The Writers Guild of America plans to go on strike as of Monday. Most TV shows will continue to operate normally for the next couple of months, but midseason is when it becomes dicey. Immediate impact is likely to be felt by talk shows by Late Night, however, and they will likely go into reruns right away.
The concern is primarily about new mediums like digital delivery and DVDs, but the interesting thing is that TV networks have already been struggling this fall as it is, so all a strike threatens to do is make it even more difficult to get the attention of viewers again. Enough successful new reality and news shows that otherwise may not have made the cut will also likely bump some unionized shows out of the picture. Just in general, the studios will continue to seek ways to continue reducing the reliance on union workers as time goes by.
Economic fallout will be potentially significant. Los Angeles county’s entertainment industry accounts for $30 billion in revenue. Beyond just the writers and TV/movie studios, anybody who is in some way tied to the industry, whether it’s actors/producers looking for work next year, construction companies who build sets, or tourism in southern California, will also feel the impact.
ABC seems most willing of the lot to rely on repeats. Beyond that, though, this month will mark the premiere of Darren Star’s newest show, Cashmere Mafia, along with Notes from the Underbelly and October Road. This will be followed in January by Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann. And in February, Lost returns, though only half its season will be ready by that time.
For CBS, the first part of its midseason plans begins this Sunday night, with The Amazing Race 12. If they didn’t delay it until midseason to begin with, which was a stupid idea all along, they could just run The Amazing Race 13 in January, but now there’s going to be a gap come March. Swingtown is a new show that’s ready to go. Additionally, Jericho will be returning in an abridged 7 episode season 2. Survivor will be back as always, as will Power of 10 and Regis (in Million Dollar Password). Rumor has it Big Brother may be making an appearance earlier than expected as well. CBS has normally been able to get very strong numbers out of reruns of its procedural dramas.
Fox is looking good as it does every year around this time. American Idol will be making its return in January, and regardless of the big deal some are making about how its ratings have fallen, it’s still easily the highest rated show on TV. This could be stretched into multiple two hour episodes at the start of the season, with even more filler as the season progresses if needed. 24 will also be making its return, though when and how much remains to be seen. Fox will be hosting TV’s biggest night, the Super Bowl. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, New Amsterdam, Canterbury’s Law, The Return of Jezebel James, and Unhitched are new shows in the lineup. The Sunday animated block would be unimpacted by a strike for the foreseeable future. Reality shows are always something Fox is working on, so we can expect at least one new one in midseason. When all’s said and done, Fox will barely even notice a strike unless it drags on for a year.
NBC will continue its increasing reality show presence. Celebrity Apprentice and The Biggest Loser will be making their returns, as will one of the network’s strongest and most used shows, Deal or No Deal. New reality shows include Clash of the Choirs and Amnesia. Law & Order and Medium will be returning in January, along with new drama Lipstick Jungle. Given the success of The Office, there has been talk of grabbing the original British version of the show, along with other foreign English language programs.
The CW has returning reality shows America’s Next Top Model, Beauty & The Geek, and Pussycat Dolls, with new reality shows Crowned and Farmer Wants a Wife. Then there’s WWE Smackdown, which makes Fridays, typically a weak night for most networks, The CW’s strongest night. One Tree Hill will be back in January, with a fast forwarded plot in which the characters have graduated college. Like Fox, The CW probably won’t even notice a strike. Sure, there will be more reality TV, but the network’s been struggling so much to find its way that a forced change of identity may even be a good thing.