This revolution will not be televised because there's no one to script it.
The Writers Guild of America officially went on strike May 2 after six weeks of negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) broke down. "The WGA Negotiating Committee began this process intent on making a fair deal," the guild said in a statement ahead of the strike, "but the studios' responses have been wholly insufficient given the existential crisis writers are facing."
As a result of the ongoing protests, production on many TV series has been impacted, with showrunners demonstrating their support for the WGA by shutting down their writers' rooms or pressing pause on their seasons that are currently filming. So, how will this effect your viewing habits? Well, prepare to potentially wait even longer for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things and to laugh a lot less over the weekends as Saturday Night Live went dark, along with many talk shows.
Find out which shows have changed their production schedules due to the WGA strike 2023:
Looks like we're going to be stuck in the upside down a little longer.
Stranger Things co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer, known more familiarly as the Duffer Brothers, announced on Twitter May 5 that production on the fifth and final season of the Netflix hit had been shut down.
"Writing does not stop when filming begins," the brothers wrote. "While we're excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then — over and out."
Due to the strike and creator Sam Levinson's commitment to The Idol, HBO has pushed the premiere date of the Zendaya-fronted drama's third season to January 2025.
"Euphoria is one of those that we had begun writing in tandem with post-production on The Idol but at this point, we don't have countless scripts," HBO executive Francesca Orsi told Deadline this spring. "We can't start shooting, so the delivery of that show — ideally in 2025 — will be determined on when we can pick back up with Sam, who at this point is all pencils down and just finishing posts on Idol."
The Netflix hit is saying "Yes, sensei!" to supporting the WGA, halting production on the sixth and final season.
"We hate to strike, but if we must, we strike hard," Cobra Kai showrunner Jon Hurwitz tweeted May 2. "Pencils down in the Cobra Kai writers room. No writers on set. These aren't fun times, but it's unfortunately necessary. The moment a fair deal is in place, we'll get back to kicking ass. In the meantime, sending strength and support to the negotiating committee. You got this."
Just one day into working on season three, Yellowjackets co-creator Ashley Lyle tweeted on May 2 that the Showtime series shut down its writers' room.
"It was amazing, and creatively invigorating, and so much fun," Ashley wrote. "And I'm very excited to get back to it as soon as the #WGA gets a fair deal."
School is no longer in session.
Abbott Elementary writer Brittani Nichols, who is the Los Angeles-based captain for the WGA West, revealed that the ABC sitcom closed its writers' room.
In an interview with Democracy Now, Brittani called the current TV industry "a gig economy," explaining the reason for the strike is because "we are demanding that this industry is one that can sustain a career."
Creator and star Quinta Brunson took to Twitter on May 2 to share her support for the strike.
"I am a writer. I'm in the wga. I'm also on strike!" she wrote. "I have no real power here other than to join my union in demanding fair compensation for writers!"
Tony Gilroy, the creator of Disney+'s critically acclaimed Star Wars spinoff, confirmed production on its second season had been halted.
"I discontinued all writing and writing-related work on Andor prior to midnight, May 1," Gilroy said in a May 9 statement to The Hollywood Reporter. After being briefed on the Saturday showrunner meeting, I informed Chris Keyser at the WGA on Sunday morning that I would also be ceasing all non-writing producing functions."
Oh non!
Filming for the upcoming fourth season of the Netflix hit was delayed two months amid the strike, according to Variety, noting that production was initially slated to begin early fall.
Fans eagerly anticipating Charlie Cox's return as Marvel's blind superhero will have to wait a little longer as production was paused on the Disney+ series.
After striking New York-based writers picketed the series, cameras rolled for the last time on June 12, according to Deadline, and production will not resume until a deal is reached.
Production on The Batman spinoff starring Colin Farrell as the iconic DC Comics villain was suspended after its New York-based sets became the target for WGA East picketers, per Deadline.
Fans will have to wait as long as it takes for the HBO Max comedy to return to the stage.
Co-showrunner Jen Statsky tweeted that production on Hacks' third season will be paused for the duration of the strike.
"We are devastated to not be with our incredible crew and cast right now, but there was no other option here," she wrote May 2. "Writing happens at every stage of the process – production and post included. It's what makes shows and movies good. It's what makes them possible."
Hacks initially began filming in November, but production briefly went on hold for a month in February after the series' star Jean Smart underwent a successful heart procedure.
"Live from New York, it's..." SNL going dark.
Ahead of Pete Davidson's intended return as a host, the longrunning NBC sketch series canceled its upcoming shows. NBC announced May 2 that it will air repeats of SNL moving forward until further notice.
Pete, who left the series last year after eight seasons, previously joked that he would take the cancellation personally if the writers' strike were indeed to happen.
"It sucks," he quipped on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, "because it just feeds my weird story I have in my head, like, 'Of course that would happen to me.'"
All three of Dick Wolf's Law & Order series are delayed at NBC.
Anyone else going to bed a little earlier recently?
Due to the strike, the following talk shows have gone dark: NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers, CBS' The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Plus, HBO's Last Week Tonight With John Oliver and Real Time With Bill Maher have also stopped filming, along with Comedy Central's The Daily Show.
All three of Dick Wolf's One Chicago series are delayed at NBC.
Prepare for a lot of reality series this upcoming TV season as major networks such as Fox and ABC are filling out their fall schedules with unscripted programming amid the WGA strike.
ABC is bringing Dancing With the Stars back to primetime after moving it to Disney+, debuting The Golden Bachelor and airing encores of scripted series, including Abbott Elementary to pad out its timeslots. Meanwhile, Fox is focusing on its adult animation block and adding two new game shows, Name That Tune and Snake Oil, to its roster.
And, after it was dumped by Max, The CW will now air FBoy Island, along with the network picking up Canadian and European series to air in place of its original shows.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family)
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