Monday, December 17, 2007

Some TV News

LOST has been moved from it's 9:00 (central) Wednesday time slot to the 8:00 (again, central) Thursday, following Ugly Betty, which is a far better lead in and time slot than it's had.  Of course with the writer's strike, there won't be too much original non-reality/game show programing to feature, and therefore the 8 episodes of LOST that we have will probably do very well.  One of the pluses from the writer's strike.

Now, to some of the negativity.

While we will get 13 episodes of Battlestar Gallactica (the best show on tv, well... ever), there is some worry that if the writer's strike is not brought to a close, then the show will end without the last 7 episodes ever being shot.  Partly because SciFi might decide to end the show having fulfilled contractual elements to the cast and crew with the 13 already completed episodes, and partly because actors will have the right to negate their contracts and seek other work causing the network to have to resign everyone in order to finish the final season.  Hopefully, things will work out to bring us the end of the greatest television show of all time.

Also, in the bad news category, Journeyman did not receive it's order for the back 9 (often a golf term, this time referring to the last nine episodes of this season) meaning the episodes tonight and Wednesday night are the last episodes scheduled to be made, again, well... ever.

This is sad, because Journeyman has been brilliant, and is definitely in contention for Josh's Choice for Best New Show of the Season Award, in fact it is probably tied for the lead with Chuck.

Of course, this time the writer's strike might help out.  The pilot season is looking to be impacted by the strike, meaning there will be a lot less new shows next season even if the strike is resolved meaning that the network might be more willing to renew a show it normally wouldn't, giving an awesome television show another chance that it richly deserves.

Until Next Time, Despite some negativity that might result from the writer's strike, such as never getting the end of BSG, I still stand firmly behind the writers and recognize the importance of the issues that they are fighting for.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

The Writer's Strike


The Writer's Strike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ55Ir2jCxk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjGbHHtbZP0

I know that it is a little annoying having many of our favorite television shows prematurely sent into reruns, but it is necessary.  If you watched the videos above, you know a little bit about what is at stake and how little comparatively the writers are asking for compared to what the studios are making.  Personally, I am willing to go without some of my favorite shows in order for those who make them so good to get a little bit of the pie that wouldn't even exist if it weren't for them.
The crux of the talks right now is new media.  Mainly the internet.  Every time that you purchase a show from itunes or amazon unbox, or watch it on NBC.com, ABC.com, CBS.com, or FOX.com, you are providing money to the studios to experience that product, either directly by paying for it from itunes or amazon, or indirectly by sitting through the same commercial four or five times while watching the show online.  Either way, the studio is making money, just like they do when the show is shown on television.  The difference is, the writers (as well as the actors, the director, and all of the below the line crew that helped create that television episode) are seeing none of it.  This borders on criminal.  The big rich companies are using the hard work of it's employees to make themselves more money while not paying those who actually did the work.

Recently, the Writer's Guild pulled the request for an increase in DVD residuals off of the table in the hopes of making a deal.  It was a show of good faith.  The Studios responded with no offer of residuals for new money, and lied about it when the talks fell apart again.

The issue of home video residuals shows how important the issue of new media residuals actually is.  Twenty years ago, when the last writer's strike occurred, home video was in it's infancy.  The industry wasn't sure that it would last.  In order to help the industry grow, writers agreed to cut the percentage that they were owed off of video sales by 80%, meaning that they only get 2.5% of video sales.  Now, 20 years later, the video industry is probably the biggest portion of the money made off of television and movies, and the writers are still only seeing 2.5% of the money.  I guarantee you that they are doing far more than 2.5% of the work.  After all, without the screenplay or teleplay, there wouldn't be any dvd.
The writers are determined not to take such a bad deal again with new media, since whatever deal that they make will last for a long time, and chances are that the Studios will be unwilling to up the writers residuals even if the industry becomes the largest revenue stream, which everyone projects that the internet will.

Sure, writers can make good money, but not all of them do.  At any given time, nearly half of the writers guild members are out of work.  Residuals are what pays the bills in those times.  And even those members who never strike it rich are still given health care benefits for being a member, and those benefits are paid for by residuals.

Sure, it sucks that there aren't any new episodes of The Office ( or Numb3rs, if you prefer), but it isn't the writers that you should blame for that, it is the Studios.  The writers just want what they are due, and have already shown that they will accept even less than that, but the Studio won't even offer something close to fair, and therefore, that is where your anger should be directed.  Be pissed at CBS, owned by Viacom, that there isn't any new Numb3rs, be pissed at NBC, owned by General Electric, that we're currently without episodes featuring our favorite Scranton paper pushers at The Office, blame ABC, owned by Walt Disney, that we may only get the eight already completed episodes of LOST, and blame Fox and Rupert Murdoch that we might not get a season of 24 at all.  If only we could send Jack Bauer after the Studios.

Remember, it's writers who come up with the characters, situations, and stories that make any of the shows worth watching in the first place.  Without them, nothing else can go on, as we are learning as more and more shows go dark, but also, none of it would have been there in the first place.

Let me leave you with some of my favorite quotes from the new shows this season, brought to you by writers...

PUSHING DAISIES:

Ned: I'm not a fan of the hug.
Chuck: Then you haven't been hugged properly, it's like an emotional Heimlich.

Emerson: You know what?  I'm glad you did it.  It makes the worst thing I ever did seem insignificant.
Ned: Listen to you all Judgey-judge.
Emerson: "Judgey-judge"?

Chuck: Good day, which I think is much better than hello, cause what does that say? That says I'm here, your turn to talk.  Kinda selfish.

CHUCK:

Kasey: I don't kid about quiche.

Chuck: So, in this plan I basically do nothing?
Kasey: Yup.
Chuck: Let's do this.

Lester: Are you kidding?  You have to be better than yourself, by like a factor of 10.
Jeff: More, like 11.

REAPER:

Ted: A bloody customer isn't a happy customer.

Ben: Winston, you are one freaky ass bird who scared the Hell out of me and ruined the way I will feel about birds forever.  Just wanted you to know that.

LIFE

LAPD.  You're lucky I'm enlightened.

Crews: If I were a cowboy, he'd be my goofy sidekick.
Reese: Kinda like you're mine?

Crews: We've got to use his strength against him.
Reese: What's his strength?
Crews: His weakness.
Reese: His weakness is his strength?

DIRTY SEXY MONEY

The Darling's Public Relation's Lady: Patrick's lying.  Patrick's going to be the next lying president of the United States of Lying America.

Rev. Brian Darling: Sure, I get weepy at Christmas, the Crucifixion kind of gets to me, but that's not the same as actually having faith.

So, Until Next Time have a little compassion for the writers, and save your anger for the studios,  if you don't believe me, maybe you'll listen to the greatest rock band of all time.  That's right, The D.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlgm_rtfQS8