Re: So What if the Strike Ended Tomorrow?

On Nov 30, 9:53 am, "Patrick Joseph Mc Namara"
<writerpatr...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"WQ" <w...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

After three days of talks, the sense around Hollywood is that the
nearly four-week old writers strike could be over in a matter of days,
with the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture
and Television Producers coming to terms on a new contract that would
put TV script writers back to work.

But then the question arises, how soon before viewers begin seeing
fresh episodes of shows such as NBC's "The Office" and CBS's "NCIS,"
which have run out of original episodes, or ABC's "Desperate
Housewives" and Fox's "House," which are close to running out?

The answer, in brief: not for some time. Think in terms of months,
perhaps not before late February or March.

I think we're going to be seeing a lot of reality shows come early in the
new year. I doubt this strike will end early and even if it does it's likely
not going to be until January or February. That would mean we likely
wouldn't get anything new until April. And if the strike goes until March it
could mean an end to the season because the season for shows like Heroes
since there wouldn't be enough time for enough new shows for a season. For
other shows it would give enough time to finish off seasons, and shows like
Journeyman would likely not return at all since it's not worth bothering to
bring everyone back.


--- Who knows, maybe this writers strike might finally redefine what a
TV season is. The networks have talked for years about year-round
original programming and have done little to nothing in that vein. If
the strike lasts till February or March, the networks, after what's
expected to be a ratings dry spell, might be eager enough to get tons
of new scripted shows on the air in the late spring and through the
summer. This might make sense if only as a promotional platform
gimmick for the new fall shows. Nobody really watches summer TV so as
a promotional platform for the fall season, TV sucks. But if the
networks end up delivering new shows that start in the spring, along
with new episodes of ongoing shows, then the ones that end up getting
good ratings could continue with original episodes straight into the
summer with the idea of keeping as many people glued to the set during
that time as possible. The more eyeballs tuned in during the summer,
the better a promotional platform TV becomes for the new fall
season. Imagine CSI originals in the summer, or House, or even
Desperate Housewives. Their ratings may not be quite as high as
during the regular season because, after all, it is summer, but
they'll still make money for the nets in ways that a lot of those
cheap reality shows they air and that flunk out early don't.
.

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