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Post-Strike World of TV Begins Crawl From Muck

Posted on: Wednesday, 13 February 2008, 06:00 CST

IF THINGS WENT AS EVERYONE -- I mean everyone -- expected, Hollywood is back in business today.

Hollywood's writers were voting Tuesday to call off their strike, after picketing for three months, trashing the Golden Globes, diluting late night, slowing movie production, and turning prime-time TV into a mess of repeats and reality shows.

If it turned out, by some wicked twist of fate, the vote was to keep striking, I'll be sitting in a corner shivering and talking to furniture.

Not that I expect you to worry. You're probably thinking, "What about my needs? What does the end of the strike mean for TV viewers and movie fans?"

Short answer: It's complicated.

Here's the long answer.

We do know the immediate impacts. Starting tonight, late-night shows ranging from "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" to the "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" and "The Colbert Report" will have their writers, full monologues, regular scripted gags and, very likely, a ton of strike jokes.

It also means the Feb. 24 Academy Awards broadcast on ABC is a full-speed "go." Producers may not have time to prepare the usual overdone productions, but what really matters is that stars will hit the red carpet, present and receive awards, and do all the things that stars do.

Further out, things get less clear. Most of the movie studios have been vague about which coming films would get an instant production power boost. However, there are some high-profile movies with script issues that had been stalled by the strike and now appear headed back to work. They include Johnny Depp's "Shantaram," plus "Justice League of America" and "Angels & Demons," the prequel to "The Da Vinci Code."

The prime-time TV landscape is still a shifting puzzle. Each show is a special case, depending on how far along scripts were, whether sets were struck and whether the network thinks a series is worth the expense of restarting for a short run in spring.

The networks also have a pile of ready-to-go shows that were part of their strike-contingency plans. Those include new reality shows and some imports from the cable channels they own -- for instance, Showtime's "Dexter" is coming to CBS on Sunday, and USA's "Monk" and "Psych" will hit NBC in April.

Plus some current reality series, like Fox's "Moment of Truth," are doing well enough that the networks will keep them as long as they can.

It's also possible network shows will run into June to try to keep connections with viewers -- such as they are -- and to recoup lost advertising dollars. But ratings drop in summer, when people actually go outside, so the nets may still decide not to burn their top-of-the-line shows.

Here's how all that will translate. The networks will likely bring back most of their hits and established series within four to eight weeks. They will probably hold most of their promising first-year shows to relaunch in the fall.

And the midpack series, particularly first-year shows with so-so ratings like NBC's "Bionic Woman" and "Journeyman" or CBS' "Cane"? Expect to say goodbye.

There are two big-deal exceptions to that formula: NBC's "Heroes" won't restart until the fall, because producers don't want to cram a new story arc into the five or six episodes they could get made this spring. And Fox said it's holding "24" and most likely won't air the show until January. (But if you're looking for small victories, the work stoppage gave Kiefer Sutherland time to serve his jail term for drunken driving without costing the production more time or money.)

Based on off-the-record discussions, confirmed reports, a few on-the-record comments and a little bit of deduction, here's a best-guess, network-by-network look at what we'll see on TV. (Unless there are special circumstances, the list doesn't include shows currently on the air with new episodes.)

ABC

It announced Monday it's renewing nine series for next fall: "Desperate Housewives,""Lost,""Grey's Anatomy,""Brothers & Sisters,""Ugly Betty," and rookie shows "Dirty Sexy Money,""Pushing Daisies,""Private Practice" and "Samantha Who?"

Also, "Lost" producers said they probably won't make all 16 episodes that were originally planned for the spring, but they hope to get this season's story told in maybe 13 episodes.

Returning this spring: "Brothers & Sisters,""Boston Legal,""Desperate Housewives,""Grey's Anatomy,""Men in Trees,""Ugly Betty,""Samantha Who?"

Back in the fall: "Dirty Sexy Money,""Private Practice,""Pushing Daisies."

Probably dead: "Big Shots,""Cavemen,""Carpoolers."

Uncertain fate: "According to Jim,""October Road,""Women's Murder Club."

CBS

Because it has so many solidly performing shows that aren't serialized, CBS appears to be the network bringing the most shows back with new episodes.

Returning this spring: "The Big Bang Theory,""Cold Case,""Criminal Minds," all three "CSIs,""Ghost Whisperer,""How I Met Your Mother,""NCIS,""Numb3rs,""Two and a Half Men,""Without a Trace."

Back in the fall: "Moonlight."

Probably dead: "Cane."

Uncertain fate: "Rules of Engagement,""Shark,""The Unit."

Already canceled: "Viva Laughlin."

CW

The only network so far to talk on the record about post-strike plans. According to a spokeswoman, comedies should be back mid-March, dramas mid-April. Also, "Girlfriends" will retire after eight seasons, but there will be a special finale sometime in the spring.

Returning this spring: "Aliens in America,""Everybody Hates Chris,""The Game,""Gossip Girl,""One Tree Hill,""Reaper,""Smallville,""Supernatural."

Probably dead: "Life is Wild."

Fox

This is the network that clearly won the strike because of a strong lineup of reality shows like "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?""Moment of "Truth" and the hours and hours of "American Idol."

Fox also has a handful of new scripted series headed for the air soon, including "New Amsterdam" and "The Return of Jezebel James" in March and "Canterbury's Law" in April.

Returning this spring: "American Dad,""Back to You,""Bones," Family Guy,""House,""King of the Hill,""The Simp-sons,""Til Death."

Back next season: "24."

Probably dead: "K-Ville."

Uncertain fate: "Prison Break."

NBC

Network execs brag about how well NBC has done during the strike, and relative to most other networks, that's true. But NBC still has lots of post-strike work to do because it's patchwork lineup of mostly reality shows doesn't look like it's got staying power. For instance, the show NBC called its newest hit, "American Gladiators," loses viewers every week and was down to 8.8 million on Monday.

Returning this spring: "30 Rock,""My Name Is Earl,""The Office,""Scrubs."

Back in the fall: "Chuck,""Heroes,""Life."

Probably dead: "Bionic Woman,""Journeyman."

Uncertain fate: "ER,""Friday Night Lights,""Las Vegas."

Cable

A handful of returning shows already have air dates: "Dirt" (FX) on March 2, "The Riches" (FX) on March 18, "The Tudors" (Showtime) on March 30 and "Battlestar Gallactica" (Sci Fi) on April 4,

Here are the rest we know are returning, but don't know when.

AMC: "Mad Men."

FX: "Damages,""Rescue Me,""The Shield."

HBO: "Big Love,""Curb Your Enthusiasm,""Entourage,""Flight of the Conchords,""Tell Me You Love Me."

Lifetime: "Army Wives."

Sci Fi: "Doctor Who,""Eureka,""Stargate Atlantis."

Showtime: "Brotherhood,""Californication,""Dexter,""Weeds."

TBS: "My Boys."

TNT: "The Closer,""Saving Grace."

USA: "Burn Notice."

Source: The Sacramento Bee

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