WGA Strike Over – Learn Fate Of Your Fave Shows February 12, 2008
by Rosario T. Calabria , Filed under: Sci-Fi,Star Trek (2009 film) , trackback
After 100 days the members of the WGA have finally called off their strike and are headed back to work. Today 92.5% of the writers voted in favor of going back to work. A 2nd vote on the new contract is due in a couple of weeks, but it is assumed that will be approved easily. What Next? TrekMovie.com has compiled a quick guide to the effect on the new movie and many favorite genre series and shows with Trek-connections…see below.
"Lost"
- Already aired: 2 episodes; Remaining: 6 episodes
- This season: At least 5 more episodes.
- Next season: Renewed for at least 16 episodes (more could be produced depending on how many are completed this season).
"Boston Legal"
- Already aired: 13 episodes; Remaining: 1 episode.
- This season: Up to eight additional episodes to air in April/May.
- Next season: on the bubble, cancellation possible.
"24"
- Season 7 will premiere in January, 2009.
"Heroes"
- Already aired: 11 episodes; Remaining: no pre-strike episodes are left to air.
- This season: No additional episodes.
- Next season: Renewed for fall ‘08. Episode order unknown.
"Battlestar Galactica"
- Premieres on April 4th; 10 Episodes Completed.
- This season: 10 episodes. Production could begin on the second half of the final season as early as March. Could premiere as early as January 2009.
"Chuck"
- Already aired: 13 episodes; Remaining: no pre-strike episodes.
- This season: No additional episodes.
- Next season: Renewed. New episodes could begin airing in late summer (after the Olympics) or early fall ‘08.
"Ghost Whisperer"
- Already aired: 12 episodes; Remaining: no pre-strike episodes are left to air
- This season: Four to seven episodes are expected to be shot to air this season in April/May.
- Next season: Renewed for fall ‘08. Episode order unknown.
"Medium"
- Already aired: 3 episodes; Remaining: 6 episodes.
- This season: Up to 13 episodes could be shot to complete a full season.
- Next season: Unknown. Would premiere in fall ’08.
"Moonlight"
- Already aired: 12 episodes; Remaining: no pre-strike episodes are left to air.
- This season: Not currently planned, but up to seven additional episodes could be completed to air before next season.
- Next season: Renewed for fall ‘08. Episode order unknown.
"Pushing Daisies"
- Already aired: 9 episodes; Remaining: no pre-strike episodes are left to air
- This season: No additional episodes.
- Next season: Renewed on Monday, February 11 for fall ‘08. 13 episodes ordered.
"Reaper"
- Already aired: 10 episodes; Remaining: 3 episodes
- This season: Five to six additional episodes are expected to air in April/May.
- Next season: Unknown. Would premiere in fall ’08.
"Smallville"
- Already aired: 11 episodes; Remaining: 4 episodes.
- This season: Five to six additional episodes are expected to air in April/May.
- Next season: Unknown. Would premiere in fall ’08.
"Supernatural"
- Already aired: 10 episodes; Remaining: 2 episodes
- This season: Five to six additional episodes are expected to air in April/May.
- Next season: Unknown. Would premiere in fall ’08.
"Terminator"
- Already aired: 5 episodes; Remaining: 4 episodes.
- This season: No additional episodes.
- Next season: Unknown. Would premiere in fall ’08.
"Jericho"
- This season: 7 completed episodes, 1st airs tonight
- Next season: Unknown. Would premiere in fall ’08.
"Samantha Who?"
- Already aired: 9 episodes; Remaining: 3 episodes
- This season: ABC is expected to produce 3 more episodes to air alongside the new season of "Dancing With the Stars" which premieres this March.
- Next season: Renewed on Monday, February 11 (for fall ‘08). 13 episodes ordered.
"House"
- Already aired: 12 episodes; Remaining: no pre-strike episodes are left to air
- This season: Four to six episodes by April/May. An additional four to six episodes could air into June, or in August.
- Next season: Renewal expected (for fall ‘08). Episode order unknown.
What about the Star Trek movie?
Director JJ Abrams and the writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman developed the script assuming that the film would be made during a strike and felt it was ready. However, there have been some cases where they have wanted to make tweaks and those will now be possible. Some may be done during production and others can be done during post-production and/or the eventual re-shoots.
The Trek writers (Orci & Kurtzman) also have another big project that is slated to go into production this summer, Transformers 2. As of now there is no script for that film (although director Michael Bay told Variety he has got one started). Paramount/DreamWorks are keen to get the sequel to their megahit Transformers out during the Summer of 2009. So Bob and Alex may have to hunker down on that one, but in this case the duo have brought in an additional writer (Ehren Kruger) to help carry the load.
NOTE: The above is what is known right now. Of course things can change as the first post-strike weeks commence.
(Primary Source: Variety)
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Comments
Anybody home?
Finally, and I am glad the writers got some of what they needed.
Oh, Roberto!
Get to work!
LOL
Awesome, sounds good , bring back our shows!
About bloody time.
Finally, the writers are getting their due.
Accoring to superherohype.com, Michael Bay has written the/a script for Transformers 2, which he will hand off to his screenwriters.
Bob and Alex’s first job is to remove 1700 references to a “QUICK CUT,” 1133 mentions of a “HAZE FILTER,” 37 notes regarding “FLAMES ON OPTIMUS,” 3 product placement suggestions about changing the “ALLSPARK” to “ALLSPRITE,” and 2 thinly-veiled masturbation jokes.
Gonna be tough!
I’m glad this whole thing is over with!
Well, it’s a short season. Guess American Gladiators is the big winner here, not the viewers. Sometimes, strikes like this rachet down the overall viewing numbers and they don’t come back. TV and movies are a habit. Lose it, sometimes it never comes back. We’ll see. Might also help me check out competing shows.
Still, very glad for everyone associated with my favs, ST, BSG, Heroes, Lost, and occassionally Daisies.
Right here friend…….watching Jericho, but here!
Capes….
Glad to see Battlestar Galactica will get its full send off!
Someone forgot to mention that THE OFFICE will be coming back as well!
Arrghh! No more Heroes ’til next fall! :-(
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Finally, the stories can begin again and the movies will begin. Are Orci and Kurtzman going to begin writing the Star Trek sequel? Or even a new series? Let’s see.
@12 Vulcanista – after the disappointment of Season 2 Heroes is the lucky benefactor of this strike. Time to retool and refocus otherwise the series will be remembered as a one season wonder.
Glad the ST movie still has a chance for tweaks!
The adventure continues….
Time now for the writers to write more scripts and the producers to write BIGGER cheques! :)
Yikes. My “vacation” is over.
Did I mention that Jericho is back on? Back to work Bob…..
Capes….
Yay!
what about Journeyman? My gut instinct tells me it was on the fence ratings wise and the strike sealed its fate
19
Journeyman was cancelled, sadly. My brother was a writer on that show.
what about scrubs?!?!?!?!
only 6 episodes have been aired, and i’m jonesing for more
Bob
without revealing ANY details……..how goes the Star Trek shoot?
Is it everything you hoped and dreamed? :)
Welcome back, Boborci! Best of luck to your brother on getting more work.
#14 Canuck Lou, I suppose you’re right. I’ll just have to wait. And wait.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
With the strike over, the movie has a chance for tweaks
Lucky us as they’re only shooting for a few more weeks
They’ll give us a bang-up ending
Leave us high without offending
With spies on the set, maybe we’ll be privy to some leaks!
Ahhh so that was your brother Bob! Everytime Journeyman would start and I saw Orci in the credits, I kept wondering if it was you using a different first name or a relative. I’m sorry it was cancelled, it was just coming into it’s own.
Cheer up everyone! Think of the money we’ll all save when we buy boxed DVD sets this year. With the short TV season, the sets won’t cost as much…
A whole year and a half without 24?
AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Were shows filmed in Canada (such as Battlestar Galatactica, Stargate Atlantis or Flash Gordon) affected by the writers’ strike?
#27
[lays TrekNerd's head on shoulder]
There, there, sweetpea… It’ll be okay. You just let it all out.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Roberto,
Do you think your guild leaders are really gonna live up to their “threats” to monitor scripts that were in the mix before the strike, and see if they were “worked on” during said strike?
28
Just because they lens up there doesn’t mean that they weren’t written elsewhere. You can see many pix of Ron Moore (BSG) in strike lines…
I’ve never seen ’24′ before… and I saw ‘Jericho’ for the first time last night…
Doug
“24″ is an amazing show. Rent it on DVD and BE SURE to watch it in chronological order!
30
Yes
enforcement maybe another matter, but they’ll at least figure out who did what for next time.
28
Yes. I’ve been here for the last two weeks filming our new show “FRINGE” and I couldn’t change anything.
22
I’m biased, but I think it’s going FRIGGIN’ GREAT.
Hey now you writers can write in Shatner!!! :p
“FRIGGIN’ GREAT”
um……that’s a technical term, right?
p.s. how are you enjoying ALL THE SNOW here in Toronto?
#35
When do we get to hear more about “Fringe”?
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
38
I’m actually really LOVING the snow here. You can hardly tell the seasons are changing in LA, so this is great. You? I hear it’s been atypical.
39
What do you want to know?
Bob
yes, it is unusual to get THIS much snow for Toronto…..I know, when you were younger, you lived in North York, so you can understand…..I just shudder to think how others visiting here for the first time will jump to the conclusion that Toronto (and all of Canada) suffer from this kind of weather most of the time…..
By the way, aren’t you up rather late for being on Toronto time?
I tell you what I wanna know…when do we get our first look at the Uniforms, because I get the feeling we’ll get a look at the toys before the actual legit ones…which is gonna make baby Jesus Cry…
…Bob?…
#41
Anything you can/want to tell us about it! Basic plot, characters, etc.
I heard John Noble had been cast as a somewhat disturbed character, and it’s piqued my interest. Loved him in LOTR. He does crazy good!
And the “unexplained phenomena” thing is something I’ve been eating up with a spoon since I was a little kid.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
“since I was a little kid”
So, Vulcanista, you’re saying you’ve been eating this stuff up for, what, 8-9 years? :)
Vulcanista, in addition to whatever Bob says here…we have been covering FRINGE in our new SciFi Saturday articles and I will be doing more coverage too. I am very excited about the show and look forward to talking to Bob and Bryan about it.
So Bob…how much longer is the FRINGE shoot? and do you have a network commitment for 13 yet?
#46
And I thank you very, very much for bringing to our attention!
I was just angling for a little more detail, since we have the Exec/Co-Creator here, and all! :)
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
oh by all means pump bob for anything he will give up.
I am just pimping Rosario’s new SciFi Saturday column…I think he does a good job (he wrote the above article too).
#27 I feel your pain)))))
^
#32 man where have you been?????? If you even like Jericho a little your going to love “24″ and yes you need to watch it in order.
^
So there it is Mr Ballz reviels his love for 24, I knew it!!!
Its gonna be a great season coming up bro!
Trust me……
#48: Love the SciFi column!
#45: Harry, you’re gonna have to issue a “spew alert” before you post anything like *that* again! Do you have any idea how bad wine is for a computer monitor? I mean, really! ;)
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
46
Fringe will be going for another 5 weeks!
Bob
does that mean 5 more weeks in Toronto or you’ll be back and forth to L.A.?
52
Back and forth.
Bob
I get the impression you’re a bit of a night owl…
bob,
since you are qaing…have you had a chance to meet Carolyne Porco and are there any other science advisors? did you guys need any science advice for the script?
54
nah:)
you?
Me? Nah, I’m asleep right now….tell me, did the WGA get everything they were asking for?
55
Have not met her yet. We did get some advice, but we also did a lot of homework.
57
WGA didn’t get everything they asked for, like jurisdiction over animation and reality TV. But open accounting and precedent setting piece of new media is an amazing step forward that many thought was going to be impossible.
Bob
congrats on the struggle being over!
What’s your opinion on an old classic like The Day The Earth Stood Still?
I’m asking as it happens to be one of my personal favourites…
58
with all your talk about gravity wells and warp nacelles the other week, it is clear you put some thought and homework into that. One of the funny things about Trek is how it is tied to science you look at Star Wars or BSG and science is no where. How do ships in Star WArs fly? who the hell knows. And what the hell is an Aluminum Falcon?
60
Love it. Think someone is trying to remake it right now, no?
Thanks to public opinion for supporting the WGA over the studios in general.
Good night….
Bob
thanks for taking the time to chat with me! Enjoyed it! G’night!
Bob,
The Day The Earth Stood Still is the biggest competition for Trek. It stars Keanu Reeves and opens 12/12. If trek opens on the 19th it will be even bigger competition.
so dont love it too much!
that being said I am looking forward to it. And friend of the site, Daren Dochterman, worked on it…so it has that going for it.
Bob,
What’s this about Michael Bay saying he’s already written Transformers 2?!?
I thought that was your job …
36
bob,
Dude, you just lost your nerd cred, you’re supposed to substitute “frackin” for “friggin”. To redeem yourself, you will have to wear Riker’s Anbojitsu outfit to work for a week. Qapla!
YAY at last. I watch at least half of those shows listed from across the pond.
Mr Orci, your brother was on a top show that was cremated ahead of its time. Journeyman was, IMO, the best new show this season. Dan Vasser was the Sam Beckett of the 21st C. I’ve seen worse shows resurrected years later. So never say never. Congratulations on the end of strike.
So direct question outside of the article, which only has speculation. Will you be making any tweaks to the Trek movie? Generations had a pretty big reshoot after test audiences panned the Kirk death. Transformers may be taking the bulk of your time, but given that a tweak isn’t the same as coming up with something from scratch, do you have any plans to add or change anything?
And did you see the WGA picket sign about Trek XI over at Paramount? I can link to it, but I don’t know if that’s allowed here.
Enough w/ the “bring back Shat” noise. I love Shat too- but come on already!
Hey Bob,
We’re loving the snow here on Prince Edward Island! Have you ever been down here in the smaller provinces? It’s a great province. I like Toronto a lot, so far it’s my favorite city in Canada. Vancouver was a bit too noisy for my liking.
Enjoy the snow. We’re getting hit with another big storm today. If you’re ever on PEI for business or pleasure, drop a line here on the forum. I can set you up with a sweet tour of the seedy underbelly of Charlottetown PEI. You would have to see this place to understand just how ridiculous a statement that really is.
Sorry I missed Bob. It’s great when he comes on. #68 asked pretty much the same question I wanted to anyway. Maybe he’ll get some time later.
With the strike over, now all the actors can start calling the character of Spock by his correct name and not “Spack” as that was the unfortunate type-o throughout the untouchable script.
Very good…
arrrrr….
#64 Anthony Pascale
I will NOT watch the remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still, period. The original and classic movie is still friggin’ awesome and I do not understand why the studio bothers to do re-make of this movie. I rather watch my DVD movie The Day The Earth Stood Still at home on the opening weekend of the remake.
Remember War of the Worlds? The original movie was much better than the the remake.
I am 110 percent against the remake of classic movies.
20. Boborci do you know if Journeyman will be released out on DVD? I love the show. The way the show handled the time travel it made me think if this was the way Spock and the Romulans would change time in the new Star Trek movie. Keep going back again and again in time because they didn’t change it enough or right. I wish CBS, ABC or the SciFi channel would pick up the Journeyman. Tell your brorther we will miss Journeyman.
Bob,
Will the deleted scenes be in the DVD when they have to be re-shot due to changes in the script after WGA strike?
I always like to watch deleted scenes on DVD. :)
Oh Mr. Orci – you can HAVE all the snow here in Toronto. Thanks to an idiot plow driver, who blocked my entire driveway with the crap, it took me an hour to dig out. And that was after digging out for 2 hours after a storm LAST week! LOL
Looking forward to more info on Fringe.
To #33: AND to #49: “#32 man where have you been??????”
Thanks guys, I’ll keep that in mind (watching them in order).
um, I was stationed in Kuwait for a year and a half about mid run of the show ’24′… and next Friday I leave for Afghanistan for one year (my cat is sitting here in my lap demanding attention as I write this– I swear she knows something is up). :-)
There are at least ten movies coming out this year that I am going to miss (aaghh!!). Not to mention the finale of ‘Battlestar Galactica’… or the first runs of ‘Torchwood, Stargate Atlantis’… etc. BUT life goes on (and DVDs will be available when I return home in April 2009).
yeah, after seeing ‘Jericho’ — and I did like it — I’ll try looking for ’24′ next year. Two of my friends are big fans of ’24, so maybe when I get back I’ll borrow…
Thanks Mr. Orci, for keeping us informed about the goi ngs-on during the shooting of our favorite sci-fi franchise.
I’m glad the strike is over!
#59: “reality shows?” ewwww.
Bah! what waste of time!!! I’ve not once seen ‘Survivor, Big Brother, American Idol,’ ad naseum… (but that is me) :-D
Life’s too short… and if there isn’t enough time to see good genre shows, there also isn’t enough time to read good books as well…
Hey Bob,
I know that when the strike first started, JJ mentioned there were some lines that he wanted to add in the movie, but obviously couldn’t. Are there any plans to go back and either reshoot those scenes so that those lines can make it into the movie?
Glad to hear that Star Trek is going great, and that you’re enjoying this Toronto snow. Personally, I’m kind of sick of it… it took me 2.5 hours to get into work this morning !
What about “My Name is Earl”? That show has a TOS Star Trek connection! William Schallert, who played Nilz Baris in “The Trouble with Tribbles” played a doctor on an episode of Earl!
Re: Snow. We’re not used to too much snow here in Vancouver. We had snow on the ground for a about 3 weeks on and off and it really slowed alot of things down. The friggin post office didn’t deliver the mail (not even to the superbox let alone my house). The Warchman movie stopped outdoor shooting too I hear.
I heard most of the Vancouver shot SF shows did close down during the strike since their writers are members of the WGA. Smallville will probably be back. SG:A will definitely be back but they don’t shoot during the winter anyway. BSG is still iffy. It was going to be their last year anyway but they should be allowed to finish it.
auck… with tha strike over can I finally get me new epsiodes of Barney Miller?
I dunno… had mixed feelings about such a labour strike…
teevee / film writers never do not get proper credit for what they’ve written…
stories and ideas are paramount for any endeavor by a greedy entertainment corporation and writers get taken advantage of…
but a good deal of what’s written for tv and films is total crap… insufferable and vulgar (both as in common and as offending)
and it be hard fur most folk ta feel sorry fur striking writers who are seen as rather affluent whilst many, many folk can barely pay rent… oh, but I stop thar… no need to open a can o’ worms here…
and tha Point of this thread was that new shows are on the way. Mayhaps I’ll watch one o’ them…
(( Now strikes in Europe… they really change tha government and labour relations… harrr! ))
Glad the strike is over the damage has been done though . Lots of really ticked off and alienated viewers out there , I wonder if all of them will come back. Because somehow i don’t think things will ever be quite the same for the networks
So it’s not looking too good for new eps of my favorite shows. At least spring training starts next month.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Since we are (or were) on the subject of remakes, I, too, am against remakes of classic and contemporary classic movies. The majority of remakes have been vastly inferior to the originals: Psycho, Planet of the Apes, Alfie, City of Angels, Cape Fear, All the King’s Men. Down to Earth, The Haunting, Godzilla, Sabrina, King Kong (both remakes), The Longest Yard, and The Hitcher (just to name a few) all paled in comparison to the original movies. Some of the rare exceptions where remakes actually stood on their own are The Departed, the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake, and the recent 3:10 to Yuma. If they remake The Godfather, though, I will be immensely pissed. I think it’s at that time we should start picketing the theaters.
#85–I agree with most of those, but I did like Scorcese’s remake of Cape Fear. He also was responsible for The Departed.
Yes. If they remake the Godfather, “immensely pissed” would do my feelings no justice…
Closettrekker#86- Remake The Godfather? Sacrilege! Fans would take to the mattresses.
Does this mean I can start buying tv episodes on iTunes again, and the writers will get their cut now?
On SCI-FI website it says BSG will return March of this year, not Jan 2009.
Never mind I saw it said second half of next season.
Good to hear that there will be more LOST, and can’t wait for BSG!
#87–You could definitely count on me. That movie is perfect, even 36 years later. So is GFII.
Hi, Anthony, thank you for sharing information on the other “genre” shows.
The WGA is lucky: look at all the steel workers, textile workers (anyone here remember Fieldcrest Cannon?), auto workers, even IT workers losing their jobs.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Rupert Murdoch is working on a plan to engage Chinese writers.
Even the big accounting firms are using Chinese ‘chartered’ accountants for tax prep.
So stay tuned!
OT Lost question:
Would someone please tell me what Sayid said to Ben, right before Ben said, “Good” at the very end of the episode? I couldn’t make it out.
TIA,
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
#94
He said ‘They know I’m after them’.
#95
Thank you, Sean!
Stupid 21st century audio technology… I guess it’s time for a 42-inch flatscreen with Surroundsound.
*sigh*
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
[...] Manche glauben ja, dass man nun doch noch versucht, Shatner in den Film einzubauen, zumal der Autorenstreik kürzlich beendet wurde und nun wieder Änderungen am Drehbuch möglich sind, obwohl mit dem Script ja angeblich [...]