There's that 'S' word again....

After the three-month Writers' Strike last year, TV may be in for another one if a settlement isn't reached.

The actors are currently in negotiation with the studios (AMPTP). The deadline set is June 30th.

What's getting ugly is, if reports are to be believed, the actors' unions themselves (there's more than one, I learned) are fighting amongst each other, making it impossible for deals to be ironed out before the deadline.

However, this report could be another ploy by the other camp the actors are negotiating with... "to distract from core issues and attempt to sow dissension." (Deadline Hollywood)

Whatever the case, if there is no deal after June 30th, what's gonna happen?

THR outlines today the current scenario:

• "24" -- the show most impacted by the writers strike as its seventh season was scrapped by Fox -- is the best prepared to weather a SAG strike. With 12 episodes already in the can and the two-hour prequel set to wrap production by month's end, "24" is certain to air a full season. --- YEY! STRIKE PROOF!
  
• Multicamera sitcoms that were the first primetime series to go dark immediately after the beginning of the writers walkout are among the most strike-proof. Some of them, including Fox's " 'Til Death" and CBS' "Rules of Engagement" and "Project Gary,".... HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Flight of the Conchords," the CW's "Reaper" and CBS' "Harper's Island." --- YEY! STRIKE PROOF!
  
• About two dozen broadcast series -- including "Heroes," "House," "Bones," "My Name Is Earl," "ER," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "CSI: NY," "Criminal Minds," "Brothers & Sisters," "Chuck," "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Life" -- will have episodes in the can by July 1 as some stayed in continuous production or resumed shooting quickly because of the fallout of the writers strike. --- YEY! SEMI STRIKE PROOF!
  
• But there will be no finished product of such heavyweights as "Grey's Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives," "CSI: Miami" and "The Office," prompting speculation that networks might consider pushing the start of the 2008-09 season if there is a long SAG strike. --- BOO!!!!!
• Most broadcast pilots, whose production was delayed until after the upfronts, are expected to wrap production by month's end. --- YEY! SEMI STRIKE PROOF!
  

It doesn't look so bad from a viewers' standpoint. Except I'm concerned for The Office.

And how long will the strike be, how many episodes are in the can?

What's your stand about this strike? I can sympathize with the writers. Coming up with a decent, entertaining, original idea for a television show is hard...so they do deserve to negotiate for better compensation harder.

Is it the same case for actors? They also do hard work, an acting job isn't easy. But the question is --- do actors really need to hardball for more money?

If they strike --- stars can still afford to live way beyond their means, right? But the writers and the production crew that they work with will render themselves jobless immediately and a second time around while the strike is ongoing.

It's not the same fight, I think.