The full impact of the weeks-old walkout by television and film writers is about to hit home for the American TV audience.
Since the strike by the Writers Guild of America against the major media conglomerates began on Nov. 1, the television networks have managed to keep up appearances of normalcy on their primetime schedules. Although the late-night talk shows immediately went dark, the most popular series still had original episodes to show.
That will all change early next month as the most-watched dramas and comedies run out of fresh installments. Some — CBS’s “Two And A Half Men” and NBC’s “Heroes” and “The Office” — already have.
ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Desperate Housewives” will air their final new episodes over the next two weeks. Fox’s “House” is saving its final original hour for its slot behind Super Bowl XLII on Feb. 3 and then it, too, will be gone.
As a result, the networks have been forced to fall back on winter-spring primetime schedules that, for many viewers, will be an unappetizing melange of repeats, a few midseason replacement series, some recycled cable shows, newsmagazines — and a heavy dose of new and returning reality programming. (Reality shows in general are not covered by the WGA contract.) Early 2008 schedules released by the networks this month include 27 hours a week of unscripted programming, up from 17 hours pre-strike and the most ever on network TV.
If the writers strike continues into the early spring, the number of hours devoted to wife swappers, supernannys and survivors is only likely to increase.
Both inside and outside the networks, there is considerable concern that the television audience will not give the new lineups a warm reception. In particular, few believe that, outside of such established blockbusters as Fox’s “American Idol” and ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” the surge of reality shows will do much to keep viewers glued to their sets.
For viewers, cable will be an alternative in the short-term because its scripted series tend to work further in advance than those on the networks. In January, for example, USA will have new episodes of “Monk,” Sci Fi has new hours of “Stargate Atlantis” and HBO has full seasons of both “The Wire” and the new “In Treatment.”
But if the strike persists, the cable well will start to run dry too. And such popular cable shows as FX’s “The Shield,” TNT’s “The Closer,” Lifetime’s “Army Wives” and USA’s “Burn Notice” already have their seasons on hold until the writers return.
About the only good news for viewers is that a number of the late night shows — NBC’s “The Tonight Show” and “Late Night” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” — will resume next Wednesday. But hosts Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien and Kimmel will be working with one arm tied behind their backs because their writers are still on strike and some stars may be reluctant to cross picket lines to be guests on the shows.
