LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOWS
Shuttered late-night talkers were the first symptom of the strike, as NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers, CBS’ The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show all went dark effective May 2, and plan to air reruns.
HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher and Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, which respectively don’t air until Friday and Sunday, have also decided to go dark.
Fox News’ Gutfeld!, however, plans to keep on keeping on, seeing as its host and staff are reportedly non-union.
Note: Interview-based talk shows are not affected by the strike.
There are so many options for TV these days…so I couldn’t care less about this strike.
Ya most shows ending anyways and I got lot’s of shows to catch up on s I’m ok with the strike.
That’s right. If it doesn’t affect you, who cares about anyone else? Meanwhile, my job is on hold while this strike occurs and I’m not even a writer, but I fully support the WGA. So glad those of you who enjoy the work of film professionals couldn’t care any less about us as human beings.
😂😂😂
It may not affect a lot of you, but I am bummed about it. @MM, I hope things get resolved soon for you. @John Doe, go away Troll. I’m disabled, so I do watch a lot of shows. Even though I still have ones to catch up on, I’m afraid it will delay new ones and movies I have been waiting on.
Ignore John doe. He’s just a troll. Hopefully, the strike will be over before the end of the month. Meanwhile, not knowing what you do for a living, can you apply to access a fund that supplements income during a strike?
🤪😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
These are the same people that will be complaining when shows are delayed, seasons are shortened, and ultimately, good shows die (Pushing Daisies, anyone?). People may feel like they’re unaffected now, but wait a while.
I hope AMPTP comes up with a good offer quickly. I’m not at all affected by this financially, but I recognize that with out a script there’s no show, and the writers deserve a good deal.
Yup, the same people. +75 TVLine Power User points (no cash value)
I never cried about an ex-boyfriend but cried when Pushing Daisies was cancelled. Sigh.
Your Oscar’s in the mail
@MM, that was flawless shade. I’m not in the business, but I fully support the WGA, especially given the immense challenges they face due to the rise of streaming services. The old broadcast/cable system had its faults, but at least a writer hired for a show could count on a 22-episode season, plus guaranteed residuals if the show was sold into syndication.
With 8-12 episode seasons on streaming (and possibly no residuals), their livelihoods are far less certain. At least this strike will drive home to viewers how important writers are to the many hours of entertainment we consume daily.
I think a big part of the negotiations should be that the upper management shouldn’t be paid as much as they are. Take money from them and give to the writers. It’s ridiculous what most of them make.
Hang tight MM. I live in L.A. and I support the strike too. I’ll see if there’s anything we can do for cast and crew who are not WGA.
You’re absolutely correct. I hope this strike ends amicably and the writers get equal pay show them the money 💰 our favorite shows will definitely be affected in the long run. I support the writers.
I don’t know how I feel right now.I know it’s tough and I support people being paid a decent reasonable living wage and being paid what they are worth.I support benefits that makes sense like healthcare.It’s a changing and challenging landscape and as no better informed than any other “consumer” of this product I can’t know exactly how things really are.But let’s face pone reality here,Whatever happens,whatever settlement,and there will be on eventually,the costs from it will come from the “consumers” of this product.You and Me.It will not come from the various massive corporations that own all the media shops and production companies.They will not sacrifice their own bottom line for a settlement,they will pass costs to you.And since much of this content comes to you through pay walls people will probably cut back especially as the economy cools.Who really wins? Not you and me and I’m not sure the people on strike do either.
Excuse the typos.
I’m not worried. There is a plethora of television out there to watch. A shortened season in the Fall is not the end of the world.
Are they still going ahead with the upfronts?
Very good question! I always looked forward to the upfronts every year. Considering that the fall TV season is sort of in limbo I highly doubt that they are. But who knows
For those of us outside the US won’t make a huge amount of difference, although those of you in the US might be seeing a lot more acquired programming over the summer and beyond.
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Just wonder, as we saw a LOT post-pandemic, how many renewals are going to be reversed?
Truth is, we already consume a lot of foreign shows, and people have gotten used to huge wait times between seasons. I think that between foreign productions and possibly even indie productions (many right-to-work states out there), the Hollywood unions might not have as much market leverage as they once did. That said, they still have leverage with studios and streamers who want to work with them in the future, so I doubt we will see any big changes in the long run.
Why do feel it won’t effect people outside of the US. Now a days most shows are on international streaming services next day or a few weeks. I don’t watch any non-American TV. Because I don’t like it. This strike will effect a lot of people working in TV. It’s horrible that they have to do this.
It depends where you live and on the deals in place, but stuff on the international streamers is generally on the same platforms worldwide, stuff on network and platforms that are in limited markets doesn’t always drop in the UK straight away anyway.
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The Big Bang Theory as an example was only weeks behind the US when it was on, but Young Sheldon is many months behind, in fact I don’t think the latest season has started yet. NCIS is also well behind and I’m sure there are lots more examples.
Now is their chance to hire some capable writers with creativity. Apart from a few shows the generic repetitive pc nonsense this past 8 years or so had been abysmal, and that’s only the remakes and reboots. Most of the decent shoes are ending or have been cancelled anyway.
The problem with modern content isn’t a lack of good writers, it is in the orders and mandates coming down from studios and producers. There are plenty of good writers in the WGA, but the best writers aren’t necessarily the ones being hired.
It really is though. We’ve got a generation of writers who don’t know how to write characters of many different types, and can only write characters that are self inserts. Add to that everything nowadays is mandated by studios and producers that everything has to be adapted, and there’s little original writing or content coming in. And when you combine things that already exist and have expectations with writers who don’t know how to write those characters but only want to put their spin on them, it makes for the mess entertainment is right now.
Any non union writers who take on jobs now would never be allowed to join the writers guild after the strike is over…
100% support the writers in this. Without them we wouldn’t have any of the content we love. When you look at the insane salaries the studio execs are paying themselves and yet writers are no longer making a living wage. With the lack of residuals from streaming, reductions in writers rooms and so many other changes in recent times that have been very unfair to writers. So many decisions being made at the top that’s killing creativity. Also seeing similar happening with actors, and before people jump in with their crappy takes, the vast majority of actors are not making big money, most have multiple jobs to pay their way. Recent trends and changes are squeezing them as well. If studios can justify the salaries for executives, the insane budgets they boast about for certain shows and costs for a so called big name ‘actor’ they can pay their writers.
I’m am worried though that this is another nail in the coffin for Superman & Lois. DC changes, Nexstar takeover of CW and now a writers strike…….this superman fan may finally be loosing hope
“As of the 2020 Schedule of Minimums, an average TV screenwriter in the WGA can make anywhere between $6,363 to $56,078 per episode for a show, or between $3,964 to $5,059 per week, all depending on specific circumstances.”
These people make 3 to 4 times in a week than I make in a month. I don’t feel sorry for them at all. Try living on Social Security for a few months & they would be crawling back to the networks. Why can’t they live within their means?
But they have zero job security. They could work for two weeks or ten but certainly not all year, they literally cannot afford basic things like food and rent.
You’re making the incorrect assumption that every writer is writing an episode every week.
I’m not a writer but one thing you are overlooking in what you quoted is that all the writers on staff aren’t paid for each episode. What if a writer is only credited for one or two episodes per season? They can’t go out and write for other shows either.
As far as episodic television I don’t know how many, if any, writers are paid per week vs. per episode.
“According to Indeed and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of April 2023, the current average income for Hollywood writers is $69,510 per year……During the 2019-2020 season television season, for example, Variety reports that the guild minimum for a writer-producer was $6,967 per week. In 2023, due to inflation, that minimum would be $8,184.
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Variety also reports that for a WGA member in 2023, writer-producers earn a minimum of ‘$41,773 for each 60-minute script, or $28,403 for each 30-minute script.’ However, staff writers are the lowest-level writers and are paid differently. In 2023, ‘[t]he median staff writer on a network show works 29 weeks for a wage of $131,834, while the median staff writer on a streaming show works 20 weeks for $90,920.'”
I agree. They deserve everything they ask for. I hope the strike doesn’t go for long, but I’m worried it’ll go longer than the 2007/8 strike because of people’s apathy
I’m shocked any unions still exist in a country like the capitalist pariah usa, almost everything favors big business over the welfare of the people in this country.
Since the Animation Guild already made a deal with the studios this year, will animated shows stay in production?
Animation usually has a lot of episodes done well before release. If the strike ends before summer is over they’ll probably be fine.
I’m not sure their writers are actually on strike, because they have a separate union and agreement.
My prediction: both new Star Trek projects will be marked down as casualties of the strike. They set up a big scheduling crunch for Section 31 already. The good news is that Star Trek Legacy will probably move forward after the strike is over.
The streamers and networks will probably look to foreign shows to fill the void, but it’d be cool to see some fresh indie talent from around the US step up and get some love too. Lots of non-union artists out there, but it’s hard to track them down without a big streamer hosting them.
Just wondering, does the WGA strike affect internationally produced content?
For example, the amazing Korean productions for Netflix. Can they continue?
It’s the writer’s guild of America. And it’s a union for workers in the US. So no it won’t affect any productions fully made in the US. It’s for US based production companies
How will things work at The Young and The Restless? The breakdown writers were fired and the executive producer & head writer took over all writing duties. Is he WGA? I would think he’s union since he is the head writer, but he’s also co-executive producer.
Soaps like The Young and the Restless have so many scripts done way in advance so they will be okay until those scripts start to run out
I am 100% with the writers on this. I am worried that this will lead to cancellations of on-the-bubble network shows, and probably some reversed renewals. But the important thing is that they make writing in Hollywood a viable career path again and that other industries follow the example.
This could be a while. The timing isn’t optimal for either side as the summer hiatus is here. Since most shows are on break anyways, neither side will be in a rush to get anything done. Let’s see when July comes and it gets closer to filming for the fall.
Acutely some shows rushed into production as I think one of the big primetime shows that shot episodes was the good doctor
Do all of the performers on SNL also write sketches, and if they do are they also in the WGA? I wondered how that works, with this show and others that may use writer-performers. And good luck to everyone. I hope the writers get what they need, and quickly.
Usually members of other unions won’t cross a picket line, so even if a performer on SNL doesn’t write anything, they’ll honor a strike. And s performer who also writes but isn’t a WGA member won’t write, since they’d be considered a “scab” and will never get into the WGA.
“reality-TV shows are generally unaffected by the work stoppage.”
So there are people out there who still believe that ‘reality shows’ aren’t scripted? 🤣
🙄🤦♀️ They’re not scripted the same way that shows with actors are. They’re more like broad outlines of things that are supposed to go on during filming. You think the individuals taking part in “reality-TV shows” are reading lines?
If the TV show Unreal is to be believed, reality shows are “produced” more than they are “written.”
Are most US product that are filmed in Canada written in the USA? “Ghosts” and “So Help Me, Todd “for example on CBS and all the movies and series on the Hallmark Channel? “Uploaded” finished filming it’s 3rd season in November I think. No date has been announced yet. I guess the Late Late Show ended in April so James Cordan could get a last show.
If it’s partially made in the US or has a contract with a US production company it will be a WGA union
All I’m hearing is that I’m getting another season of Celebrity Big Brother.
As the pandemic lead shutdowns showed even streamers can run out of content. I know personally that lead to a fair bit of watching dubbed content that was produced in languages other than English.
I wonder if we’ll see any revivals of axed reality series like Songland or SyFy’s Face Off.
Don’t reality shows still credit writers (since it’s not REALLY “reality,” when it gets down to it)? Shouldn’t they be affected? Or are they non-WGA?
I think the producers manage and curate the “storyline” according to the drama they want but it’s not literally “scripted”.
Time to get reacquainted with an old friend called Major League baseball.
UGH, these comments. Folks, if you’re not 100% behind this Union, you are a giant A**HOLE.
These are people’s livelihoods. Try and care about your fellow human just a little. A smidge. Anything.
Unfortunately, as we’ve seen in recent years, that’s just too great a thing to ask of some people :/.
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Here’s to hoping the writers get what they want in the end and this strike can resolve itself as soon as possible.
someone ”writes ” talk shows ?
they are so bad that i believed they improvised kkkkk
where is craig ferguson when we need!!!
The jokes are written.
I remember that during the 2007 strike Ferguson went on every night–to an empty studio–and simply riffed for half an hour. He was reliably hilarious and edgy. Now, I dunno whether he was truly ad libbing (in which case he wasn’t scabbing) or had written his own stuff earlier in the day (which did make him a scab). And does working from an outline rather than a script count as “writing” in violation of the WGA rules? But if he was physically present, I realize in retrospect that he had to cross a picket line. Of course, these days performers can broadcast from home, as they did during the pandemic shutdown. Wonder if there’s such a thing as a virtual picket line.
Thankfully, nothing I watch should be affected. Regular season scripted shows are already completed and I don’t watch new summer fare. Plus there’s lots of stuff I need to catch up on that’s available on Amazon Prime and Paramount+. Hoping the strike will be over by July so fall shows can start filming.
Fall shows usually start filming in July so post production can have the episodes ready by Fall. Writers rooms usually close down around February- March and pick back up in May to have episodes ready to film. They need to settle quickly to avoid delays.
We hear horror stories about the daytime soaps being written by backstage staffers and interns during strikes, but sometimes it works out okay.
In the 1988 Writers Strike, the writing of NBC’s Another World fell to one of NBC’s executives, Donna Swajeski. After the strike ended, NBC opted to hire her as Head Writer “for real” (that is, putting her name in the credits). Some of the current soaps actually might benefit from some “new blood” being allowed to try their hand at it.