And?
And nothing.  We still won’t have new tv to watch for a couple of months, if at all this season. Writers will return to work this week and try to get shows back up and running. It is expected that some half hour sitcoms could have new episodes appearing in about a month, and that some hour long dramas could have  new episodes ready in about six weeks. The thing is, they cannot make enough episodes to finish a season, so shows like 24 may not air new shows until next year. Shows that weren’t performing well and were in danger of being canceled, such as Caveman, may never return according to one article I read. Thank goodness for something, if that’s true.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers say that “67 percent — 64 of 96 — television series this season are scripted, down from 81 percent just two seasons ago.”

All late night shows are in repeats now, except for Nightline which will remain live and original.

Soaps can make it into 2008. How far into the new year depends on the show. NBC says they have enough to get through January. CBS says they have enough to get through February. ABC says their soaps are written “well into the new year,” and that they will “continue to produce original programming with no repeats and without interruption.”

Production has already shut down Desperate Housewives, Greys Anatomy, New Adventures of Old Christine, Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, Heroes, Back To You, Til Death and KVille.

I hope they can come to an agreement soon or there will be little tv to watch that I want to watch.

Get ready for your tv viewing schedule to look different. The Writers Guild of America went on strike this week. The tv and film writers want better compensation for new media uses of their work, including the Internet, mobile phones and digital music players. The writers last went on strike in 1988, when the walkout lasted 22 weeks and according to MSNBC cost the industry more than $500 million.

Talk shows seem to be the first casualty. Some shows have already stopped production or will be shortly , including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O’Brien and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
The Oprah Winfrey show doesn’t employ union writers so will not be effected.