Writers' Strike: The Office Closes, Jack Bauer Waits

November 7, 2007

Looks like The Office is one of the first casualties of the Hollywood writers' strike. Jenna Fischer wrote today that the show has just two new episodes left before reruns kick in. Here's a video of the writers picketing (thanks to Lindsb for posting it in The Office group):

Here are some other developments from day three of the strike:

The premiere of 24 has been officially postponed indefinitely, Fox announced today, and the rest of the network's spring lineup has been changed significantly.
Desperate Housewives will shut down production tomorrow; executive producer Marc Cherry joined Lost executive producer Damon Lindelof to talk about the strike.
Speaking of Lost, here's a scary thought: In one scenario, the show's return could be delayed until February 2009.
While viewers won't see the effects of the strike at movie theaters till 2009, there's one way films are already suffering: Stars can't promote their movies on the talk-show circuit.
Saturday Night Live will officially be a repeat this week.
On the one hand, new shows might be more vulnerable to cancellation because of the strike; on the other hand, the strike might be the reason some of them are still on the air at all.
If you want to know more about the writers' side of the strike, here's an explanation. The producers' side can be found here.

Photo courtesy of NBC

TV Desperate Housewives Lost 24 The Office Writers Strike

41 Comments

bugness 5 years 27 weeks

My boyfriance is graduating as a screenwriter this year, so it's closer to my heart than just the shows I love. I worry that when we move to LA that the strike will just be ending, and all of these writers will have a huge stack of finished scripts to sell, making it hard for him to get his foot in the door. He has been joking, though. He told his professors that he wasn't going to turn in his homework until he got his damn residuals lol.

tralalala 5 years 27 weeks

For those who haven't heard, Steve Carrall wouldn't cross the picket line, so he called in sick with "enlarged balls." Seriously. This actually happened.

POPSUGAR Entertainment 5 years 27 weeks

KerryG, that's awesome — thank you for sharing with us!

Seraphim 5 years 27 weeks

wow this sucks :(

-Maryan- 5 years 27 weeks

Thanks Buzz for keeping us updated!

KerryG 5 years 27 weeks

I've been following news about the strike for awhile and ended up collecting RSS feeds and about a zillion links on a Squidoo page, if anyone is interested: http://www.squidoo.com/wgastrike2007/ There's also information there about how you can support the writers (and why).

Renees3 5 years 27 weeks

I will FREAK OUT if lost is pushed back another year. I read that they do have 8 episodes written so they might air those, then just wait on the rest. I can't handle it!!! I need LOST! I NEED JACK

jennifer76 5 years 27 weeks

lol Happsmjc! I saw one where they were chanting "We write. They wrong." :rotfl:

Happsmjc 5 years 27 weeks

I must say this is all very crazy/sad for the writers involved. Butttt, I was watching E news last night and they showed a clip of the writers picketing outside of Desperate Housewives---they were chanting "Eva Longoria--whose going to write your story-a". I thought that was hilarious. Leave it to a group of writers to come up with the most cleaver strike chants ever.

brightfuture 5 years 27 weeks

wats poppin

steen 5 years 27 weeks

Reading Jenna Fischer's post helped clarify what's going on with the writer's... but I'm so sad because I've spent most of the last month or so catching up on ALL three previous seasons of Desperate Housewives!

aimeeb 5 years 27 weeks

I'm not really stressing...yet. Although, not that I watch the show but... 2009 for Lost, holy... I feel bad for people that watch that show.

lala788 5 years 27 weeks

WOW lost in 20009, that is a long time to wait, at least my favorite show Prison Break is still in the air, until December! it sucks but, I'm still 100% behind them , they are right to strike!

miss-britt 5 years 27 weeks

Lindsb you can do something, write to the studios.

leeluvfashion 5 years 27 weeks

While I have a bunch of books and blogging I could do during that lost t.v. time, I really hate this strike for messing up the new season. I agree w/ why they are on strike however it's rotten that loyal viewers have to pay a price.

Lindsb 5 years 27 weeks

That video is great.. they are even funny on strike. ;) Thanks for posting, Buzz. It's sad.. I wish we could do something.. but, our shows are on a hiatus until they can come to an agreement.

yyam084 5 years 27 weeks

thanks for clearing that up to me.

miss-britt 5 years 27 weeks

thank you fadedblue for answering my question

JessNess 5 years 27 weeks

On the side of publicity for movies there will be affects since there are no late night shows to go on

fadedblue 5 years 27 weeks

miss britt: it's tv and movie writers -- the only reason why there is so much focus on the television season is b/c the effects are immediate with tv (late night shows depend on daily material, tv shows are all in the middle of writing and shooting their seasons and very few if any will be able to finish up this season if the strike goes long-term). movie scripts are easier to stockpile and we probably won't see direct effects of this strike on the movie industry til next year...

fadedblue 5 years 27 weeks

re: gossip girl. josh schwartz would not write b/c he is one of the showrunners who signed the pencils down contract, posted at the WGA website: http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2529 it's unfortunate that so many of our loved shows will be affected, but maybe the show of solidarity will send a clear message to the studios that there are a lot more important people who back the writers and their cause.

ispyemo 5 years 27 weeks

wow. i thought that video was a bit aggressive. i see their point. i hope everyone gets what they want in the end. hopefully all of our tv programs will return soon enough. ive never seen an episode for lost but waiting until 2009 thats really crazy. sadly i admit. i watch a bunch of my shows online

miss-britt 5 years 27 weeks

i'm confused is this only television writers or movie writers as well?

susanec 5 years 27 weeks

Many showrunners have signed this (including Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage of GG) so no one's writing: http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2529