TV Chat: Writers' strike repercussions
Fans discuss with the Daily News' Ellen Gray and the Inquirer's Jonathan Storm how viewing has been affected.
Jonathan Storm:
Good afternoon, everybody. What a lovely afternoon to stay home and chat about TV.
Ellen Gray:
Except for those of you who apparently won't miss TV. And we'll get to you, too.
Jonathan:
So what all are we going to miss? And what do we fear will sweep over us in the coming year.
Stacy:
Hi, yeah, who knows what else this day will bring. Is somebody holding the sun for ransom?
Ellen:
Sounds like a reality show to me.
Jonathan:
I'm worried about the giant Nor'easter that's coming this weekend. Hope John Bolaris doesn't call it "The Storm of the Century."
Jonathan:
(Actually I am The Storm of the Century.)
Ellen:
Hey, it's a new century. Maybe we should lay off Bolaris for a week or two, let him get his bearings.
Jonathan:
He could be fired before he even gets started.
Ellen:
Now, getting back to the question of what you'll miss in the new year because the writers are on strike, we have Margie...
Jonathan:
No. Let's keep talking about me.
Stacy:
Oh, Jonathan, I'm getting all tingly! lol
Margie Anglen:
I won't miss any of them. I don't watch TV. I think you should tell the screen writers that their strike doesn't make one iota of a difference in my life. I just hope their strike encourages more people to turn off the "boob tube", get off their seat and on their feet and do something constructive instead of watching their garbage. Wow, I feel better now.
Jonathan:
What
Jonathan:
is your phone number, Stacy?
Ellen:
We live to serve. Like therapists, but much, much cheaper.
Jonathan:
I'd sure rather talk to you than Margie.
Jonathan:
She never watches TV, but she knows it's garbage. I love people like that.
Ellen:
Which is why we apparently one of us feels it's OK to flirt with patients.
Jonathan:
Isn't that what the therapists do on TV?
aud:
Already miss The Daily Show something wicked. Already bummed that it looks like we'll miss the next chapter of Heroes until whoknowswhen...
Stacy:
Uh, the hubby's home from work today....)-;
Jonathan:
Yeah, my wife's home, too. Guess we're not the Gossip Girls.
Ellen:
I'm particularly missing the Daily Show because I'd broken down and subscribed to it on iTunes just before the strike. So I've paid for 16 shows and I've only gotten two. Mysteriously, the Internet that the studios say they don't understand is keeping my money until such time as Jon returns. And, yes, I miss him, too.
Ellen:
Stewart, I mean. Not Storm. He's right here.
Jonathan:
You miss me, you really, really miss me?
Jonathan:
Oh, you meant Jon Stewart.
Jonathan:
I don't watch The Daily Show. I have too much else to do, and I find the humor repetitive. But I know there are addicts out there. Heroes, too. I TiVo-ed lots of eps, but have yet to look at any of them.
Ellen:
So you're in luck -- the strike will give you time to catch up.
Steve:
I'm going to miss Scrubs. This is the final season of the show and if the strike continues to linger, the possibility of not getting a proper finale with closure is becoming a reality. Such a shame for the dedicated viewers of this grossly under promoted show. %D ud: Already miss The Daily Show something wicked.
Jonathan:
Scrubs is going to be like Seinfeld for me. I rarely watched it when it was in first-run because I was watching whatever obscure thing was on somewhere else. Now I watch it all the time at 7:30 on Fox29, and am up to seeing eps for the third or fourth time.
Ellen:
I think Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence has promised to put together a finale even if he has to phone up each of the show's fans and read it to them. Which could take a day or two, possibly. To be honest, I'm sort of over it.
Jonathan:
That's mean.
Jonathan:
Scrubs is one of the best long-term sitcoms (realize that's not saying much) of the past few years.
Ellen:
But you don't watch it?
Jonathan:
I watch Survivor and CSI, which have continuing stories that you can't miss. Until a couple of weeks ago, I had no way of recording one thing and watching another. I"m a retro techno.
Jonathan:
And if Scrubs wasn't on Thursday nights, then I watched some other thing.
Ellen:
I think it's a little bit too much in love with itself -- sort of the comedy equivalent of Grey's Anatomy. Though more people seem to share Grey's opinion of itself.
Jonathan:
I *hate* Grey's Anatomy. And the only character I really like is Ellen Pompeo, who nobody else seems to like at all, so that makes it even worse.
Ellen:
Particularly don't like her, but everyone but Bailey pretty much gets on my nerves. And they seem to be screwing with her lately, too. As I've written far too many times, it's a hospital staffed by junior high school students. Who don't operate when they're bummed.
Carla Price:
I'll miss House the most. Hugh Laurie is the best male lead out there. He is funny and sad, disrespectful and introspective. His reaction to each situation on the show is captivating. He has such a screen presence, always the focal point of the show. So, I'll miss you, House!
Jonathan:
And House has hospital staffed by, what?, high school students?
Ellen:
He got a Golden Globe nomination today (not exactly a surprise). So if he shows up, maybe you'll get to hear his charming accent.
Jonathan:
I agree that Hugh Laurie is great, but I can't stand that show, either. It's exactly the same every week.
Ellen:
I pretty much only watch that one for Laurie. And even he's not a doctor I'd want treating a loved one.
Stacy:
I think what Carla is trying to say is that she thinks Hugh Laurie is a "hot-HOUSE"
Jonathan:
With a funny bone like that, you ought to get a job at the Daily News.
Stacy:
The only shows I watch on a regular basis are "Prison Break" and "Ugly Betty". Since PB isn't scheduled to come back until January anyway, I've gotten used to its being off temporarily. I will miss UB, it's such sheer campy fun. But I'll live...since computers arrived on the scene in our house, my TV viewing is extremely limited. Actually, the strike has a silver lining, for me, anyway. Last night, totally by chance, I watched Letterman...I NEVER watch Letterman...and the show was a couple of years old, I'm guessing. One of his guests was RUSSELL CROWE, my absolute fave!
Jonathan:
I guess you must think Russell Crowe is a hot bird. Ha. Ha. Ha.
Jonathan:
I am glad I don't have to watch Letterman for the time being. He was my pipeline to the contemporary culture.
Jonathan:
So I guess with the writers strike, the contemporary culture is dead. Have you noticed Lindsay Lohan is nowhere to be seen?
Ellen:
I think in the strike's first week, Letterman actually got a bit of a boost, since people who'd been watching Leno switched over. I keep hoping some of them will stay when newer Dave returns.
Jonathan:
Me, too. The show that's really reveling in the strike is Nightline.
Ellen:
Jon Stewart might be better for that than Letterman, plus you'd get to bed earlier.
Ellen:
I mostly catch Nightline on its video podcast, which sadly only gives the "story of the day," not the whole broadcast.
Jonathan:
Do you ever actually watch TV on a television?
Ellen:
Of course I do. Sometimes even in real time. But I never seem to be around for the evening news, so I often listen to one (or two or three) while walking the dog the next morning. I can now actually discuss the differences without faking it.
Bob:
Going to miss 24. I was excited for the new approach to the show.
ET:
I'm already missing "Chuck", "Heroes" and wondering how late "24" will start.
Ellen:
I think everyone -- including Kiefer, who's rotting in jail even as we speak -- is wondering that. It depends on how long the strike lasts.
Jonathan:
Well here's one predicition that "24" won't start again until at least next fall. The stuff I'm seeing about the strike is farily apocolyptic.
Ellen:
Or even end-of-the-world-ish. For the spelling-challenged among us.
Jonathan:
Of corse, it culd just be the usual saber ratling by arguing sides, but I don't think so animore
Jonathan:
Whose speling-challinged?
Ellen:
You didn't "use" to be.
Jonathan:
Nobody can spell apocalypse or whatever it is.
Ellen:
And yet you've finally managed it.
Jonathan:
apacolypse
Stacy:
Excuse me, is this chat open to outsiders?
Jonathan:
No.
Bob:
Whats the deal with LOST. I saw that they are going to take a break until the strike is over. They said that the 8 episodes shot were ready to go , but there was a huge cliff hanger at the end of 8. So now I hear they might wait? they did put out "miniepisodes" online going into character details.
Jonathan:
We love you, Stacy, and of course it's open to outsiders.
Ellen:
I think the plan right now is to air those eight beginning in February. And, yes, they might be the only eight you see this season.
Jonathan:
And there's also talk they might not air them.
Jonathan:
Everything is very up in the air, and not necessarily on the air.
Ellen:
Plus, the usual talk about the studios having been infiltrated by The Others.
Stacy:
Last time I ever come on to YOU, Jon! Harrumph! (did I spell that right?)
Maria:
They aren't writing any new pilots either, are they? So this strike could go far beyond ruining this season, but put the kabosh on new developement for Fall 2008. This better not mess with my Mad Men!
ET:
If only it were that simple.
Jonathan:
Yes, if it were only the others, we could have Hurley just sit on them.
Ellen:
They aren't supposed to be writing anything right now. They probably wrote some stuff before the strike, but, yes, they're way, way behind on development.
ET:
Or have Sawyer "annoy" them away
Jonathan:
The likely scenario if the strike drags is that shows that already exist, like Mad Men, would have a leg up because new shows were not being developed now. This is the time the new shows start to get their scripts approved, etc. Next fall could be all returning shows, which bodes well for things like Ellen's fave, Dirty, Sexy Money, or even, Cane. (Though that one might be going a bit too far.)
Ellen:
Journeyman, however, has bitten the dust, I'm sad to say. It had been getting better and better and now it's gone after two more episodes.
Meg:
I'm really missing The Office and Desperate Housewives. Anyone else?
Jonathan:
A lot of people are saying that about Journeyman.
Jonathan:
How can you be missing Desperate Housewives? It's only been in repeats for one week.....
Ellen:
Desperate hasn't made me desperate yet (sorry), but I want my Office back.
Ellen:
Truth is, we'd be watching reruns this time of year anyway.
John:
Sorry if I missed this earlier is Law & Order going to aired this coming year
Jonathan:
Law & Order is definitely coming back soon, and CI is coming to NBC, for those of you who missed it on USA.
Jonathan:
Which is, like, most people.
Jonathan:
I can't wait to see Alicia Witt.
Ellen:
NBC, like all the networks, doesn't want you to notice the missing pieces, so while you may think you'll miss The Office, you'll have American Gladiators to keep your minds off the pain.
Jonathan:
Now, *there's* something to look forward to. I think the first American Gladiators, when was it, in 1974?, introduced breast implants to the general public.
Ellen:
I must've missed that. And here I thought that would've been Baywatch.
Stacy:
I can't wait to see ANY kind of wit.
Jonathan:
I can see how you might be missing it in your life....
Jonathan:
Gladiators came before Baywatch, I think.
Stacy:
...ahem...Russell Crowe's Gladiator would be nice to see...sigh...
Jonathan:
I don't think they can show his gladiator on network TV.
Ellen:
But I watched neither (though I at least must've seen some of Baywatch, because I have some mental image of Pamela Anderson, bouncing, and it must come from that, because I've had Stacked permanently erased from my brain).
Ellen:
Hey, if they can show Dexter on CBS, anything's possible.
ET:
American Gladiators is like a bad accident - you want to look away, but for some reason you just can't
Jonathan:
I'm sure Dexter will be cleansed.
Ellen:
We'll form a support group to help you keep looking away. Because if too many people watch, we'll never get a strike settlement. And I want my scripted TV!
Joan:
I really like Pushing Daisies. The writing is very witty and the visuals are greast. I miss David Lettermen but am very pleased that he was the first one to pay his staff and suppost the union.
Jonathan:
And there is a perfect example of some scripted TV that I will miss dearly.
Ellen:
Yes, Dave's writers clearly adore him, and there seems to be good reason. It's also interesting to see how many viewer seem to be siding with the writers, since I know this isn't as union-friendly an environment as it once might have been.
Ellen:
Viewers, I mean.
Jonathan:
Nyah Nyah Nyah Nyah, you made bad grammer!
Jonathan:
That's Kelsey Grammer
Maria:
Right now I'm missing Letterman the most.
Ellen:
Well, in the 1988 strike, he eventually came back -- after like 18 weeks, I think -- and made it clear that he wasn't the same without writers.
Ellen:
One night he reportedly had a guy come on stage and shave him.
Jonathan:
He's a great performer -- even though he's also totally weird.
Jonathan:
He does stuff like that most of the time.
Jonathan:
And yet I like it.
Maria:
If the strike goes beyond the end of year, I'll miss The Office and 30 Rock. Right now it just seems like the usual end of year reruns. The show I really miss though is Gilmore Girls, but alas that has nothing to do with a labor dispute.
Ellen:
No, a settlement is not likely to bring back Gilmore Girls. Though you could say that Amy Sherman-Palladino left the year before over her own labor dispute.
Jonathan:
And she does have a show coming on at some time, a sitcom.
Jonathan:
But I'm not sure how many episodes have been made.
Ellen:
Though the network's so crazy about it, they've already cut her order -- and this in the face of a strike.
Jonathan:
That's a shame. Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose, another gorgeous redhead. How can it fail>
Ellen:
Well, that's it for us until 2008, when we hope to be discussing the miraculous settlement of the writers strike. Happy holidays and happy new year to all of you...
Jonathan:
Merry Christmas, Happy Kwaanza, Festive Festivus, Joyous Hannakuh, and if they're others, I've missed, you have a nice time, too. We'll be back Jan. 3, 2008.
Jonathan:
Write that down, Stacy.