TrekMovie.com recently reported that the new Star Trek movie should not be impacted by the WGA strike scheduled to start on Monday, but it appears that many TV shows are not so lucky. Heroes, the hit show featuring the new Spock (Zachary Quinto) along with recurring guest spots for a number of of other Trek veterans (Nichelle Nichols, George Takei and Dominic Keating) may only get 11 episodes this season. TV Guide is reporting that the Heroes production has shot an alternative ending to the show schedule to air on December 3rd which will allow it to act as a ‘season 2 finale’ instead of just the planned ‘volume 2 finale’ (Heroes’ 2nd season was originally planned to have 2 ‘volumes’).
And in a bit of more bad news the planned 6 episode spin-off show Heroes Origins, which was to air during the shows hiatus, has been canceled due to the strike and less than expected ratings for the second season of Heroes.
Episode 7 “Out of Time” featuring Quinto airs Monday on NBC (preview below), and next week’s episode “Four Months Ago” features both Quinto and Nichelle Nichols. It is unknown if the hinted at return of George Takei is part of the remaining episodes for the now shortened season. The truncated Heroes season may also affect the household of Star Trek scribe Roberto Orci, as his wife Melissa Blake is on the Heroes writing staff. So far Melissa has had one episode (co written with her sister Joy) air this season. On the upside, Heroes star (and Abrams pal) Greg Grunberg should now have plenty of time for his all but certain Star Trek cameo.
What about Lost and BSG?
Two mid-season shows with Trek connections may also be affected by the strike. According to the LA Times, Lost (created by Star Trek producers JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof) has completed 8 of the planned 16 episodes. Lost season four is not scheduled to start until February so it is possible that they can catch up, but that all depends on how long the strike goes. The LA Times is also reporting that Ron Moore’s Battlestar Galactica has 10 shows completed. On the SciFi channel forums Ron Moore’s wife announced that the second half of the season may be delayed due to the strike. BSG’s 4th season starts in early April of 2008. A stand-alone two hour BSG TV movie ‘Razor’ airs later this month on the Sci-Fi channel and will also be sold on DVD.
Jack Bauer may get a short day
The sixth season of 24, which is being executive produced by former Star Trek: Enterprise showrunner Manny Coto and which features Enterprise star John Billingsley (Phlox) in a recurring role, is only expected to have eight or nine episodes completed when the effects of the strike hit them. According to the Hollywood Reporter, FOX currently has the option of either cutting the season in half or postpone the season altogether. As it stand now, however, the new season premiere is still set to air on January 12th.
Preview for Heroes “Out of Time” airing Monday November 5th at 9PM
I hope and pray for a deal! If Heroes loses any episodes I will be extraordinarily upset!
Writers’ strike = Annoying. Last time this happened we got “Shades of Grey.”
this is sooooo stupid, why cant we all just get along!!?
FIRST?
We already know that this is the last season of BSG, so I wouldn’t be heartbroken if the strike stretches the end out over a couple of years.
what a joke…
…Again, yet another reason why the studios need to grow a set of gonads, lock out the unions once and for all, and when “Congress” whines that it’s illegal, remind the voters about how strikes starve them of their entertainment, and how unions have caused most – if not all – of the rising costs of producing TV and Movies over the past 50 years.
Hopefully everything will sort it out relatively soon, though that’s doubtful. The studios and networks are just being stupid here.
Considering the amount of revenue that the studios and networks make out of the programmes they air, its not surprising that the writers who work on these series, and who get virtualy nothing when it comes to how the show is sold, have decided to strike.
It is a bitch for the viewer, but I’ll support the efforts of writers to recieve credit and payment for their work when networks seem to relish ripping viewers off.
#6 has to be the dumbest respone I have witnessed on this website. Completely ignorant of the complexities and nuances of the strike itself.
Well Heroes has been aweful this season and the ratings are in the tank anyway. And I hope this doesn’t eff with Galactica or Lost !!! But I understand, my boys gots to get paid.
Wow, on a lighter note…If you click on the Maxim Girl Picture (which is incredible btw) it takes you to a article, & pictorial of Jolene Blalock! Yowzaa!!!
I serioulsy disagree with 6.
^
All the writers union is asking for is very little as far as a general pay raise goes.
Get your facts strait bro….
I also disagree with #9 , heroes sucks so far, you have got to be retarded. Heroes has been consistant and visualy stunning in the last 3 episodes for sure!
^
Heroes is great!
Perhaps instead of striking they could write crap instead?
comments by JMS (Mr. Babylon 5):
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated/msg/6f6572722d712ed4
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated/msg/7b00ccbbcbb6786b
I’m a huge BSG fan and I would really hate it if anything happened to the show, especially as this is the last season and I’m hopping for something BIG.
Why do they have to cancel those heroes episodes, can’t they just make them later? Are they on a deadline to get the series over with or something?
They will get made later
yo, thanks for posting those missives from JMS. Very eye-opening.
was a huge Heroes fan last season, the episodes suck so bad now, I didn’t care in the slightest that Origins has been cancelled.
Heroes has been BAD since last year’s Season Finale. Nothing fun at all… only groanworthiness through and through. I will not be missing it. It’s nice to know that Star Trek’s script is pretty locked down, too bad for Shat, though. ;-)
Fewer current-day tv show episodes. What a shame.
Writers’ strikes just lead to more Reality shows.
But do poets’ strikes lead to more technical manuals?
TV & Movie Entertainment needs to become decentralized.
Hollywood needs to be knocked off as the capital.
Most good SCI-FI is not even made there.
Its made in places like Vancouver.
The new X-Files movie is to be shot there.
Not to mention Stargate SG1/Atlantis & Battlestar Galactica!
The point is there are other places to film shows & movies.
Plus you won’t be trippled billed for lighting from the company,
the movie studio secretly owns.
You thought Pork was bad in Washington,
well Hollywood almost has them beat.
Hollywood inflates & exaggerates the cost of everything,
down to the donuts!
Thats why movies cost over a 100 million,
when instead they should cost 1 million.
If you look at the cost of old tv & movies & adjust for inflation,
surely the cost would be around 1 million, not 100 million.
The studios themselves take most of the money.
Some movie actors are way over paid.
The writers in LA compared to the studios & so called stars,
are probably under paid.
However I would rather watch a TV show made in Canada or a Film made in New York anyway.
Get rid of the union, decentralize entertainment!
Lets make tv shows in other States in the US.
Other Countries on the Earth!
The new Star Wars TV show is going to be made all over the world!
But not LA!
Star Trek should move out of LA IMO!
One good thing about this, it will (hopefully) finally settle the Shatner issue. If they haven’t tried to squeeze him in the plot yet, then it doesn’t look like it will be happening.
Hey Steve Adams you little punk a**. I am the last guy in these forums you want to take on. The article starts off saying how ratings have been down this season. As for it sucking this season go to AICN where they have a Heroes talkback and see how everyone more or less agrees how disappointing it has been this season, hell all the way back to the underwhelming season finale last season. Now go and play with your Hayden blow up doll you little a**
Here’s another side, because of the stirke and any delays on BSG, I hope that Season 3 DVD’s come out sooner. I’m one of those who doesn’t watch cable and only watch on DVD. Lots others are in the same boat.
Yes, “Heroes” has been a disappointment so far this season (does anyone care whatsoever about Maya and Alejandro?), but it was just starting to get some direction and a coherent plot, and now it will go on hiatus like everything else until the Strike is over.
Some of us are old enough to remember the last writers strike in 1988. The effect on Star Trek then was terrible, with some of the worst Trek episodes resulting from the hasty dusting off of old “Star Trek Phase II” scripts. TNG was just getting its footing, with some good episodes toward the end of Season 1, when the strike hit. Then the first third of Season 2 was terrible and TNG lost a lot of momentum. Fortunately, by the post-Strike mid-point of the season we were getting some damned good episodes like “Measure of a Man”, “A Matter of Honor”, and “Q Who?” We’re lucky Trek recovered from the Strike. Not all shows will be as fortunate. Look at the severe ratings decline when “Lost” and “Jericho” were unwisely taken off the air for several months last season. The fate of “Galactica” was already in doubt because of its inexplicably long (13 months) hiatus. Now multiply that by every show. Will fans still care by the time the Strike is settled? This isn’t 1988… there are strong alternatives to TV these days. The studios and writers really need to work out their differences, or they might find that their industry can’t recover from the blow they’ve given it.
Nelson – No Season 3 DVD until around or after X-mas holiday it was on digital bits. I know it bites. I just re-watched season 2 dvd set on my new 65″ DLP (Pegasus looks kick ass on a big screen). No idea when Sci-fi or Universal HD will rerun season 3. Anyone know???
This is very frustrating that from fans of all those shows. The studios are just cutting their profits. Pay the writers their dues and royalties and let’s have a conclusion that satisfies the viewers and the geniuses behind the stories.
Does anyone happen to KNOW how much Nimoy is getting paid to be in the new Trek film? If Shatner and Nimoy have parity on the money part, it might give us an idea of what the Shat is wrestling with (if that’s the case) in regard to being in the movie…..
Thanks lord Garth, The Digital Bits site isn’t online so I can’t look that up. Did Bill say this X-Mass 2007 for S3 DVD release? I heard it would be a lot longer then that as the strike involves webisode content that could be on that and other DVDs.
Harry, I wouldn’t bet the farm that Nimoy is appearing at a discount. The veteran actors know what their value is. They know if they appear, you are going to make X amount more profit on the picture. Although it’s certainly less than the $25 million Chris Tucker got for Rush Hour 3.
#30 Harry, let me log into Nimoy\’s bank account and look for any recent checks from Paramount. This will take a few minutes…
;)
warnings for flaming ot garth and steve.
comments to https://trekmovie.com/about/feedback
#33
Attaboy, glad you’re on the case! Looking forward to what you can come up with!!
Twas the night before Christmas 2008
Trekkies worldwide, they just couldn’t wait
For the next day would bring
Either a dazzling new thing
Or Hollywood’s next Heaven’s Gate!!
#25 –
I would have to disagree with you. I came into Heroes very late. I waited to rent the DVD of season 1 and I really grew to like it. The great thing about season 1 is that it slowly built up to the climactic conclusion. I thought they did a great job for a television show. Now, if people are expecting Season 2 to pick up with the same level of intensity as the end of Season 1, well…that’s silly. You need to come back down and give the story some place to build up to. I don’t watch the episodes on TV, as I hate commercials, so I downloaded them and watched the first 6 episodes over a couple of days. They were great, and they’re obviously building up to something. Time has passed in the heroes world, and things have settled. It only makes sense that it’s not going to be as balls to the wall. I find viewers are sometimes like junkies, and once they get so high…they expect to stay that high all the time.
GREED! Greed of execs, shareholders, and capitalist drones in general. Let the real talent have more money you vampires.
Okay then!
#27: Yes, we -do- care what happens to Maya and her bro. My girlfriend and I both cheer weekly for their precipitous and extremely painful deaths.
“…Again, yet another reason why the studios need to grow a set of gonads, lock out the unions once and for all, and when “Congress” whines that it’s illegal, remind the voters about how strikes starve them of their entertainment, and how unions have caused most – if not all – of the rising costs of producing TV and Movies over the past 50 years.”
The studios are getting rich while basically stealing money from the writers, who make your shows possible, so bite your tongue.
Actually I agree with the writers but I don’t agree with people calling others retards when they don’t agree with a fellow poster. Stevie called me a name for not liking Heroes this season. I responded. i apologize to my fellow posters (besides Steve) for coming off a blowhard in my response (which i am and proudly so it besides my fabulous good looks and wit is part of my charm)
I do however promise to stamp out Communism where ever it raises it’s nasty little pinko head. – OM
Back in the 70’s there was a writer’s strike but that didn’t put off the producer’s of Fantasy Island, no sir. They did the whole season with old summaries and story pitches. It was so bizarre and surreal.
Heroes is moving slowly due to its huge assemble cast. But I still believe its going somewhere with it. I shall persevere.
Hey, where can I get one of those Hayden blow-up dolls? Gonna meet the real one in 2 weeks in NYC, woo-hoo!
Nice to know there are so many experts out there. As far as ” LOST” is concerned I gave up on it 2 years ago.
“HEROES” I still love but the thing that gets me is that this strike has been coming for monthsand if the powers that be weren’t smart enough to have all the scripts in place by now, well, they deserve what happens.
Ok, OK sorry about the tard comment.
Lord Garth Formerly of Izar…
^
You don’t like Heroes I do, let’s get over it.
^
On the Strike, the next thing that might happen is the Teamsters don’t cross the line. If this happens you could see a complete stoppage of new Sci-fi productions.
^
Let’s hope the studios give them that 15 cent increase in royalties. Not much there asking for guys. Studios what’s the deal??? Who’s stopping this who wants caos?
Steve
Thank the Writers “union” or this one. I’m sure that alot of writer are cool about everyhing. But the big fat union has to stick it’s nose out and f*** thincs up. Thanks alot.
If ‘multiple’ format repeats of entertainment fare on new and developing mediums end up gifting a lot of unworthier people ‘multiple payouts’, then the actual writers should ALSO benefit from this. Studios are just being plain greedy…
Thanks a lot, Hollywood, for ruining our TV schedule.
OK, so I could only stomach to read a couple of negative posts about the writer’s strike before I scrolled down to the bottom here to post. To the anti-strike folks here: are you complaining that the strike is going to cost money? Do you pay the writers? Or are you mad because you might miss some new episodes of TV here in the coming weeks/months?
Good heavens! Read a book or something. I say get all the $$$ you can, writers. I don’t see the problem with wanting more money. I certainly do. I am hardly a unionist. But I don’t begrudge someone their money as long as I don’t pay or it treats some unfairly. I shall now prepare my coals and rake for the expected backlash against my point of view.
Curse you, Writers Guild of America! You will pay!
No, actually, I don’t really care that much…I’m all for the writers getting the sweet moolah they deserve. As long as they don’t mess with my Lost, I’m happy…