So - the WGA strike is officially “over” and the writers have been back at work for at least a day now. Some of the showrunners went back to work on Monday, but most went back yesterday. Now that the excitement has cooled - here are a few links for you to peruse to see exactly what this all means for the average viewer and the shows you watch.
Here’s an updated list of returning shows by Maureen Ryan (The Watcher). It’s pretty comprehensive, which also makes it a bit overwhelming. I had forgotten about some of those shows.
Depending on who you ask and how you define “Over” - it looks like the WGA strike may finally be ending as a tentative deal was reached last night and voted on by the WGAW and WGAE. It appears that the only think keeping the writers from writing is the “official” vote of the members that is supposed to be completed in 48 hours. Meaning that the writers could return to work as early was Wednesday, according to some sources.
Now - if you’re like me the important question is - When/If will my shows return? The best article I’ve found so far lining up the potential returns is here. It is broken down by network and by groups of shows that still have new episodes to air, shows that will definitely get back into production mode for this season, and shows that will probably still wait to return in the fall.
TV Guide has revealed the new season’s Big Brother houseguests! I normally wouldn’t be this excited about a season of Big Brother but with the scripted television being at a bare minimum, I need anything I can get. My favorite is picture here: James. His descriptions says, “21, originally from Sarasota, Florida, currently biking around the world.” Um. Really? As in…currently? Wouldn’t that mean he was not in the BB House? Unless, of course, that house was on wheels? Interesting.
Check them out and report back - what do you think so far? And have you seen this promo? It alludes to the changes this season will introduce.
Looks like there will be an interesting element of “teams” this season. And check out the Official CBS Site which has pictures of the house. Next Tuesday. Are you ready?
I mentioned at MamaPop that NBC has been thinking about cutting their typically outlandish Upfront showing in May. Now, it seems they’ll be cutting the Pilot process all together. Evidently, the cost of these pilot episodes have doubled in the last three years. While they were originally intended to earn money enticing advertisers early, they are now proving to be much more of a cost. “So you’re spending money on programs you’re not going to get,” Jeff Zucker (chief executive of NBC Universal) said on Tuesday. This is an area all networks have considered cutting back in, but NBC seems to be the first to make such a huge committed jump away from the Pilots. Of course - as Zucker pointed out - NBC has been suffering for years and decisions like these are made even easier from that perspective.
Mr. Zucker acknowledged that one reason for the decision was that NBC has suffered from weak prime-time ratings for the last several seasons. “Sometimes you see the world from a different perspective when you’re flat on your back,” he said. “At NBC Entertainment we’ve been flat on our backs for the last few years.”
I remember the first season of Trading Spaces. My husband (boyfriend at the time) and I would invite a neighboring couple over and we’d eat breakfast and watch the show on the weekends. We were all renters at the time and dreamed of the day we’d own homes on the same street and apply to be on the show. We watched the show over the years as the rest of the country joined us in the fervor. It was the first time any of us developed an interest in interior design, and by the time Paige Davis became a household name, we acted as though we were interior designers.
Then - someone decided the best thing to do with this popular show - would be to 1) Saturate the market by airing it (or it’s variations) fifty times a day and 2) Change it. I stopped watching it pretty early in the transformation. I got irritated with the various off-shoots of the show, and I actually got annoyed by how many shows they added to the season. Then, a while after I had given up on the show, I heard that Paige Davis was being “let go” in some sort of quick decision that made me say, “Glad I’m not watching that anymore.”
I’ve caught it a few times since, but without a host? It really seemed like a different show. I was glad to hear I wasn’t the only one who left the show as it seemed the record-breaking numbers dwindled as quickly as they arrived. And every other network in town monopolized on the craze and other shows were born to give the fans what they had sought out of the original.
She returns Saturday to begin hosting 13 new episodes that will re-establish the series’ winning format - two houses, two days, $1,000. She will also be backed by some of the original cast and a new production company.
Although, it won’t be the exact same format. Instead of friends/neighbors - the two teams will be comprised of conflicting pairs. Divorced couples, bickering friends, bosses and employees. The kind of change that still keeps the show basic, but could spice up the outcome. I’ll tune in, at least once. But - Like Paige - I feel a little burned myself. They took one of my first TV obsessions and screwed with it. I’m not sure if I’m going to give them a second chance. Will you?
It looks like the strike talks might resume sometime today. This is in light of the deal the Director’s Guild made with the AMPTP last week. The whispers have been spreading about that deal motivating all parties to try to work out a similar agreement with the WGA. All reports indicate any meeting (today or otherwise) will probably start out as “informal” so as to keep a casual feel to the beginning of this phase.
Informal talks would replicate the strategy the AMPTP followed with the DGA, during which Chernin and Iger met with a handful of guild leaders to hash out numerous issues in an effort to make the formal bargaining sessions more productive.
The Director’s Guild (DGA) has reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP in what looks like the first sign that this strike could end sometime before I’m committed to padded room somewhere. The DGA official statement outlines their agreement showing that they seem to have accepted less aggressive agreement for the world of New Media than what the WGA was hoping for. Clearly - the industry hopes that the WGA will lighten their demands a little in that arena as well. The New York Times states, “In the directors’ opinion, digital media revenues will become significant only after 2010.” This new contract will expire in three years, allowing the Directors to then reevaluate their New Media compensation. Whether or not the WGA will consider the same type of time line, remains to be seen.
However, it seems that several of the network leads have agreed to meet informally to resume negotiations with the WGA. Since they have barely glanced at each other in the recent weeks, this is a step in the right direction. With the DGA deal as a motivation, here’s to hoping the WGA and the AMPTP can finally reach an agreement before it’s too late for this television season.
Tweens everywhere can rejoice: High School Musical 3 finally has a release date. The third installment of this Disney juggernaut will hit theaters on October 24th. Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman are all set to return to this theater version of the television hit. Kenny Ortega will return to direct HSM3 that will feature our favorite Wildcats facing what all high school seniors face, the sadness over leaving their friends behind. Of course, they’ll do it with a lot more singing and dancing that the average high-schooler.
Currently, Zac Efron working on the big-screen comedy Seventeen and is scheduled to fill Kevin Bacon’s shoes in the remake of Footloose.
It looks ABC is bringing back the only wedding-producing series of their dating shows: The Bachelorette. The fourth incarnation of the series will air sometime this summer with Mike Fleiss on board to produce. The Bachelorette gave us Reality TVs first couple: Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter who married after their experience on the show. The original version of the show, The Bachelor, is about to debut it’s 12th season this March.
CBS’ The Early Show has announced that Laila Ali will be a correspondent for the morning news program. Laila became popular outside of the boxing world when she competed on Dancing With the Stars. She is currently co-hosting NBC’s remake of American Gladiators with Hulk Hogan.
An interesting Op/Ed piece about the strike written in the LA Times. “Pain isn’t a byproduct of the walkout; it’s the whole point of it, and it should be what compels the negotiations to resume.”
Ben Silverman (NBC Co-Chief) spoke so thoughtfully about the strike by referring to the striking writer’s blocking of the Golden Globes in this manner: “Sadly, it feels like the nerdiest, ugliest, meanest kids in the high school are trying to cancel the prom. But NBC wants to try to keep that prom alive.” Some answered back.
New videos up at Speechless Without Writers. Check out Zack Braff and his discussion with his typewriter about what “AmPuhTuhPuh” is doing to their relationship. (AMPTP: Alliance of Motion Picture And Television Producers.)
Robin Williams will be opening up the show as David Letterman returns to television tonight. Letterman’s production company, Worldwide Pants, worked out a deal with the WGA allowing both his show as well as Craig Ferguson’s to actually return with writers. This is not the case for Leno or O’Brien who will return tonight without the support of the WGA. As a matter of fact, at last report, the WGA would actually be picketing in from of the NBC studios in protest of the decision. However, Letterman has the luxury to proceed without a change in format and will definitely have an easier time convincing celebrites to appear on his show - as they won’t have to actually cross a picket line to do so.
And Robin Williams will start the historic show off tonight, proving that Letterman is not having one bit of problem booking guests. While Leno is coming back with Mike Huckabee, a presidential hopeful for the Republicans.
I don’t know about you, but I’m guessing Robin Williams may be a bigger pull.
Comedy Central confirmed yesterday that The Daily Show With Jon Stewart will return to air on January 7th. The Colbert Report will return that night as well, both without their WGA writers. We’ve already heard this announcement for Leno and Letterman but I believe it’s easier to pull of in their formats by just increasing celebrity interviews and musical guests. With these two Comedy Central shows, there is a lot depending on the scripted pieces that go on surrounding the few interviews.
Colbert and Steward released a joint statement yesterday:
We would like to return to work with our writers. If we cannot, we would like to express our ambivalence, but without our writers we are unable to express something as nuanced as ambivalence.
I don’t know. These guys are still funny just on their own. If handled properly, the shows will continue to entertain. Maybe not to the level as they did before, but I think their loyal late-night viewers will stick with them regardless.
It looks like NBC is going to bring some of the USA Originals over to network television this season to compensate for the lack of scripted programming during the WGA strike. The cable hits Monk and Psych are going to visit the Peacock this srping. They will continue to air the new episodes on the USA Network in January, but come March, NBC will air the shows on Sunday nights. These twisted variety detective shows could be a good match for the formulaic detective programming NBC usually airs in the Law & Order franchise.
Just a quick note to say Leno has responded to the NBC announcement bringing back The Tonight Show in January.
“This has been a very difficult six weeks for everybody affected by the writers strike. I was, like most people, hoping for a quick resolution when this began. I remained positive during the talks and while they were still at the table discussing a solution “The Tonight Show” remained dark in support of our writing staff. Now that the talks have broken down and there are no further negotiations scheduled I feel it’s my responsibility to get my 100 non-writing staff, which were laid off, back to work. We fully support our writers and I think they understand my decision.”
return to their talk shows with new airings on January 2nd. There is no word yet whether this announcement indicates a deal made with the WGA or how the show will return without writers.
“Both Jay and Conan have supported their writers during the first two months of this WGA (Writers Guild of America) strike and will continue to support them,” said Rick Ludwin, executive vice president, late night and primetime series for NBC. “However, there are hundreds of people who will be able to return to work as a result of Jay’s and Conan’s decision.”
No word yet from the WGA about these announcements.
Worldwide Pants is David Letterman’s production company and produces both The Late Show with David Letterman as well as The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson. Wordwide Pants has decided to offer up negotiations outside of the AMPTP to try to get writers back on the show and the shows back in production. This has been met with positive response from the reporting members of the WGA as it is a sign of progress and hopefully we’ll hear word on how the negotiations go sometime today. If they go well, it could motivate other groups to function independently of the AMPTP and we might see more shows back on the air after the new year.
According to Kristin at E!, Journey man has gotten the ax. There appear to be two un-aired episodes left, but the fate of those two shows are up in the air. No word on whether or not they’ll air at all.
I’ll admit, I couldn’t get into the show. I know a lot of people who did, but I just couldn’t. I did try though, and in memory of shows I’ve been sad to see go before their time (Arrested Development, Veronica Mars, and Joan of Arcadia) - I will be sad for a few seconds for the fans of Journeyman. It’s a deep wound that is left by a canceled show you love - I know.
I’m taking this stuff way too seriously again, aren’t I?
Tweens everywhere can rejoice: High School Musical 3 finally has a release date. The third installment of this Disney juggernaut 
It looks ABC is bringing back the only wedding-producing series of their dating shows: The Bachelorette. The fourth incarnation of the series will air sometime this summer with Mike Fleiss on board to produce. The Bachelorette gave us Reality TVs first couple: Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter who married after their experience on the show. The original version of the show, The Bachelor, is about to debut it’s 12th season this March.
CBS’ The Early Show has announced that Laila Ali will be a correspondent for the morning news program. Laila became popular outside of the boxing world when she competed on Dancing With the Stars. She is currently co-hosting NBC’s remake of American Gladiators with Hulk Hogan.
Robin Williams will be opening up the show as David Letterman returns to television tonight. Letterman’s production company, Worldwide Pants, worked out a deal with the WGA allowing both his show as well as Craig Ferguson’s to actually return with writers. This is not the case for Leno or O’Brien who will return tonight without the support of the WGA. As a matter of fact, at last report, the WGA would actually be picketing in from of the NBC studios in protest of the decision. However, Letterman has the luxury to proceed without a change in format and will definitely have an easier time convincing celebrites to appear on his show - as they won’t have to actually cross a picket line to do so. 
Comedy Central confirmed yesterday that The Daily Show With Jon Stewart will return to air on January 7th. The Colbert Report will return that night as well, both without their WGA writers. We’ve already heard this announcement for Leno and Letterman but I believe it’s easier to pull of in their formats by just increasing celebrity interviews and musical guests. With these two Comedy Central shows, there is a lot depending on the scripted pieces that go on surrounding the few interviews.
return to their talk shows with new airings on January 2nd. There is no word yet whether this announcement indicates a deal made with the WGA or how the show will return without writers. 
Worldwide Pants is David Letterman’s production company and produces both The Late Show with David Letterman as well as The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson. Wordwide Pants has decided to offer up negotiations outside of the AMPTP to try to get writers back on the show and the shows back in production. This has been met with positive response from the reporting members of the WGA as it is a sign of progress and hopefully we’ll hear word on how the negotiations go sometime today. If they go well, it could motivate other groups to function independently of the AMPTP and we might see more shows back on the air after the new year.
According to