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Post by CardSharksFan8689 on Oct 21, 2023 21:48:38 GMT -5
The actors' strike has already reached 100 days on the picket line, and is definitely the longest strike in their Guild's history.
However, there is an interesting new development. Talks are scheduled to resume on Tuesday (nearly two weeks after the last round of talks broke off), according to Deadline. Maybe the studios can't weather the strike any longer now, and the studios may likely give in to the Guild.
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Post by CardSharksFan8689 on Oct 27, 2023 13:56:12 GMT -5
Found out on CBS's website today something very important. A deal has to be made within the next week, or the networks will cancel every scripted show in prime time. When they say cancelled, it means forever.
The union calls it an empty threat, but at the same time the A-listers are feeling restless about their future. Truth is, if the threat of cancellations comes from "the powers that be", it is not a bluff. It is real. If any threats come from the mouths of executives, it's real. It sounds like the union is likely underestimating their "empty threat" claim, but they will believe it once they get their layoff notices by Veteran's Day. I bet the union could likely sue the networks over the cancellations, but if they do, chances are it will likely get dismissed.
I bet there will likely be backlash from fans of Abbott Elementary as well as the creator of the series, and they may order the networks to reconsider their decision. But maybe the networks have been planning to do away with scripted fare for some weeks now, and if a deal is not reached next week, the writing's on the wall, and game shows in prime time will likely be here to stay.
Golden rule when it comes to negotiations: Never underestimate executives when it comes to threats.
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Post by johnnyo on Oct 29, 2023 13:28:24 GMT -5
Found out on CBS's website today something very important. A deal has to be made within the next week, or the networks will cancel every scripted show in primetime. When they say cancelled, it means forever. It might mean across the board cancellations now, but it will be "forever" only if that actually remains the most profitable route forward (which it might). The only thing that can counted on is that networks (and big businesses in general) will always be looking for ways to make a buck. |
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Post by CardSharksFan8689 on Oct 29, 2023 14:54:35 GMT -5
Well, it might be possible that the game shows and reality shows that are airing these days in prime time are likely more profitable than scripted shows. Plus they generate more viewers, as there is a lot of excitement and big money and prizes offered. Plus, offering a million dollar prize on a game show is a helluva lot cheaper than paying writers and actors for their work on comedies and dramas. I also learned on Facebook today that one show on The CW, Superman and Lois, has cut the number of writers from eight to five, plus they also cut a large number of cast members leaving just the main cast of a smaller group of actors. I think there will likely be more drastic budget cuts for the upcoming seasons of scripted shows - should those seasons ever see the light of day after the strike. Superman and Lois has established ten episodes for Season 4 at this point, but there is hinting that it may likely be the final season - and it makes sense since The CW discontinued airing other shows based on DC Comics properties.
It makes me wonder, if scripted shows do return eventually, will the viewers likely wish they see those game shows again?
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Post by CardSharksFan8689 on Oct 31, 2023 11:07:50 GMT -5
I think the so-called "empty threat" claim by the workers may likely be the case, as such empty threats imply that the companies desperately need to get back into business as they are now financially impacted and are very close to the tipping point, and such threats are designed to speed up the process of getting a deal reached before they end up on the edge of bankruptcy.
The companies are likely making one last attempt to save money and get a deal reached before they end up caving to most of the union's demands - just like was the case with the writer's strike, the companies were starting to be financially impacted and they gave in to most of the writer's demands. However, as I mentioned in a recent post, one series that is expected to produce a new season of just ten episodes had downsized the number of writers from eight to five last week, plus many cast members were let go - the cuts of writers happened one month after their strike ended. I am willing to bet that if the actors get most of their demands met, they can expect a little something in their Christmas stocking - in the form of an envelope containing a layoff notice.
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Post by ndgameshowfan on Oct 31, 2023 15:48:22 GMT -5
I have a hard time believing the networks would cancel their higher rated shows like NCIS. And this isn't considering what a high-power producer like Dick Wolf is going to say about this, if they cancel all his Law and Order, FBI, and Chicago shows? You'd probably make him angry enough to move all his shows to a streaming service.
Superman and Lois was reduced already last spring when it was renewed, before the strike started, so that had nothing to do with the strike.
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Post by Frank on Nov 7, 2023 15:52:34 GMT -5
Plus they generate more viewers, as there is a lot of excitement and big money and prizes offered. Plus, offering a million dollar prize on a game show is a helluva lot cheaper than paying writers and actors for their work on comedies and dramas. and the fact that the "powers that be" will make the $1,000,000 next to impossible to win. That is for a regular contestant. |
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Post by CardSharksFan8689 on Nov 7, 2023 19:29:04 GMT -5
and the fact that the "powers that be" will make the $1,000,000 next to impossible to win. That is for a regular contestant. So very true. No wonder game shows are far cheaper to produce than scripted shows. They may offer a million dollar top prize, but really the cost to produce game shows may be in the six-figures. Back on topic, I did learn a few days ago that the studios made what they call their last, best and final offer. This implies that the production companies are nearing a financial impact, and soon won't be able to afford to weather the strike any longer. Unfortunately, in the latest developments, the union claims the offer falls short of their key demands - especially AI. If no deal is reached this time, the studios will have to give in to most of the union demands because they won't be able to afford to lose any more revenue. At this point, the strikes have cost all the studios combined billions of dollars in revenue losses. Maybe the final offer is their last ditch attempt to end the strike with minimal to no consequences. If that final offer is rejected, I am thinking all future offers will have consequences - possibly in the form of layoffs. And maybe the possibility of acquisitions and/or mergers in the new year.
There is something corporations know that striking workers don't. Yes, most corporations have a lot of money - but the truth is, there is no single "big bank account" - the revenue they make is divided into separate accounts. I know this, since I did accounting courses in my studies in 2005. Corporate revenue has accounts for specific expenses (electricity, wages, maintenance, rent, etc.). While corporations have billions of dollars in profits, the total amount of money in the wages account is drastically low compared to the total revenue the corporations have. The union's corporate greed claim is likely untrue - the truth is, some workers don't seem to understand how a business works. They tend to focus on the big revenue account, all but overlooking the fact that the revenue is divided into separate expense accounts, each of which is likely just a drop in the bucket compared to the corporation's total revenue.
I bet there is not enough money in the wage accounts to pay all the actors who are on strike, since the studios spent a lot of money on producing films that ended up being box office failures. AI or no AI, layoffs may end up being the ultimate solution.
According to recent sources, it says there are only about three outstanding issues remaining to be resolved. They made progress on possibly two of the issues, but in the end, AI may end up being the only remaining issue
Based on past examples, it seems like it takes four rounds of talks during a strike to reach a deal. If this is the case, two rounds will have been used so far.
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Post by CardSharksFan8689 on Nov 8, 2023 12:53:41 GMT -5
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Post by vahan on Nov 8, 2023 13:00:10 GMT -5
Because the article seemed to provide an update that was a bit downcast after the seemingly upbeat news. Sorry.
Deadline is a credible outlet, though.
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Post by vahan on Nov 9, 2023 0:39:57 GMT -5
STRIKE IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by CardSharksFan8689 on Nov 9, 2023 11:22:15 GMT -5
Finally, at long last! After six months of Hollywood misery (and revenue losses), Hollywood's last remaining troublesome strike is finally put to rest. Now, the countdown is on to the day we find out when the viewers' favorite scripted shows return. One source suggests that the new seasons could start as early as mid-February, after the Super Bowl. I'm really looking forward to the new season of Abbott Elementary, a show that I considered developing an interest in during the early weeks of the writers' strike. With much fewer episodes this season, it's good for me since I won't have to devote a lot of weeks to watching new episodes - though I will probably watch it when it gets released to streaming. Link to the article: www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/actors-strike-tentative-agreement-1.7020928 |
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Post by vahan on Nov 9, 2023 11:53:01 GMT -5
It's interesting to see your tastes evolve. I remember you said many years ago that you had no interested in scripted content, just game shows.
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Post by CardSharksFan8689 on Nov 9, 2023 12:35:51 GMT -5
Actually, I did always have an interest in some scripted content - if limited to certain Saturday morning cartoons. Namely The Little Rascals cartoon spinoff (which explains my Darla Hood avatar on this site), Richie Rich, The Gary Coleman Show, and many of the Scooby-Doo series (except for any newer Scooby series from 2006 to 2017, due to bad art). However, the writers of many of those series were never part of the WGA. In fact, my interest in certain cartoon series overshadowed my interest in game shows since August 2014 (despite that GSN had acquired late-1985 to May 1986 episodes of Press Your Luck and late 1986 to May 1987 of Card Sharks that fall). I have to admit, my interest in certain game shows, while it is still there, it has definitely weakened a little bit since 2018 when GSN eliminated every classic except for Match Game. I still do watch TPIR with Drew Carey on CBS, and even the Bob Barker episodes airing on GameTV, if only on days that I am off. And I do download fresh episodes of classics after they appear on YT, since the Buzzr airings have the end credits kept intact (though the latter is a very trivial matter to me, as I care more about the gameplay).
Card Sharks with Bob Eubanks is airing the 1987 era that GSN aired less than a decade ago - I do have some interest in such year, but not as much as in 2014 to 2017 - but once Buzzr gets into 1988 my interest in such show will strengthen since GSN never reran episodes from that year (save for much of January 1988). I do have many of the 1987 episodes recorded and archived, but some I never got a chance to download since Jennings' account on DM got terminated a while ago.
As for Abbott Elementary, I did find out this morning, after reading the news about the end of the actors' strike, about a script idea for a controversial plot involving a school shooting. Needless to say, Quinta Brunson - the show's creator, executive producer and cast member - objected the idea, due to being very distasteful. It sounds like the writers were likely still very bitter from their nearly five-month strike at the time, plus they may have been fearful for the show's future. So, the chances of such story being featured is basically zero, as Brunson doesn't want to start Season 3 that way. I certainly hope there will be more positive and upbeat episodes in this upcoming season.
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Post by aaaa on Nov 9, 2023 14:01:39 GMT -5
Card Sharks with Bob Eubanks is airing the 1987 era that GSN aired less than a decade ago - I do have some interest in such year, but not as much as in 2014 to 2017 - but once Buzzr gets into 1988 my interest in such show will strengthen since GSN never reran episodes from that year (save for much of January 1988). I do have many of the 1987 episodes recorded and archived, but some I never got a chance to download since Jennings' account on DM got terminated a while ago. They aired episodes from early and mid 1988 in early 2002 in the daytime hours IIRC. They did air the episodes with the second car game and the guest card dealers on Saturday mornings circa 2003-2005. |
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