The Hollywood writers strike is having a greater impact than predicted.
Fresh scripted product may dry up well before the end of the year. We could be stuck with all-reality, all-the-time by Thanksgiving. And Fox has indefinitely postponed “24” so that it can run consecutive weeks.
Honestly, how many dance shows can the American public stomach?
In a victory for striking writers who want compensation for their work on new media platforms, shows are shutting down at a dizzying pace.
“Big Bang Theory” and “Family Guy” are done. “The Office” will offer its last new episode Thursday. “Pushing Daisies” and “Desperate Housewives” halted production last week. “Bionic Woman,” “Men in Trees” and “Reaper” will shut down soon. The “Law & Order” franchise is expected to be out of production by mid-December; “Grey’s Anatomy” will run out of episodes soon.
The solidarity of showrunners, those writer-producer hyphenates who do managerial work as well as writing, has given the strike a boost.
The networks are scrounging for reality fare to fill their schedules. ABC picked up a third dancing contest, NBC plans to air “Clash of the Choirs.” Regis Philbin and Tucker Carlson have been enlisted to host game shows, Hulk Hogan will revive “American Gladiator,” and clones of British and Latin American reality shows like the Colombian “Moment of Truth” are on deck.
For now, viewers can sample the season’s scripted fare while it lasts.
ABC’s “Dirty Sexy Money,” Wednesday at 9 p.m. on KMGH- Channel 7, the disappointing soap with the most fetching title of the season, will be out of scripts in a couple of weeks.
The series returns Wednesday for its seventh episode. It may make it to 10.
The cheesy fantasy series starring Peter Krause and Donald Sutherland hasn’t risen to the level of must viewing. Not satirical enough to be funny, not suspenseful enough to be a mystery, not anything, really, besides an over-the-top “Dynasty” wannabe and vicarious peek at New York’s uber-wealthy, “DSM” hasn’t made the most of its terrific cast.
Evidently the network didn’t see huge potential in the hour, either, since it didn’t give “Dirty Sexy” a full season pickup order before the strike. Note, a number of series did get pickups — ABC’s “Pushing Daisies,” CW’s “Gossip Girl,” ABC’s “Samantha Who?” Fox’s “Back to You” and CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory.” But who knows when new scripts might be ready now that the writers aren’t writing.
“Life,” a less splashy show that’s more grounded, better acted and more inviting, has a fresh hour this week. It was overshadowed at the start of the season by the high-profile but undeserving “Bionic Woman,” and its ratings have been slipping. In Wednesday’s eighth episode, at 9 p.m. on KUSA-Channel 9, Damian Lewis as Det. Charlie Crews and Sarah Shahi as Dani Reese confront the murder of an IRS agent who led a double life. At the same time, Crews continues to work on the case that resulted in his unjust imprisonment for a dozen years. Unlike “DSM,” you can appreciate a single hour of “Life” without knowing much about the backstories.
In other words, enjoy the fresh dramas while they last.
Strong contender
Much as it pains a supporter of striking writers to say so, the most compelling story thread at the moment might be “Project Runway 4,” Wednesday at 8 p.m. (repeated at 9) on Bravo. Tim Gunn says these contestants are the strongest ever. But he always says that. The fourth season offers a splendid collection of flamboyant, egomaniacal, testy and talented designers.
“She’s a little strange,” says one design freak of another, a reminder of pot and kettle.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
