Writer's Strike Will Hit Entertainment Hard

Image from Ugly Betty, from source, Variety

I remember the writers' strike of the 1980s, vaguely. I recall that several series were postponed until very late in the season. And I also remember that Mission: Impossible was revived, complete with Peter Graves as Jim Phelps, but with old scripts reworked to the (then) modern day.

It was a very novel approach to a difficult situation, and it worked very well. Though the program only lasted a couple of seasons in the 80s, it introduced a whole new audience to the show, and probably was influential in the creation of the later Tom Cruise movies. Maybe the same tactic could be employed now?

Very few shows were as dense, and tightly plotted as M:I, so reviving other shows might be tricky. A new Six Million Dollar Man, Wonder Woman, or Charlie's Angels could really be fun, but the 70s drama style was so loose, they'd almost have to combine episodes to make them anything a 2000s audience would watch. I still think it is a good idea, but I'm just hoping they don't simply fall back on reality shows, game shows and reruns.

[Excerpt]

TV could be hit hard

Latenight talkers, daytime sudsers and primetime multicam laffers will feel the pinch first, once TV writers hit the picket lines.

But should scribes and producers not hammer out a deal quickly, network and studio execs warn that much of pilot season could be tossed. And some even say that may not be a bad thing. . .

Read the whole story at: Variety