So, are any of you American TV watchers dreading the writer's strike?

[Gil]

By now, many of you have heard about the writer's strike in Hollyweird.

I have some dreads related to this.

My biggest fear is that it's gonna be all "reality TV" all the time.
Or, worse, all "Jerry Springer" "Maury" "Montel" etc all the time.
Cause they don't have to be extensively scripted, if at all.

I truly abhor reality shows! I've yet to see one that didn't encourage the players to be the absolute worst human beings possible.
And I don't want to think about a TV world with nothing but Jerry, Maury, and Montel.

I've already noted a lot of networks are already going to a movie heavy format. Some have gone to re-runs. Some channels are all "CSI" all the time. Some are showing the kabillion episodes of one/all of the "Law & Order" derivatives.

I wish someone would get the wild idea to pull some of the old series out for a time.

I miss "Spenser For Hire", "Vega$", "Highlander", etc.

What old series would you like to see doing "syndication playback" now that the writers aren't scripting our favorite current shows?

 

[Joey D]

You can really tell the writers for Family Guy aren't working right now since they are just going back and recycling old jokes and trying to fill a 30 minute time block. Personally I would rather them show reruns then the rubbish they are making the show. Pretty much everything else I watch is on Discovery or BBC America, and they seem to be pretty unaffected.

 

[Formula1Driver]

The only shows that is are really affecting me is missing The Colbert Report and The Daily Show but other than that, because I am Canadian Trailer Park Boys holds me down pretty well.

 

[Spock]

I thought they already went on strike a few weeks ago. Oh well I spend most of my time playing CS:Source most of the time so I don't even notice if whats on TV is a rerun or not, only the soothing background noise it provides.

 

[YSSMAN]

Most of the shows I watch still have a few episodes left for me to enjoy, but I think my biggest fear is that Scrubs won't have a final episode. I love that show far too much to not be able to see it end, and this whole thing is just kinda disappointing. I believe the list of shows that are about to drop are pretty short.

As of this week:

No Episodes Left: The Office

One Episode Left: My Name is Earl, Private Practice, The Unit, Two and a Half Men

Two Episodes Left: Back to You, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, Pushing Daisies

Thee Episodes Left: Big Shots, Brothers and Sisters, Criminal Minds, Dirty Sexy Money, Shark, The Game, 30 Rock, 'Til Death, Women's Murder Club

Four Episodes Left: Bones, Chuck, Gossip Girl, House, Journeyman, Prison Break, Supernatural, Reaper, Ugly Betty

Five Episodes Left: Girlfriends, Life is Wild

Six Episodes Left: Boston Legal, Carpoolers, Family Guy, Samantha Who?, Smallville

Seven Episodes Left: Cavemen

Nine Episodes Left: The Simpsons

Ten Episodes Left: Aliens in America, K-Ville, King of the Hill

Eleven Episodes Left: Notes from the Underbelly

Twelve Episodes Left: American Dad, October Road

Thirteen Episodes Left: Men in Trees

Fourteen Episodes Left: Everybody Hates Chris

 

[Boz Mon]

Not only will this effect tv, but movies will be horrible too. We were talking about this in one of my classes, and the film industry will be effected until 2009. 👎

 

[guska]

Four Episodes Left: Bones, Chuck, Gossip Girl, House, Journeyman, Prison Break, Supernatural, Reaper, Ugly Betty

*SCREAMS AND RANTS LIKE A SUICIDAL MADMAN*

THEY CAN'T DO THIS!

They are 'apparently' showing the current season of House (along with a few others, Life, for example) over here at the same time as in the US, maybe a day or so later, so we get affected too. 👎

Now I realise that writers are people too, and deserve good conditions and so forth, but perhaps a go-slow would be better than a full on strike?

Anyone got any details on what they want? What the studios are offering?

[EDIT]
Oh, and YSSMAN... I can reeeeead yoooooou...

"Yes (K)Clarkson is in good health"

 

[Omnis]

Maybe people will pay attention to more important things now.


Or, ET and Access Hollywood, etc., will capture more suckers.

 

[opendriver]

Watching re-runs of The daily show is getting really old really quick.


I miss them.

 

[guska]

Maybe people will pay attention to more important things now.


Or, ET and Access Hollywood, etc., will capture more suckers.

Like? What could be more important than seeing who House finally picks? Or perving on Jennifer Morrison (Allison Cameron)?

 

[Kylehnat]

It's just TV, not the apocalypse...

 

[guska]

Speak for yourself

 

[SlipZtrEm]

My only concern about this whole thing is how it will affect Dexter, since I haven't really kept up on what this all entails. That show has been far more entertaining than any movie I've seen lately. Oh... and laugh all you want, but I find Ugly Betty entertaining. Family Guy has been crap since the end of the first season they returned, it's always been about recycling jokes. I find American Dad a lot more funny, not to mention it actually carries a plot these days.

 

[Solid Lifters]

My only concern about this whole thing is how it will affect Dexter, since I haven't really kept up on what this all entails. That show has been far more entertaining than any movie I've seen lately. Oh... and laugh all you want, but I find Ugly Betty entertaining. Family Guy has been crap since the end of the first season they returned, it's always been about recycling jokes. I find American Dad a lot more funny, not to mention it actually carries a plot these days.

There are only three episodes of Dexter left this season. The ending is going to be huge. The writer strike wont effect the show at all. It should be settled by the time the show goes back into production next season.

 

[YSSMAN]

Anyone got any details on what they want? What the studios are offering?

The writers want more pay off of media sold digitally, particularly through iTunes and other internet services that allow for the immediate distribution of these shows. While I would generally call "Poppycock" on this issue, it has been my understanding that they have been getting paid next to nothing from the sale of their work under these circumstances, and that certainly isn't fair.

I'm all for fair-play, but at the same time, I really don't see why a strike was necessary. My guess is that until all of the new TV dries up and new movie quality officially goes to crap, people won't care enough to make any side stronger than the other.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

There are only three episodes of Dexter left this season. The ending is going to be huge. The writer strike wont effect the show at all. It should be settled by the time the show goes back into production next season.

That's good to hear. This past episode has really got me in a frenzy over how it'll all end. Three more episodes? I can't wait to see how things are handled. Thanks for that

 

[Gen.]

Yea sick more survivor and big brother I totally eat that **** up.

 

[Event]

There are only three episodes of Dexter left this season. The ending is going to be huge. The writer strike wont effect the show at all. It should be settled by the time the show goes back into production next season.

I was ecstatic when I learned that the season will finish airing as normal.

I'm the most disappointed by this season of The Office being cut short. The last new episode was awful.

 

[Matt R]

If Dexter is good, I'm good.

 

[UnoMOTO]

Nope...I really don't care. As long as I can still watch sports then I have something to entertain me.

 

[Muzaffar]

Damn, this can't be good.....

Well thank god i never watch tv and that Malaysia don't get direct episodes from the U.S. But sad news for my mom and sister, cause they usually watch tv a lot. But i can't believe this strike. How long are they going on strike?

The good thing is....Top Gear is not effected!!!!!! ;tup:

 

[Gil]

I wish someone would get the wild idea to pull some of the old series out for a time.

I miss "Spenser For Hire", "Vega$", "Highlander", etc.

What old series would you like to see doing "syndication playback" now that the writers aren't scripting our favorite current shows?

I know that quoting myself is kinda over the top, but I din't want to re-type all that crap.
Some of you watch way too much TV.
No one answered the original question.
Let's say, for the sake of, well, reality, that the current shows will not be doing anything for the rest of the season. Maybe not for a while if the writers don't get some parity on the pay thing.
I miss "Scrubs" too by the way.

What "golden oldies" would you like to see pulled out of the vaults to fill the gap in the interim?

 

[Matt R]

No one answered the original question.

What "golden oldies" would you like to see pulled out of the vaults to fill the gap in the interim?

Oops. :blush:

Bring back stuff from the Nickelodeon vaults. Salute Your Shorts, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Wild & Crazy Kids, Hey Dude, and a few others.

Bring back original Baywatch, Knight Rider, and Thunder in Paradise too.

Most wouldn't watch them, but I'm not concerned with what everyone else watches.

 

[V1P3R]

My shows consist of... Dexter, Moonlight, Weeds, Bionic Woman, Chuck, Top Gear, NCIS, Mythbusters, and a little of The Unit.

They seem on their normal schedule still so I guess? I don't watch tv so I don't know.

 

[Gil]

My shows consist of... Dexter, Moonlight, Weeds, Bionic Woman, Chuck, Top Gear, NCIS, Mythbusters, and a little of The Unit.

They seem on their normal schedule still so I guess? I don't watch tv so I don't know.

So you never watched TV before the current season...?
Mythbusters and Top Gear are the only shows you listed that really doesn't require a writer, and aren't new or newer shows...

 

[Zrow]

Last year I would have, but this year not so much. I do want Lost to come back on, and I have great fun watching 24 with the roomies, but since they haven't been on since last season I can do without them for a while.

 

[V1P3R]

So you never watched TV before the current season...?
Mythbusters and Top Gear are the only shows you listed that really doesn't require a writer, and aren't new or newer shows...

I don't watch it when it airs... I don't even watch it on a tv.

 

[Danoff]

The only two shows I really really care about are House and Southpark.

As far as I know, southpark is still rolling no problem. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a writer's strike episode coming. House is a little more concerning, but I could handle a House outage if need be. They seem to have gotten enough episodes together to get me a good fix of that medicine.

Other shows that I watch:

Mythbusters (unaffected)
The Office (kinda hurts)
Rules of Engagement (meh)
Back to You (meh)
Colbert (I was watching maybe once a month anyway)
Bikini Destinations (Reruns are almost as good as the original, plus, no writing anyway)
Tonight Show (meh)
Battlestar Galactica (I'm barely on board with this show as it is)
College Football (unaffected!)
NFL Football (unaffected!)

But, even if I really really cared about this strike (which I absolutely do not), I don't hold any weight in the matter anyway. They don't make money off of me because I don't watch ads and don't buy the shows. So if I don't watch, it doesn't change anything from their point of view.

 

[FoolKiller]

You can really tell the writers for Family Guy aren't working right now since they are just going back and recycling old jokes and trying to fill a 30 minute time block.

So same as always?

My guess is that until all of the new TV dries up and new movie quality officially goes to crap,

We were almost there before they went on strike.



Shows I make an effort to watch:
Chuck (Interesting, but can live without)
Heroes (Good, but I can live without it)
My Name is Earl (I've been getting less interested every episode)
The Office (This will be the most painful)
Scrubs (I had already accepted this was the last season anyway)
Lost (Hasn't even started yet, so I won't feel the loss)
Kentucky Football (Just a bowl game left and unaffected)
Kentucky Basketball (Just warming up, and unaffected)
NFL (Unaffected)


If they bring back some classics I would love Sanford & Son, The Jeffersons, All in the Family, The Wonder Years. Basically the Nick At Nite and TV Land line up.

But as it is I have been feeling that TV shows are holding me back from my PS3 time, so I doubt that I will care what happens until TV comes back on.

My only fear is that there will be even more reality TV and my wife will take the big TV hostage, leaving me with no chance to even play my PS3. Maybe I can claim the same time periods as my TV shows are normally on as my PS3 TV time. God knows I refuse to have my TV turned into a TLC and Lifetime 24/7 box.

 

[Formula1Driver]

I wouldnt really care what shows they bring back, I can watch most old shows that were around either before I was born or when I was too young to really watch on Deja View and TV Tropolis. I only watch a few shows as it is.

House - they have had a few
Sportscentre - no problem
NHL - no problem
Trailer Park Boys - all old anyways so no problem
Seinfield - all old
Entourage - only in summertime I think