Strike Watch: Awards Shows to Air, Suck

Wow. It's not like the witty banter was all that "witty" to begin with...but no clips? Maybe no stars? No host?

Could be the greatest (and shortest) awards show in history! Just imagine the number of interpretive dances we could see!

(Here's to hoping the WGA's new strategy of picking off producers one-by-one succeeds. I'd love to see ABC just break with the AMPTP to screw the other networks and preserve Lost. Speaking of, James - what have you heard about this possibility? Doesn't it seem strange to you that this isn't happening, particularly because FOX with American Idol, has a POWERFUL interest in hoping the strike is prolonged so that it can really beat up on the other networks with longer Idol episodes, etc.?)

Well John Stewart is contracted to host, I don't think he has much of a choice.

James, if you remind me when it happens I will watch an awards show for the first time ever.

Chaddogg,

I'm not betting on any of the networks or studios breaking ranks anytime soon. Given that we're in what's usually rerun season anyway, I don't think either side has much incentive to blink until midseason comes around and they can assess where the damage is. But we can dream.

I don't know, James. I mean, I get this is rerun time/holidays, but FOX's competitors MUST have an incentive to get this settled quickly (even if individually) to get shows in shape for production so they don't cede February sweeps entirely to Idol and FOX. I'd think an individual network (say, last place NBC? Or "best scripted dramas" ABC?) would have some motivation to jump the gun and get their shows back into production early in January, just in the hope that they can score some (cheap) ratings points in February.

I mean, we all know that FOX will dominate a reality-dominated schedule, right? I mean, they've proved time and again the depths to which they'll go (Man v. Beast, anyone? Or would you prefer Who Wants to Marry a Midget?)

I'd think some network/production company might be motivated to break away from the AMPTP just for the chance to have new non-reality episodes ready first, in order to offer valuable counterprogramming to FOX. Plus, there is the shot that if you "negotiate and settle" first, you could secure a BETTER deal with the WGA (who could use some good publicity) than holdout later studios. I mean, if Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindlehof, and Shonda Rhimes are singing the praises of ABC for negotiating well, those other production companies might feel a TON more pressure to settle, and the WGA would have leverage (hey, your competitor is getting new shows!) to squeeze better deals from the other production houses.

Then again, that makes far too much sense, and I'm probably projecting my hopes for a full season of Lost onto business strategies.

@chaddogg, You're not wrong about the incentives; it's just that thus far the strength-in-numbers approach seems to be holding. Also, keep in mind that what is in the interest of a network (say, ABC) is not always in the interest of a studio (say Touchstone) owned by the same company. The movie side of a company may not be as eager to make a deal as the TV side of the same company, etc., etc. But--your keyboard to God's ears.

Here's an interesting question. Is it worth it to watch Lost when it comes out in January? I mean with only 8 episodes what's the point really? Wouldn't it be more productive to simply wait until they rerun all the episodes in one season as they most likely will do?

Really? The WGA can just say "Don't air clips" and they can't? That is not a power I was aware of. I would have guessed that though they have to give cuts to writers/actors. Apparently not.

"Really? The WGA can just say "Don't air clips" and they can't? That is not a power I was aware of. I would have guessed that though they have to give cuts to writers/actors. Apparently not."

the WGA (and everyone else) traditionally allows the Academy to use the clips without paying residuals or license fees. The Academy can still use the clips, but will have to pay the fees this year. (also, from what I've read, this does not include clips from nominated films, for which there are probably provisions in each specific film contract that allow such clips to be used for that purpose.)