No more writers on picket lines. No more network TV bosses scrambling for replacement shows. But enough about them. What about us?
Two simple questions prey on every viewer's mind: When will my favorite scripted programs be back with new episodes? And, WILL my favorite shows
be back? Here are the short-and-sweet answers from industry insiders after the three-month Hollywood writers' strike:
- Many hit series (such as ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy," as well as CBS' "CSI" trio) will be back this spring for what's left of the
current season, with anywhere from four to seven new episodes. But don't bet on weaker, "on-the-bubble" shows (NBC's "Bionic Woman" and CBS'
"Moonlight," for example) returning until fall, if then.
- And be prepared to muster a little more patience. A minimum of four weeks will be needed for producers to get the first post-strike episode of
comedies (such as CBS' "Two and a Half Men" and NBC's "My Name Is Earl") started from scratch and back on the air; a drama will require six to
eight weeks from concept to broadcast.
But there's no simple rule of thumb, added these TV execs, most of whom agreed to speak only on condition of anonymity because they are not
authorized to talk to the media. Every show is its own special case.
If a series had a script near completion when the strike was called in November, it's got a head start resuming production now. For example,
CBS' "Criminal Minds" had one script in progress and a network-approved outline for another, said co-executive producer Chris Mundy, who
cited something else that gives his show an advantage: "We didn't have to break down our sets. We're luckier than most."
Meanwhile, a complicated serial drama with vast technical demands -- notably the NBC hit "Heroes" -- may not be deemed worth returning
this season at all. The cost of ramping up for such a production may not justify that expense when only a handful of episodes are being ordered.
Other shows, including ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" and NBC's "Chuck," also aren't expected until fall. And Fox's "24" is unlikely to be back until early 2009.
Adding to this vexing calculus, each network will have to integrate its returning series into a prime-time schedule that, during the strike, has adapted
to the absence of those shows with substitute fare.
