Strike Watch: Could SAG go to the picket lines next?

Hollywood Reporter dishes that all eyes are on SAG, as their contract with the AMPTP expires June 30. Should there be a possible breakdowns during the negotiations, will we see the stars in the picket lines next?

SAG officials won't say when they might launch negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers to replace a contract that's set to expire June 30. But a burgeoning rapprochement with sister performers union AFTRA makes much more likely the prospect of informal talks with studio chiefs of the sort that led to WGA and DGA contract deals.

"We're always open to having discussions," SAG president Alan Rosenberg said Wednesday.

He declined to elaborate.

News Corp. COO Peter Chernin and Disney chief Robert Iger were the most hands-on in hashing out deal terms with the writers and directors, and many believe those executives or other top media bosses also will engage with the actors unions before their formal negotiations with the AMPTP. An affable and loquacious labor leader for all his reputed militancy, Rosenberg has held previous sit-downs with such executives as CBS Corp. topper Leslie Moonves and Warner Bros. chief Barry Meyer during his more than two years in office.

But until just last weekend, inter-guild squabbling threatened to complicate any dialogue between labor and management.

SAG and AFTRA seemed to be going down diverging paths as the calendar counts down toward a June 30 expiration of their current AMPTP agreements. Rosenberg and SAG national executive director Doug Allen were regularly chastising AFTRA for perceived incursions onto SAG turf, and the duo pushed the SAG board to order a membership referendum on breaking with a decades-long tradition of bargaining jointly with AFTRA.

Then the board reversed course Saturday, halting the referendum and underscoring an interest in negotiating jointly with AFTRA. Key considerations seemed to be opposition to sabre-rattling from SAG New York leaders and the tentative agreement secured by the WGA on early Saturday morning.

Also, top actors like George Clooney and others have started to speak out against any overtly confrontational approach to the upcoming contracts. So whether for reasons of political practicality or a genuine interest in getting started, it now appears contract talks of some sort might happen sooner rather than later.

Rosenberg is said to be still leaning toward a late spring date for launching formal negotiations. Yet informal talks with one or more studio chiefs could happen at any time now.

To goose the process, Clooney, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep and others have been strategizing over how to pressure Rosenberg into changing his thinking on the timing of formal discussions. For starters, the actors took out ads today in publications including The Hollywood Reporter.

Helpfully, SAG and AFTRA already have held several committee meetings on wage and working conditions issues. So should the A-listers succeed in getting SAG officials to launch negotiations by sometime next month, labor-side negotiators should be primed and ready to go.

On Wednesday, SAG's Allen issued a brief statement in response to press inquiries about the pressure from well-known guild members and the prospect of early negotiations with the AMPTP.

"Our ongoing member outreach has included, and will continue to include, conversations with high-profile television and movie actors, as well as input from our member-driven wages and working conditions committee meetings," the SAG exec said. "We are jointly conducting these wages and working conditions meetings with AFTRA (and) this process will conclude in the March. We will bargain with management at a time that will most benefit our members."

The Strike is OFFICIALLY OVER

Well, it was coming anyway, but just to put it on record...

The writers strike has officially ended.

The Writers Guild of America announced just before 7 p.m. that members voted to lift the strike order with a 92.5% endorsement. WGA West president Patric Verrone - the most visible figure during the 14-week strike - made the announcement.

"The strike is over," he said. "Our membership has voted, and writers can go back to work. This was not a strike we wanted, but one we had to conduct in order to win jurisdiction and establish appropriate residuals for writing in new media and on the Internet. Those advances now give us a foothold in the digital age. Rather than being shut out of the future of content creation and delivery, writers will lead the way as TV migrates to the Internet and platforms for new media are developed."

The official tally showed 3,492 voting yes and 283 voting no.

The announcement capped over three months of walking, talking, picketing, chanting, strategizing, ballyhoo and bluster from both sides as the long and winding road of the strike came to an end at a ballot box in Beverly Hills.

The vote on lifting the strike concluded a mere three days after the WGA cinched its contract agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in the wee hours of a Saturday morning. The strike vote was held over a 48-hour frame, with members able to vote in person at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills and Gotham's Crowne Plaza Hotel, or via fax.

Source

Grey's Anatomy and more shows back in production, soon!

There it is, I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel!

Production of ABC shows like Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, and Desperate Housewives, will very soon be rolling after the strike is lifted (strike talks almost nearing its end). The target date for people to return to work is early March and shows are expected to complete and air at least five episodes until May.

Freshmen favorites Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money and Samantha Who? will also be back in production. But they will be doing episodes for Season 2 and not the remainder of the season (so yes, their first season run is done).

Expect a similar pattern to play out at CBS, NBC and Fox: Established shows returning in the spring; newer ones held till fall. | Ausiello

Photo from Grey's Media.

Strike Watch: It's Almost Over, Hoooray!

New York Times: Deal to End Hollywood Writers’ Strike May Be Near

My TV watching plate should be full in three or four week's time. Kinda psyched about it. But also pretty apprehensive. Some schedule changes are in order for me, once again. I am already feeling the pressure. LOL! Watching TV sometimes stresses me out. Especially if I have to do it for work.

Whooo.

Kicking off Feb with a bunch of TV News links

Guess what? Haven't gotten any chance to watch TV in the last few days, except for American Idol. I've been mostly catching up on movies and playing with new toys. But that's gonna change after today because Lost Season 4 and Eli Stone are premiering, yay!

It hasn't even aired yet, but Eli Stone is becoming a bit controversial. Some people find the pilot story objectionable (it's about a child becoming autistic due to vaccines given to him as a baby). And I'd leave that to you to decide if it is, because I loved the pilot. The Philly is calling it the male Ally McBeal and I would have to echo that opinion.

If you're following Lost, please join me at WatchingLost. I could never claim to be an expert of the series, but it's a show I like to talk about now and then and I would love it if a few of you drop by and say hello.

Things actors get into because there's no work to do, on the account of the strike:

• Some good news in relation to the cast of 24: Keifer is out of jail and Mary Lynn (Chloe) is expecting her first child.
• Grey's Anatomy's Dr. Karev has spent three days in the psych ward. And don't worry it was his own decision, he hasn't gone looney like Brit-Brit and there was no intervention necessary. The man has been having sleep disorders. With five kids to take care of, I can imagine!

Speaking of the strike...I was counting on rumors that it will be over this week, but I guess they're taking it slow. Slowly but surely is the way to go! Nikki from DHD has posted that more deals have been signed. So, hang on, TV addicts....we're getting there.

I mentioned about movies earlier....and I just wanna say I enjoyed Cloverfield. He did, too :





Happy February! May this be a good month.

Strike Watch: Where Are Your Shows At

This is an updated list from Ausiello, as of Jan 25. This isn't a complete list, though most of the ones people are interested in are already here:

• 30 Rock: Ten episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Aliens in America: Seventeen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
• Back to You: Nine episodes have been produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are two left.
• The Big Bang Theory: Eight episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Bionic Woman: Eight episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Bones: Twelve episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• Boston Legal: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there are two left.
• Brothers & Sisters: Twelve episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are two left.
• Carpoolers: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are five left.
• Cavemen: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
• Chuck: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Criminal Minds: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• CSI: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• CSI: Miami: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• CSI: NY: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there is one left.
• Desperate Housewives: Ten episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Dirty Sexy Money: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• ER: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Friday Night Lights: Fifteen episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are four left.
• Gossip Girl: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Greek: Eight episodes have been produced. None have aired yet, so there are eight left.
• Grey's Anatomy: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Heroes: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• House: Twelve episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• How I Met Your Mother: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Jericho: Seven episodes have been produced. None have aired yet, so there are seven episodes left.
• Las Vegas: Nineteen episodes have been produced. Fourteen have aired, so there are five left.
• Law & Order: SVU: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Fourteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Life is Wild: Twelve episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are two left.
• Lost: Eight episodes have been produced. None have aired yet, so there are eight episodes left.
• Medium: Nine episodes have been produced. Two episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
• Men in Trees: Nineteen episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are 11 left.
• Moonlight: Twelve episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• My Name is Earl: Thirteen episodes have been produced (that includes two one-hour eps, which count double). Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• NCIS: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• The New Adventures of Old Christine: Eight episodes have been produced. No episodes have aired, so there are eight left.
• Nip/Tuck: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are five left.
• Numbers: Twelve episodes have been produced. Twelve have aired, so there are zero left.
• October Road: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are four left.
• The Office: Twelve half-hour episodes have been produced. Twelve half-hour episodes have aired, so there are zero half-hour episodes left.
• One Tree Hill: Twelve episodes have been produced. Four episodes have aired, so there are eight left.
• Prison Break: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• Private Practice: Nine episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Pushing Daisies: Nine episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Reaper: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• Samantha Who?: Twelve episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• Scrubs: Eleven episodes have been produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are five left.
• Shark: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there is one left.
• The Shield: All 13 season-seven episodes have been produced. None have aired (the final season gets underway in '08), so there are 13 left.
• Smallville: Fifteen episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are six left.
• Supernatural: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are four left.
• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Nine episodes have been produced. Three episodes have aired, so there are six left.
• Ugly Betty: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• The Unit: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Without a Trace: Twelve episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Slim pickins' yah?

Don't forget, there are a bunch of new series premiering, too. So, that should at least take care of your TV diet for the next two months.

But the strike is almost over. According to Deadline Hollywood, with last week's meeting, the situation is an optimistic one. Won't be long now....won't be long.

Bye for now, Chuck

In the final episode of Chuck, now on a strike-forced hiatus, his status as the Intersect is at a risk when another agent learns of his identity. The CIA and the NSA soon decide it is time for Chuck to vanish. But Chuck realizes he isn't ready to leave his family. Especially not with his lovely sister and Capt. Awesome getting engaged.

The abrupt haitus also leaves me feeling the same as Chuck. I'm not ready to see this show disappear from its timeslot. But it's not up to me. :(

On the brighter side, informal strike talks resumes today. And there are indications that this should be the beginning of the end (of the strike). So, here's hoping we get to watch Chuck and the rest of our favorites in a month's time.

USA audience should tune to the final episodes of Chuck on Thursday, Jan 24 at NBC.

Strike Watch: DGA Deal Almost Done, WGA Back To The Table

The Directors Guild of America has almost reached an agreement with the AMTP. Could this mean the Writers Guild are next and we'll finally see the end of this 3-month strike in a couple of week's time?

The Directors Guild of America said in a statement that its negotiators had reached preliminary agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new three-year contract, to take effect when the directors’ existing deal expires on June 30. The union, which represents about 13,500 directors and associated production workers, said its bargainers would submit the deal to its board with a recommendation for approval on Jan. 26. If approved, a member vote would follow.

The agreement achieves a breakthrough for union members in several digital areas. It roughly doubles the residuals rate that was paid for decades when films and television programs were resold on cassettes or DVDs. And it requires Hollywood studios and production companies — for the first time — to pay a residual when advertising-supported programs are streamed for free over the Internet, as many television networks do now on their Web sites. The residual kicks in after a 17-day time period, and is pegged at about $600 per episode of a one-hour network prime-time drama, for 26 weeks. That is a rate considerably higher than was last offered to writers when their negotiations with the producers fell apart in December.
--- Via New York Times

Ooh, this is good news for those waiting for their favorite shows to come back on air, this news just in: AMPTP Invites WGA back to the table.

Today, we invite the Writers Guild of America to engage with us in a series of informal discussions similar to the productive process that led us to a deal with the DGA to determine whether there is a reasonable basis for returning to formal bargaining. We look forward to these discussions, and to the day when our entire industry gets back to work.

Strike Watch: Is this season done?

In the words of Bryan Fuller, creator of Pushing Daisies:

“I don't think the TV season as we know it is over just yet,” he tells me. “If the strike is resolved in the next three weeks, there is a slim chance that shows could come back and produce four or five additional episodes to wrap up their seasons. Any less than that, and networks will scuttle. But that's if the strike is resolved quickly. If it isn't resolved by mid-February, then, yes, that's pretty much it for the 2007-08 season.” --- Watch with Kristin!

There's a three-week window. Three week to hope that this is not the end of the season and our favorite shows will come back, albeit with a shorter list of episodes.

As Lenny Kravitz sings it --- Well, honey, it ain't over till it's over!

Now, I gotta go and listen to that song on the iPod now...

Had too much TV last night

...that I actually slept at 4 am. Old episodes of Ally McBeal and Charmed kept me up past 1 am. And when I couldn't sleep anymore, I had to watch Ellen's show also. It seems the reception on those freeTV channels on cable are better after midnight and my new channel of choice is 2nd Ave. They are bringing in some must-watch TV shows --- Mad Men and The Riches, as well as a score of other new shows. I recommend you ought to check out the channel.

Anyway, also from last night... some note-worthy episodes from 30 Rock and Ugly Betty:

30 Rock, simply rocked. Too many quotable quotes, mostly lines from Kenneth. I don't know where to start. Tina Fey, while mostly recognized as a brilliant writer, is slowly coming into her own as an excellent actress/comedian. The "Midnight Train to Georgia" musical ending was unexpected and downright hilarious. I'm trying to find a video of it online, but couldn't come up with any.

Just some of my favorite quotes:

Kenneth: I don't drink any hot beverages. That's the Devil's temperature!
Kenneth: (after drinking) I love the way coffee makes me feel. It's like my heart is trying to hug my brain!
Kenneth: I've always been told that New York was the twenty-first-century city of Sodom and look what's happened? I've become one of them. I've been sodomized.

Sadly, like many shows airing this week, this will be the last one for awhile.


Ugly Betty was entertaining mainly because of Amanda and Marc once again. He introduces her to a psychic who tells Amanda how he's supposed to find her father (who apparently is KISS' Gene Simmons).

Wilhelmina is looking for a surrogate mom, who will bear her child and Bradford's (whose sperm she had frozen).

Betty convinces Daniel to have normal-looking models for Fashion Week in the hopes of swaying Justin's model-obsessed classmates. Betty ends up doing the catwalk on the runway and convinces at least one impressionable teener that normal-looking is still beautiful.

Betty has about a couple more episodes left, if I'm not mistaken.

Some TV News bits...

• Tom Hanks tries to save the day, speaks up against AMPTP.
• A Dexter Protest from Australia - "references to Adelaide as some sort of serial killers' capital damages the city's reputation and its tourism industry."
• Golden Globes still on... somewhat

Darn you Sky Cable! Here's what I'm missing on Conan!

Now that Conan O'Brien's show has moved to JackTV. And JackTV has moved to Destiny from Sky, on cable.... subscribers to Sky Cable in this side of the world, such as moi, have to resort to finding scraps on YouTube.

Had I not read about it, I would not have known Conan sang on his show last Friday.





I'm putting two videos in case one gets deleted...
(Videos from nonothebean and obsrobwoos on YouTube)

Proceeding with his show without the benefit of writers, Conan is doing everything, to the point of experimentation, to provided something fresh for his viewers. He doesn't attempt a monologue like Leno (who writes his own material) or Dave (who has an agreement with the Writers Guild). Conan, clearly the better writer between the two, is not pushing any pencils at all. He hasn't even shaved his strike beard. He's strongly on the writers' side.

You've gotta love this guy. The country song doesn't thrill me much but you've got to hand it to him for 1) doing a great job singing, 2) doing something different, and 3) not sacrificing what he believes.

Genius.

Just rounding up stuff TV related

Sky Cable and Solar Entertainment parting ways. Read the new line-up of shows on PinoyTVJunkie. I'm still on Sky Cable, unfortunately. Destiny isn't offered in our area.

On the bright side, the shows that matter to me are on Free TV, thank god Solar Entertainment opted for those. Even as I've already seen most of them, I'd still like to catch it on TV once in a while.

On the downside, I lost Conan since his show isn't available on Free TV. :(

The Writers Strike... is said to spill-over the following season (2008/2009) the way things are going now.

Have their demands become ridiculous? Avid viewers are asking. I still think they have every right to demand what they want; these writers have earned that right. If that means I've got nothing new to watch in the next months, I'll go by with reruns and old shows. I am, in fact, watching Ally McBeal episodes on 2nd Ave Free TV (everday at 4 PM).

I'd be very excited when something new airs, but if there's none, TV land has plenty
to fall back on.

Talk Shows are back. But the only one I can watch on cable is Letterman and today, he did his Top 10 Demands of the Striking Writers

10. The Daily Show's Tim Carvell: "Complimentary tote bag with next insulting contract offer."
9. The Colbert Report's Laura Kraft: "No rollbacks in health benefits, so I can treat the hypothermia I caught on the picket lines."
8. Soap writer Melissa Salmons: "Full salary and benefits for my imaginary writing partner, Lester."
7. Law & Order: Criminal Intent's Warren Leight: "Members of the AMPTP must explain what the hell AMPTP stands for."
6. The Colbert Report's Jay Katsir: "No disciplinary action taken against any writer caught having inappropriate relationship with a copier."
5. The Daily Show's Steve Bodow: "I’d like a date with a woman."
4. Writer/director Nora Ephron: "Hazard pay for breaking up fights on The View."
3. Law & Order's Gina Gionfriddo: "I’m no accountant, but instead of us getting 4 cents for a $20 DVD, how about we get $20 for a 4-cent DVD?"
2. Late Night's Chris Albers: "I don’t have a joke – I just want to remind everyone that we’re on strike, so none of us are responsible for this lame list."
1. Writer Alan Zwiebel: "Producers must immediately remove their heads from their asses."

Some worthy reads:

• There is still hope for BIG SHOTS, says one of it's stars Christopher Titus.
• MAKE ME A SUPERMODEL earns favorable reviews. It's like Project Runway/Top Model combined. Haven't seen an episode though...no plans to, yet.
• Female contestant emerges as favorite in Ultimate Couch Potato competition and what were they supposed to be watching? Sports on television. And no, it's not something like Friday Night Lights.

What is Conan O' Brien up to during the strike?

He's grown his strike beard.

[Conan O'Brien]

Keifer Sutherland in Jail

Oh, I didn't know he got in trouble with the law. That's his mug shot right there.

LOS ANGELES - Kiefer Sutherland was sentenced Wednesday to 48 days in jail for racking up a second drunken-driving arrest in three years and immediately reported to a city lockup. The star of the Fox TV drama "24" was being processed at the Glendale city jail, said Officer John Balian.

Sutherland, 40, who pleaded no contest in October to driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of .08, appeared in court with his attorney and politely answered the judge's questions, said Assistant City Attorney Dan Jeffries.

His request to serve his time at the Glendale city jail was granted and he was ordered to complete the sentence by March 30, Jeffries said.

"Kiefer made the decision to surrender to custody immediately," his attorney, Blair Berk, told The Associated Press | More Here

He'll be out of jail just right after the strike is done, if that is settled by end of January. Speaking of the strike --- I'm hopeful, hopeful, hopeful.

[Keifer Sutherland]

State of Television

TV Guide posted this update of how many episodes are left to your favorite series. By my calculations, and expecting that these shows go on their regular holiday hiatus (TV really shuts down during Xmas breaks), and also not considering American Idol and a possible BB USA in the winter....my viewing list starts drying up by first week February, if the strike isn't resolved by then. :( I just took the ones I'm watching, but you can go to the TV Guide link (Ausiello's blog) for the complete list.

• 30 Rock: Ten episodes will be produced. Five episodes have aired, so there are five left.
• Back to You: Nine episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• Brothers & Sisters: Twelve episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are six left.
• Chuck: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are six left.
• Dirty Sexy Money: Eleven episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are five left.
• Friday Night Lights: Fifteen episodes will be produced. The sixth episode airs tonight, Nov. 9, so there are nine left.
• Grey's Anatomy: Eleven episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are four left.
• Heroes: Twelve episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are five left.
• House: Twelve episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are six left
• Lost: Eighth episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there eight episodes left.
• The Office: Twelve half-hour episodes will be produced. Eleven half-hour episodes have aired, so there is one half-hour episode left.
• Private Practice: Ten or 11 episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are four or five left.
• Pushing Daisies: Nine episodes will be produced. Five episodes have aired, so there are four left.
• Samantha Who?: Twelve episodes will be produced. Four episodes have aired, so there are eight left.
• Scrubs: Twelve episodes will be produced. Three episodes have aired, so there are nine left.
• Ugly Betty: Twelve or 13 episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are five or six left.
  

This one is funny:



And the blog I've been reading ever since this strike began has changed designs and is full of backstories, photos and behind the scenes. Visit United Hollywood.

Studios Act on Strikers

I can be very naive at times. I was actually hoping the strike is over this week. But apparently, that's really just wishful thinking...

A day after Hollywood's writers went out on strike, the major studios are hitting back with plans to suspend scores of long-term deals with television production companies, jeopardizing the jobs of hundreds of rank-and-file employees whose names never appear in the credits.

Assistants, development executives and production managers will soon be out of work, joining their better-paid bosses who opted to sacrifice paychecks as members of the Writers Guild of America. At some studios, the first wave of letters are going out today, hitting writer-producers whose companies don't currently have shows in production.

"Anyone who's not working on pilots or shows is going to get suspension letters," said one top studio executive.

The major studios that have issued or are planning suspensions include Fox, CBS Paramount, Disney, Warner Bros. and NBC Universal.

From LA Times

Production Shut Downs

Here's where your favorite TV shows stand amidst the strike. It's hair-raising...as a matter of fact, I'm getting goosebumps as I read through this list (Thanks to Televisionary).

• 30 Rock: Shooting episode #210 through November 9th. No additional scripts have been written.
• 24: Eight episodes completed. FOX has shelved Season Seven indefinitely.
• Big Bang Theory: Production shut down.
• The Captain: Shooting episode #102 November 8th - 14th. Scripts in for episodes #103 and #104 (production will conclude 11/30).
• Carpoolers: Production shut down 11/16.
• Cavemen: Shooting episode #113 between November 7th - 13th. No additional scripts had been ordered.
• Cold Case: Production shut down 11/16
• Desperate Housewives: Production shut down.
• Dirt: Prepping episode #206 for a November 20th - 30th shoot. Script written for episode #207.
• Dirty Sexy Money: Shooting episode #111 between November 8th - 19th. Prepping episode #112 next week. Shoots 11/21. There are other scripts written but it's unclear if production will continue.
• Eli Stone: Prepping #111 now which shoots between November 15-26th. Not clear if there are additional scripts.
• Ghost Whisperer: Shooting episode #312 between November 12th - 21st. No additional scripts written.
• Greek: Shooting episode #1018 starting November 15th. No additional scripts out of the 20 episode order written.
• Heroes: Production shut down 11/9.
• K-Ville: Shot #110 October 28th - November 8th.
• Journeyman: Status of production unclear. 13 scripts written.
• Medium: Prepping episode 069-09 for a shoot between November 15th - 28th. No additional scripts have been written.
• Numb3rs: Prepping episode #412 for a shoot between November 19th - 30th. No additional scripts have been written.
• October Road: Shooting episode #210 between November 9th - 21st. Scripts through #213 completed.
• The Office: Production shut down. One additional script written.
• Old Christine: Production shut down.
• Rules of Engagement: Canceled production on episode #210 (meant to shoot 11/7-11/13). No additional scripts written. Production shut down.
• Samantha Who: Production shut down 11/12
• Swingtown: Shooting episode #103 11/9-11/21. No additional scripts written.
• 'Til Death: Episode #212 completes production on November 9th.
• Two and a Half Men: Production shut down.
• Ugly Betty: Shooting "Odor in the Court" between November 9th and 20th. Prepping "A Thousand Words Before Friday" next week. No additional scripts available after that.
• Without A Trace: Production shut down 11/22.

I've read somewhere the strike could extend to summer, or worse, 2009. It could be baseless, but not at all impossible. Directors contracts and actors contracts are up for renewal by next year. They could also demand the same thing as the writers are demanding.

And the studios aren't budging still. They hold the money, they might win this.

With the strike in progress, I'm playing catch up!

I'm setting up my gameplan now, since it seems television is really in for a shorter season (on account of The Strike). But I'd be glad to be mistaken about that. I sure hope I am mistaken and it's all mended by Friday or something.

I frankly lost my drive to watch remaining episodes that are still airing and I'm now overtaken with excitement over what shows I can catch up on.

I've began reading actual novels again. ABNKKBSPPLA-ko! :D It's something I badly need to get back to, for.... you know, sharpening the thought process. And I'm starting to pile on movies.

But for my beloved television...where do I start playing catch up?

• Earlier, I mentioned finishing up on Supernatural, Brotherhood, Felicity and BSG.
  
• I'm still good with BBC's Robin Hood, which is running its 2nd season. It ain't great though. But I'll take anything.
  
• I'd like to check Debra Messing's The Starter's Wife. It's short and it's nasty, therefore it's perfect for tiding away what would have to be a nearly empty 2007-2008 season. Whoot-whoot!
• Maybe I need to catch up on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Saw parts of Season 3 on cable with Danny DeVito in it, but I couldn't keep the 9ish schedule and wasn't able to religiously tune to it.
• I think I'll give Big Love a try....not fond of Bill Paxton, not fond of polygamy as its premise. But it's currently the only good thing on HBO, so...yeah, why not?
• What great timing, too! Amazon.Com is having a huge TV DVD Sale! $19.99 for Millenium! $9.99 for The Loop! Yummy!

Can you recommend me more? Books, movies, anything?

Why they fight...

As of late Sunday, the writers have withdrew demands for DVD residuals. They are not after that anymore.

They, however, insist to be properly compensated for revenues earned through webcasting. Most studios and networks broadcast their episodes online these days and they air this with the benefits of advertising and sponsors. Network executives, however claim, the legally downloaded or streamed content are just "promotional" in nature.

I don't understand what they mean by that...doesn't promotional and advertising mean the same? And anybody knows that when a there is product advertised on any medium, money has been paid for it. And a percentage of that money doesn't reach the writers, who have provided the content for whatever it is you're getting from iTunes or Amazon Downloads.

As of last night, these shows have effectively shut down production since there are no scripts to tape or film:

Back To You
Desperate Housewives
Rules of Engagement
The New Adventures of Christine
The Big Bang Theory
Two and A Half Men
Til' Death

Other shows are wrapping up production with their remaining finished scripts and right before everyone goes on hiatus for Christmas.

Tim Kring quits Heroes?

Fact or rumor?

On another front, I have been advised by a source on “Heroes” that Tim Kring has quit the series. Apparently the network was making him remove storylines that could not be wrapped up in the existing episodes that are now being finished. This caused wholesale rewrites of three episodes over the past week and weekend.

From a commenter on this blog.

[Heroes]