An e-mail has been send around to WGA members stating that a tentative deal has been reached that, I get the impression, is going to be satisfactory to all concerned. A meeting was held today at 2 PM which I was not able to attend, since Ariel’s High School bowling team had their county-wide playoffs today. One has to have priorities (Ariel’s team came in second, by the way, and Ariel herself did excellently, shooting four games over 200.
From the tone of the letter, it appears that there will be no further picketing (which of course means the Oscars will go forward with no impediment–a big relief for Jon Stewart, I should think.) I have to think that, short of some sort of egregious problem, the strike is done.
PAD
• 
What’s the status of the issue of unionizing reality and animation writers?
Might want to check the comments over at UnitedHollywood.com, especially at http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2008/02/letter-from-presidents-with-deal.html . Some folks like the deal, some are resigned to it being the best they can get, and some are incensed about it. Just about everybody commenting is upset at the lack of time to analyze and discuss what will determine their income for the next three years (and longer, due to precedents set).
It was dropped. The WGA heads have said they still plan to seek union coverage for those shows, but it won’t be a part of this contract.
Peter, make sure to come back here and give us the unvarnished truth about how good/bad this deal is. Frankly, you’re the only one I trust to give us the full scoop with minimal spin and hyperbole…
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Groovy.
Glad to hear of things looking up, Pete. Hope all is finally fair and equitable to all involved.
Possibility of…new tv and moves…returning…fear of ..increased reality shows…fading.
Congrats to Ariel too – I’ve been bowling before and not broken 200 total IN 4 games. :S
And yes, as Michael D. says, let us know what you REALLY think.
Groovy.
Glad to hear of things looking up, Pete. Hope all is finally fair and equitable to all involved.
Possibility of…new tv and moves…returning…fear of ..increased reality shows…fading.
Congrats to Ariel too – I’ve been bowling before and not broken 200 total IN 4 games. :S
And yes, as Michael D. says, let us know what you REALLY think.
Groovy.
Glad to hear of things looking up, Pete. Hope all is finally fair and equitable to all involved.
Possibility of…new tv and moves…returning…fear of ..increased reality shows…fading.
Congrats to Ariel too – I’ve been bowling before and not broken 200 total IN 4 games. :S
And yes, as Michael D. says, let us know what you REALLY think.
Groovy.
Glad to hear of things looking up, Pete. Hope all is finally fair and equitable to all involved.
Possibility of…new tv and moves…returning…fear of ..increased reality shows…fading.
Congrats to Ariel too – I’ve been bowling before and not broken 200 total IN 4 games. :S
And yes, as Michael D. says, let us know what you REALLY think.
Groovy.
Glad to hear of things looking up, Pete. Hope all is finally fair and equitable to all involved.
Possibility of…new tv and moves…returning…fear of ..increased reality shows…fading.
Congrats to Ariel too – I’ve been bowling before and not broken 200 total IN 4 games. :S
And yes, as Michael D. says, let us know what you REALLY think.
I wonder how this will work out for the various shows. I’ve heard that some will get new episodes for this season and others will just wait until the new season starts. That could cause complications.
Heroes, for example, is fine no matter what. They ended at a good place, so they could just take what they were planning for the rest of the second season and start the new season with it.
Scrubs is in a different place. This was their last season and they had some plot threads unresolved. There was more left to be told about what was going to happen to Bob Kelso. It’s never been a highly rated show, so if they don’t get new episodes, they might not get another season to finish everything up.
My sense of the United Hollywood “room” is that the Something Egregious has already happened, and a large chunk of people are waiting for the rest to admit to the fact.
I may be wrong, though, seeing as I’m currently an outside observer.
I am positively elated that the writers get to go back to work, and hopefully get most of what they want…But there is a large part of me that wanted the strike to go until 1 day past the Oscars. The Hollywood-glamor hating aspect of my soul would have loved to have seen that awards show reduced to what the Globes were reduced to. In that same regard, I’m annoyed the crapfest that is the Grammys will be on tomorrow 😀
And what have we learned from this writer’s strike business?
That most corporations are greedy bloodsucking entities?
That writers are constantly exploited and taken for granted?
That unions are needed?
That this whole situation is only a microcosm of what’s going on in our society where the working class is exploited and must endure pecuniary and other hardships such as lack of universal healthcare or other benefits, crumbling mortgages or $9 trillion deficit while the rich profit at our expense with the countless tax breaks and corporate welfare? All of this very much akin to the seeds of the French Revolution?
No.
None of those things matter. The only thing that matters is that the Oscars go on as scheduled and that glorified vanity affair of a popularity contest known as the Academy Awards isn’t interrupted under any circumstances and we should celebrate that.
After all, the show must go on.
I’m biased but I’ve got to think that people like Mark Evanier and other writers/bloggers are pretty honest. ME says that “it seems to me like an acceptable but not great offer.” I’m glad that the strike is over and that writers at least made some progress. Looking forward to reading PAD’s thoughts as well.
Right now I’m working my way through Doctor Who and Torchwood. I have to ask you a question. Do you guys like these shows in a “so bad it’s good” way? Or do you really like these shows?
I haven’t seen anything so awful since Andromeda.
Peter, thank you for your hard work during the strike, and for keeping us all appraised. Congratulations to you and all members of the WGA.
None of those things matter. The only thing that matters is that the Oscars go on as scheduled and that glorified vanity affair of a popularity contest known as the Academy Awards isn’t interrupted under any circumstances and we should celebrate that.
To some, perhaps. Then again, to some, the only thing that matters is making stuff up purely to denigrate others.
PAD
As someone who has (I just counted ’em) 44 serials of the original Doctor Who on DVD (and I think I have a few others on VHS kicking around somewhere), I’d have to say I think I’m in the “good” camp. (Well, okay, there’s the occasional “bad in a good way” one… But I think they’re the minority.) As for the new series and the spin-off Torchwood, I find those to be quite good as well. So good I can’t even wait for them to air in the U.S. (The internet is a marvellous thing.) Don’t have any of those on DVD yet, but they are definitely closer to the front end of my “one of these days” list.
Sorry, just had to defend the good Doctor there.
Now… On the main subject at hand, I am glad to see the strike ending and hope the writers got what they can consider a fair deal. It will be good that they can get back to work. I’d have hated the wait for the second half of season 4 of BSG to be too long (that show has long enough season breaks as it is!) and I have also quite missed The WØrd.
However… while I hate to say so there will be a small part of me that will almost be sorry to see Jon Stewart get his writers back. In some ways I’ve been liking A Daily Show a bit more then The Daily Show. Possibly because my favourite parts have always been Jon Stewart at the desk just talking about and reacting to current events, which has become a bigger part of the show without the writers to do other bits. Great recent example was his short and to the point response to the speech Mitt Romney gave when he dropped out of the race. “&%@$ you, Mitt!” Especially as a Massachusetts resident, classic! That being said, I’d still welcome those writers back as well.
I’m glad to hear that the strike is (hopefully) nearly over and that the WGA, while they certainly didn’t get anywhere close to what they would have liked, at least moved forward in a few ways. If it was up to the moguls, they were reportedly trying to get a few rollbacks out of it and didn’t, so that’s certainly good news. That being said, I would be delighted if the writers (and by extension, the actors) still struck the Oscars anyway. All involved would still get their awards, but ABC would still suffer a hefty seven million dollar blow. It probably wouldn’t teach them a lesson and the writers could get one last shot at saying ‘Don’t mess with us in 2011!)
I’m still not all that optimistic about seeing any new episodes soon, because I’m not sure the math works out, certainly not with the SAG contract coming up in June. What I’d rather see is the writers start work on the ‘back 9’ but instead of rushing a patchwork of episodes back to the screen, maybe we could get a mini-summer series leading into the fall.
And regarding the earlier posts about Doctor Who and Torchwood, here’s something interesting I heard while I was back in the UK a few weeks back. Apparently one major company (who shall remain nameless here) had asked their London people to compile a list øf ÙK sci-fi television writers for them, just in case the strike went on for too long. What they discovered is the British market has very few SF television writers, with the exception of Doctor Who and Torchwood, and even then, most of them hadn’t written much SF outside of Doctor Who.
Anthony W: “Right now I’m working my way through Doctor Who and Torchwood. I have to ask you a question. Do you guys like these shows in a ‘so bad it’s good’ way? Or do you really like these shows?”
I really like Doctor Who, without reservation. I haven’t watched enough of “Torchwood” to form an opinion.
Also, I didn’t think “Andromeda” was horrible. It wasn’t great, but it had its moments.
It wasn’t the Oscars. Sure it’s nice to reduced the lives and work of others to a cynical, small, snarky comment. But it is also completely wrong.
From what I was reading, if the strike went on much longer the Producers would not only lose this season, but due to the need to make pilots and such, they were in danger of losing next season as well. The time for the networks was running out, so they compromised and offered a decent deal.
Anthony W, I have to place large swaths of the old “Who” firmly in the “so bad it’s good” camp (and in many cases, I do indeed mean “camp”), but I do think the newer “Who”, and “Torchwood”, are quite good (although I am wondering what Gwen was doing as team lead between series one and two, if she’s still thrown by seeing a “ghost”).
Then again, I also liked the first three seasons of “Andromeda”, so maybe my opinion isn’t that important to you… 🙂
Or do you really like these shows?
Yes, we really like these shows.
Oh, I’m going to be at Gallifrey One in Los Angeles next weekend, in case anybody else is going.
It’ll be my first time attending this con, as well as being my first Doctor Who convention.
To anyone interested below are a couple of links regarding the Writer’s Strike situation:
those too blind or too ignorant to see that this
The first one was written by Joss Whedon earlier this week:
http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2008/02/from-joss-whedon-do-not-adjust-your.html
The second one was penned by me late last year:
http://neo-prodigy.livejournal.com/460602.html
I also like Joe’s idea about the writers sticking it to the Oscars as a warning for 2011.
To some it’s all about the Oscars and they’re more interested in seeing an awards show than a group of people get their just pay.
But then these are the same people who refuse to see the sad state of the world when it’s staring them in the face.
When people are more concerned about the state of the Oscars than they are reaching a fair settlement, then something is wrong.
And let’s not forget, the studios are ultimately responsible for this strike.
Oh and case and point:
http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2008/02/from-joss-whedon-do-not-adjust-your.html
Posted by PAD
To some, perhaps. Then again, to some, the only thing that matters is making stuff up purely to denigrate others.
Sounds to me that the OP was basically describing the mentality that seems to be reflected in general media coverage of the strike for the last couple months; the same mentality that keeps prying for new things to be scandalised over in Britney Spears’ ongoing meltdown, that still rakes up Anna Nicole Smith’s death.
That mentality has been presenting the strike to the poublic almost solely in the light of “Will those silly writer and producers manage to settle their picayune arguments in time for the Terribly Important Academy Awards to be broadcast?”
Posted by: Denny
When people are more concerned about the state of the Oscars than they are reaching a fair settlement, then something is wrong.
Bingo.
Exactly Weber, thank you.
I would agree with Mike Weber. Denny’s point was very clear and needed no deep analysis to decode. Of course, PAD is correct that “to some, the only thing that matters is making stuff up purely to denigrate others” – he may just be mistaken as to whom he is referring. When one is oneself a snarky bášŧárd (I’ve noticed this myself) it can be awfully easy to see snarky bášŧárdš everywhere one looks.
Regarding the Oscars, I’m glad that the ceremonies can go on without the complications of picket lines, but cannot remember any instance in the past 40-some years when any of the writing on the broadcasts has been more than passable. Whether great prose was mangled by inadequate presenters or it ever existed at all is hard to tell.
It’s not that the Oscars can go on without picket lines, it’s that it can go on at all. If the strike had continued, the stars wouldn’t have attended and it would have been a press conference like the Golden Globes.
Denny,
In the words of Emily Latella;
“Oh, well that’s different, nevermind.”
Jeffrey S. Frawley:
“When one is oneself a snarky bášŧárd (I’ve noticed this myself) it can be awfully easy to see snarky bášŧárdš everywhere one looks.”
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
Just seeking clarity.
The Internet provisions look like a big bait and switch compared to what was reported in the news. I say you guys call BS on the producers.
Posted by: Alan Coil
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
Just seeking clarity.
I suspect the answer to that may very well be “Yes.”
Posted by: Alan Coil
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
Just seeking clarity.
I suspect the answer to that may very well be “Yes.”
Posted by: Alan Coil
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
Just seeking clarity.
I suspect the answer to that may very well be “Yes.”
Posted by: Alan Coil
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
Just seeking clarity.
I suspect the answer to that may very well be “Yes.”
Posted by: Alan Coil
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
Just seeking clarity.
I suspect the answer to that may very well be “Yes.”
That should of course be:
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
That should of course be:
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
That should of course be:
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
That should of course be:
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
That should of course be:
In your parenthetical aside, did you mean to say “I’ve noticed this IN myself”, or are you calling the gracious host of this site a snarky bášŧárd?
*yawn*
No offense but on a purely selfish level, I couldn’t care less. I didn’t like getting the one season of TV I actually watched a handful of shows in the last 7 years get interrupted but I got over it.
More time for reading, working out, bowling.
On the other hand, I should be glad it’s getting worked out for those whom it affected.
Jeffrey, Ed, thank you for your comments.
For the strike possibly ending, all I can say is this: Thank the gods it happened before WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO? got aired on the major networks!
As for DOCTOR WHO, I like both the origial show (still the longest-running consecutive sci-fi series ever) and the new version (better special effects, same goofy fun). For a nice humorous swipe at the original, check out DOCTOR WHO AND THE FINAL DEATH, a charity-inspired comedy bit that pokes fun at everything from the cheap locations to the continual “I’ll explain it later” lapses in logic or plot. And it starts with Rowan Atkinson as the Doctor!
Glad it’s over with, and glad there seems to be an overall positive outcome!