letterman, and Daily Show going away immediately).

--Jason "with the Producers apparently intent on breaking the Writer's Union, this could be a nasty strike!" Evans

Well this was a fun bit of trivia I learned from the article:

"On the bright side, the 1988 strike played a big role in introducing at least one guilty pleasure to a national audience. Desperate for programming, Fox plucked “Cops” from a local station and placed it on Saturday night, where it continues to run."

[Lavabe]

--Jason "game shows and reality TV are going to be on CONSTANTLY" Evans

What do you mean GOING TO BE? TV is already dominated by the stuff.

Hmm... whatever happened to NEWS departments?

Give me more news and more sports!
Cheers,
Lavabe

[colchar]

Almost zero for the short-term because the directors, actors, and most of the other technical folks on movies and TV shows are also in unions and they would likely refuse to work with scab writers.

If the work stoppage goes long enough, you may see some buckling of all the unions though. In the short-term, a lot of non-union, low-budget, kinda stuff will get made. It could actually be a very interesting time from a film standpoint.

But TV is gonna suck, that's a given

--Jason "game shows and reality TV are going to be on CONSTANTLY" Evans

Thank God I watch more British tv than North American. That will definitely get me through the strike.

[Bluedawg]

What do you mean GOING TO BE? TV is already dominated by the stuff.

Hmm... whatever happened to NEWS departments?

Give me more news and more sports!
Cheers,
Lavabe

Warren Littlefield, an independent producer and the former president of NBC, who was that network’s executive vice president of programming during the last writers strike, said the news divisions would be pushed to deliver spicy specials to plug holes. He noted that the CBS newsmagazine “48 Hours” rose to prominence in 1988. Sports, concerts and shows produced in Britain and Australia are also likely to pop up in prime time, depending on the length of a strike. NBC is already looking at the possibility of broadcasting the British version of “The Office.”

the problem is these are not news shows, but actually news magazine shows designed to put a point of view not to inform.

[Bluedawg]

This is the best explainer yet that I have seen of the ramifications of the upcoing writer's strike. It makes it clear which shows will stick around (reality crap and animation) and which will go away (pretty much everything else at different rates with Colbert, Letterman, and Daily Show going away immediately).

--Jason "with the Producers apparently intent on breaking the Writer's Union, this could be a nasty strike!" Evans

I know both sides want to take and not give, but i have never understood why. One would think that if both sides really want the same thing, to put out the best product possible they could come to a compromise. However, the product is not the point, the point is what is best for me . Pride in what i do is lower down the totem pole.

The art of compromise is just the latest thing to die in our society after customer service and pride in what we do.

[throatybeard]

I think we'll survive even if new episodes of Grey's Anatomy don't surface for a little while. It is possible to turn the tube off and do something else.

[hurleyfor3]

It is possible to turn the tube off and do something else.

I was gonna say, it sounds like we'll all have to get a life now.

Alternatively, basketball season does start in a couple weeks, and we can just watch that instead.

[TillyGalore]

Thank God I watch more British tv than North American. That will definitely get me through the strike.

Amen! I heart British TV. The comedies, and the criminal dramas too.

[Exiled_Devil]

UGH.

I wonder if we will see more sports on TV, too? What has winter seasons and are not already on the air? IT seems like ABC could rely on transferring some broadcasts from ESPN onto the main network.

Exiled

[colchar]

Amen! I heart British TV. The comedies, and the criminal dramas too.

The vast majority of what I watch right now is British so this looming strike won't have any real impact on me at all.

[merry]

I think we'll survive even if new episodes of Grey's Anatomy don't surface for a little while. It is possible to turn the tube off and do something else.

Well sure, but...no Daily Show or Colbert? Come on, man!

[throatybeard]

Well sure, but...no Daily Show or Colbert? Come on, man!

I think those guys could ad lib if they wanted to.

[hc5duke]

I think those guys could ad lib if they wanted to.

Oh great, it'll be Norm McDonald on Weekend update all over again...

[greybeard]

If a strike comes, I suggest that those who are interested check out the firm resumes of the lawyer/negotiators for management, see what they sell and how they sell themselves. Check out their other clients, those who have the more average working stiffs in their workforces. See what passes for enlightened labor-relations experts, who these networks have been hiring in modern times to deal with the real talent behind the talent.

I mean it. Identify who these lawyer/negotiators are and ask yourself, "What have they done to justify getting the portfolios they have to deal with writers on behalf of the networks." Given their track records, it might not be a bad idea to rent some "made in India" films. Everything else of value that they've touched has headed off shore or been crushed into mere peebles of what used to be decent professions. Don't say you weren't warned. Bollywood, here we come.

[bdh21]

If a writer's strike means less ESPN "original programming" and more actual sporting events then I hope this strike drags on for years.

[colchar]

If a writer's strike means less ESPN "original programming" and more actual sporting events then I hope this strike drags on for years.

Since it won't affect Hocket Night in Canada on the CBC or Corner Gas on CTV then I don't care all that much. All I will really miss will be How I Met Your Mother.

[Exiled_Devil]

I just realized another possibility - we could see a lot more live concert events.

This could be good, except I have a bad feeling it means we are doomed to have "Brittany Spears LIVE" on all the network channels in January.

Exiled