TV with MeeVee

It's All Connected, Man

The writers strike even screwed iTunes, which must now shoot a refund to season pass subscribers.

Morning Reading And Random Vicious Mockery.

• The writers strike is officially over. (United Hollywood)
• By a wide margin, too. (United Hollywood)
• The strike was good for cable ratings. (Mediaweek)
• Fucking Ben Affleck is now worthy of a New York Times story. Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
• hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaha.
• Fans of NBC's "Las Vegas" want a resolution to the cliffhanger. To quote Elvis Costello, I say, "Let 'em dangle." These get-a-lifers want to send baby booties to NBC to make it happen. Lordy. (Buddy TV)
• ABC is getting with the on-demand program. Welcome to the real world, you wacky dinosaurs. (GMMR)
• Not mockery: "Raisin in the Sun" did really well for ABC Monday night. (TV Decoder)
• The Jay Leno's post-"Tonight Show" plot thickens. (NY Times)
• Still hurt feelings over the Oscar videos. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
• Signs of the apocalypse: "According to Jim" may be renewed for another season. (Hollywood Reporter)

And finally, do you think Michael Bay knows what an asshat he looks like in those FIOS commercials where he calls everything awesome, just like the idiot brother-in-law on "Chuck?" I'm just askin'.

Writers Strike: Don't Run, This Is Funny

I've been avoiding any more posts headed "Writers Strike," fearing your fatigue. I haven't even been following the ins and outs of the internal SAG negotiations over who gets to vote on that contract, again, fearing that any item with the words "contract" or "strike" in it is going to make you toss your cookies. But United Hollywood today reproduced the single funniest, meanest piece of prose the whole mishigas has brought us, namely Harlan Ellison's cantankerous and profane repudiation of the WGA-AMPTP deal. Ya gotta read it. Dude is not happy and, as we already knew, he does not mince words.

Photo: Cris Cuffaro via Harlan Ellison.com

"Dexter," Strike Fallout And Other Morning Reading

• NBC isn't suing anybody after all. Maybe even the Golden Globes aren't suing anybody. But they're definitely not both suing the WGA. Unless they are. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
• Writers are funny, especially when they go back to work after three months off. (NY Times)
• Clips from "Dexter" (right), for those of you who haven't had the pleasure, in advance of the show's CBS debut on Sunday. (GMMR)
• Hilarious though redacted story of craven executive behavior at Dexter's cable home, Showtime. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
• Another writers-back-to-work story with one really good line from a writer with academic cred who went to work for Tom Fontana: "Tom always joked when he hired me that he was going to kill the poet inside of me," he said. Joked, right. (AP)
• A brutal takedown of the main NY Times writer who covered the strike. (NY Press)
• Tim Robbins making a pharmaceutical drama for Showtime. That should be good. (Hollywood Reporter)

Back To "The Office": NBC Unveils Post-Strike Plans

NBC has announced the post-writers-strike fate of its shows. One press release unveiled premiere dates for series returning this spring. The other revealed that "Heroes," "Chuck" and "Life" will all return - but not till next fall, when they'll be beneficiaries of "major re-launch campaigns."

Unlike CBS, the network wasn't telling how many post-strike episodes of the spring series will be produced - with "Scrubs," in its final season, the big question mark there. Sez NBC:

"My Name Is Earl" (Thursdays, 8-8:30 p.m. ET), will return with a one-hour episode on Thursday, April 3; the Emmy Award-winning "30 Rock" (Thursdays, 8:30-9 p.m. ET) will begin on Thursday, April 10; likewise, the Emmy-winning "The Office" (Thursdays, 9-9:30 p.m. ET) also resumes with new episodes on Thursday, April 10; and "Scrubs" (Thursdays, 9:30-10 p.m. ET) will come back with original episodes beginning Thursday, April 10.

"ER" (Thursdays, 10-11 p.m. ET) also will come back on Thursday, April 10 with new episodes following the complete run of "Lipstick Jungle," which concludes on March 20.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Tuesdays, 10-11 p.m. ET) will return with fresh episodes on Tuesday, April 15. "Law & Order" (Wednesdays, 10-11 p.m. ET) resumes with original episodes on Wednesday, April 23. Meanwhile, "Medium" (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET) continues in originals.

And a postscript: Specific plans for other NBC scripted series are currently being determined and will be announced later.

Writes Strike Is No More

Yesterday's votes were a foregone conclusion, just the way we all hoped. The writers are going back to work today. Here's the note from the WGA leaders, and the one from the moguls. But one mogul is, amazingly, not ready to come out of all-out-war mode.

Afternoon Reading: Things We Just Came Across

Some strike-related and some not...

• Another blogger mulls the effect of the three-month layoff on viewing patterns and how that might affected the audience for bubble shows like "Samantha Who?" (TV Addict)
• Our man in Kansas City mulls winners and losers in the strike, and perhaps not surprisingly, most parties fit in both categories. (TV Barn)
• Once again live from New York...it's Seth Myers' chin! (TV Decoder)
• Changing television by strike? Ad agencies see an opportunity for new modes of business, including a year-round season. (NY Times)
• Benjamin Bratt as human rehab angel in "The Cleaner," coming soon on A&E. (Hollywood Reporter)
• NBC apparently wants the February 2009 sweeps moved because of the looming digital TV conversion effective on 2/17/09. The peacock rightly thinks viewing patterns might be a little fucked up that week. (TV Squad)

"Jericho" Fans Face A New Burn

You have to feel bad for fans of "Jericho," despite the fact that the show, canceled last spring by CBS, returns to the air tonight.

Last spring, fans of the drama about a small town in post-nuclear-apocalypse Kansas deluged the network with nuts - a reference to Jericho's cry of defiance in their standoff with their malevolent neighbors in New Bern. And 40,000 pounds of peanuts later, CBS agreed to come back with seven new episodes shot last fall to air this winter. That was good news. And in its own twisted way, so was the writers strike, which meant that "Jericho" would be one of the few scripted dramas on the air with new episodes this month.

But now the strike has been settled - writers are voting to end their walkout on the very day of "Jericho's" second season premiere. So instead of getting an extra splash of publicity and viewership, helping to boost  ratings and inspire CBS to OK a full third season, the show is almost getting lost in the shuffle this week, as everyone wonders when their favorite show will return. To which any rational "Jericho" fan can only say, "Awww, nuts."

Writers Strike: There's Got To Be A Morning After

No doubt the lawyers and vote-tabulators are getting busy for the WGA votes, while all over Hollywood this morning people are waking up and thinking about getting back to work. Barring some unforseen calamity, as we told you this weekend, the writer's strike is over, and we might even get a piece of the TV season back. There should be lots of news this week about shows that are coming back - and the ones that aren't. But in the meantime, here are this morning's strike-related headlines...

• Sunday's email from WGA West President Patrick Verrone to the membership. Key line: There will be no picketing Monday or Tuesday: all pickets are suspended until the WGA membership votes to either end or continue the strike.
• Cynthia Littleton breaks down the WGA deal, analyzing things like "imputed value" and revenue formulas. For WGA voters - and SAG-AFTRA members - only. (Scribe Vibe)
• The settlement makes an actors strike less likely. (NY Times)
• ...But giving up demands on reality and animation was a heartbreaker for union leaders. (TV Decoder)
• Some early insight into what's coming back and what isn't. (Televisionista)

Writers Strike: And Now The Vote (UPDATED)

We could see screenwriters return to work as soon as Wednesday,  hallelujah! Guild leaders said late Sunday that they've scheduled Tuesday  membership meetings to vote on a quick end to the strike, while members will have ten days or two weeks to vote on contract ratification. Showrunners (who are also producers) go back to work Monday.

AP's take here. Deadline Hollwood Daily's take here. Guild email to strike captains here. Reuters version, which has a completely different explanation of voting plans, here.

Initial reports that writers would be back at their keyboards Monday appear to have been irrationally exuberant, as union leadership wants the members to vote formally on ending the strike. Here are all of the items I've been able to find this morning. Yes, TV With MeeVee works the weekend when we have something as important as this to talk about!!!

• WGA Boards will meet today to endorse the contract and then there will be a 48-hour "expedited" vote for the membership. That's the word for now, anyway. (Variety)
• Nikki Finke says the union membership wants the strike over. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
• Writers coming out of the L.A. meeting echo that. (Scribe Vibe)
• The email from the WGA prez to members. (TV Addict)
• A .pdf of the actual contract terms. (wga.org)
• More analysis of the terms. (TV Decoder)
• More stormy seas ahead? Rival actors unions SAG and AFTRA have announced they will kiss and make up in advance of negotiations on their contract. (TV Guide)

Morning Reading: Writers Strike, Pacey Returns

• A chart of what shows might make how many more episodes for this season if the strike is resolved soon. And perhaps more interestingly, which shows aren't making any more. Maybe ever. (TV Guide)
• Eyeing the next steps to a signed, sealed, voted on and delivered contract. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
• Of course, now the studios can worry about an actors strike. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Youth today! (BuzzSugar)
• Pacey's back! In a J.J. Abrams series! (TV Addict and GMMR)
• Why, "Survivor" fans, why in the hell did Johnny Fairplay do that? I didn't even believe that he really has a girlfriend, much less a kid on the way. (Buddy TV)
• Reading the Oscar-show tea leaves. (TV Decoder)

Late Afternoon Reading: "American Idol" Malaise?

• In what might be an ominous sign when viewed alongside this season's ratings slippage, I've started to read a few "What's wrong with..." and "How to fix..." posts about "American Idol." Here's the best one I've read so far. (TV Squad)
• Meanwhile, in the scripted world, producers are already starting to figure out what shows are worth putting back into production for half a dozen or so episodes this season if the strike gets settled soon. Hint: It's the hits. (Reuters)
• Thus, you won't be surprised to hear that FX's middling "Dirt" and its quite excellent but under-watched "The Riches" will be making do with the seven episodes each has already filmed this season. (Hollywood Reporter)
• But it appears that the three remaining episodes of ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" will be held over until September. (Televisionista)
• Bill Petersen is talking about leaving "CSI" again. (Buddy TV)
• And there may be bad news for "Friday Night Lights" fans. (Televisionista)
• First non-pilot pickup for next season under NBC's new business regimen? Sitcom "Kath and Kim," starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair. (Hollywood Reporter)

Writers Strike: Kate Vernon And BSG On The Line

Kate Vernon joined sci-fi fans, actors, producers, writers, and more on the picket line yesterday. But we're all still holding our breath to find out if the writers and the Cylons, uh, I mean management can turn their verbal agreement into a document that both sides can sign. WGA chapters east and west are holding membership meetings on Saturday - L.A.'s is at the fmous Shrine Auditorium - in hopes of bringing this thing to an end.

In other news, what is hoped to be "the last big picket" of the strike is set for today at Disney. SAG will also be on hand. "House" strike captain Leonard Dick is a Disney shareholder, which allows him to write about the irony of picketing himself. Which I think means it's really, really time to get these people back to work.

Non-Strike Writing

New York magazine asked some striking TV writers to fill in the season-finale blanks for shows other than their own, for mirthful purposes. I wasn't that impressed with the results, but I did like what the "Daily Show" team offered for a season finale to "Pushing Daisies" - Attempting to revive his strike-threatened show, Ned decides to “touch himself.” Unfortunately, he enjoys it so much he touches himself again, killing the series for good.

Morning Reading: Belated "Hey, I Had To Vote" Edition

• The WGA has scheduled major membership meetings for the weekend to talk strike settlement. (Scribe Vibe)
• I don't know how I missed this over the weekend, but here's a really good Wall Street Journal article on this season's, um, tortuous creative process on "24," which now may not debut until January 2009. (WSJ.com)
• Bryan Cranston talks "Breaking Bad." (Buddy TV)
• While the Super Bowl set a ratings record for the game, the post-game episode of "House" did very well too, scoring 33 million viewers. Or maybe 29 million. Either way, not bad since in New York and Boston it was considerably delayed for local post-game blather. (newsday.com and nyt.com)

Writers Strike: Ironically, It Comes Down To...Writing

Deadline Hollywood Daily and the AP are both saying it, and that's good enough for me: There's a tentative deal in place, but now somebody has to write it down, and until that happens, and the two sides get a draft they both like, it can all still go blooey. (The WGA leaders also have to sell the deal to their membership, although after all these bloody weeks, that seems like it won't be too hard.)

So, stay tuned, folks, and I wouldn't start counting those new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Desperate Housewives" until they hatch.

Writers Strike: This Is The End?

Looks like the strike may have ended even before the Patriots' hopes of a perfect season. We were watching the pre-game, but word hit the web before kickoff that several sources say the moguls and writers have a tentative deal.

Fox boss Peter Chernin showed up at the Super Bowl after all and told people that a deal is done (Deadline Hollywood Daily). The WGA urges its members to be cautious - no deal yet, they swear - and wants them back on the picket lines today (Scribe Vibe). There are even some reports of shows already gearing up to re-start production (TV Guide). We'll see.

We'll be watching those closely throughout the day...

Morning reading

• "New Adventures of Old Christine" returns to CBS Monday night, but the show is already getting some attention for a nice gesture to its strike-sidelined staff. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
• Our friends at GMMR dig deep into last night's "Lost" revelations. (GMMR)
• Two more studio side deals for the WGA; seems like there's hardly anyone but the big seven who isn't working with the striking writers again. (Scribe Vibe)
• "4400" fans are dreaming "Jericho" dreams. It ain't gonna happen, you crazy kids. (AP)
• Signs of the apocalypse: Fox has picked up 13 more episodes of the lie-detector show "Moment of Truth." (Hollywood Reporter)

And finally, here's that horrible "NYPD Blue" scene that the FCC in its infinite wisdom thought was worth a $1 million-plus indecency fine. I guess it's NSFW if you work in some kind of politically correct hellhole...

Original Content Not Actually That Original

I just got a press release from NBC with the title "NBC'S ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING CONTINUES INTO  FEBRUARY." Their examples of original programming include more "Celebrity Apprentice" and the premiere of "Lipstick Jungle." Uh, sorry, but that's not "original" at all.

I know press releases are supposed to exaggerate, and I hate to call NBC out for something everyone is guilty of, especially since the writer's strike has led us all to a sorry state, but still - can't you guys call a spade a spade?

Morning Reading: Writers Strike, "Eli Stone," "Jericho" And More

• TiFaux has joined the strike-centric Adopt A Writer project, but also has the best criticism of it in the headline for this item: "TV Writers and TV Bloggers: Holding Hands, Riding on Unicorns."
• ABC has added a disclaimer to its controversial premiere of "Eli Stone." (TV Guide)
• Photo spoilers for the season premiere of "Jericho." (Televisionista)
• Bob Newhart will stand in for his late TV spouse, Suzanne Pleshette, where her star on the Walk of Fame is dedicated. (TV Squad)
• Another sign of the apocalypse: "Celebrity Apprentice" gets a second season. but where oh where will they find someone as creepy as Gene Simmons (right)? (TV Squad)
• Screen Actors Guilding begins to prepare for its negotiations with the producers. (LA Times)
• "Idol" and "House" kick ass in Tuesday ratings. Duh. (TV Decoder)
• Another studio strikes a side deal with the writers. (Scribe Vibe)
• Self-aggrandizing douchebag Dr. Phil says he "regrets" the Britney mess, but, uh, he didn't violate anyone's trust, and he only did what he did to "stop speculation." (AP)
• On the bright side, "Montel" is history. (H'wood reporter via Reuters)
• Breaking "24" news: Chloe is pregnant! Well, not Chloe, but the actress who plays her. (E!)

Writers Strike And Other Morning Reading

Things are breaking good for a change out there in Hollywood. There are a number of signs that the writers strike might get solved sometime before it screws up the Oscars. I mean, the honor and livelihoods of thousands of people mean nothing. But missing some cool parties? Suddenly the moguls are ready to deal. The latest and much much more in our morning links roundup...

• A settlement must be close, because the WGA wants its members to stop yapping. (Scribe Vibe)
• And by the way, the Grammys will go on with WGA approval. (Scribe Vibe)
• You talk about the Miley Cyrus pix, but do you give us a link?? (Buddy TV) (Try here and here.)
• One blogger was not nearly as grossed out as I was by the, um, body disposal problem in the second episode of "Breaking Bad." (TV Squad)
• A deep-thinking critical appraisal of the "pummeled hopes" of the characters on the flashed-forward "One Tree Hill." (NYT)
• And finally, the latest strike video, written by Seth McFarlane and starring Josh Radnor:

Stephen Colbert Sings About The WGA

My father actually called me up to make sure I'd watched this episode of "The Colbert Report," and when the old man calls me about television, I can be sure it's something important. Of course, with Colbert, it's also going to be funny, but that doesn't detract from the actual message there.

It turns out that Stephen Colbert's father was the only hospital administrator willing to negotiate with black strikers during a Charleston, SC walkout in 1969. Neat detail, but the story gets better. 

Colbert has as a guest the man who worked with his father to end the strike: Ambassador Andrew Young, a close friend of  Dr. Martin Luther King. Young tells Colbert some pretty nice stories about his dad and also talks about current labor unrest, notably the WGA. Stephen Colbert's father died when he was young, so it's really sweet to see this moment.  Then, more laughs: Young, Colbert, and Malcom Gladwell (another guest on that night's show) join the Harlem Gospel Choir to sing "Let My People Go." 

It gets laughs, but it'll also bring a tear to your eye.

Morning Links

• The debut of "Breaking Bad" got almost-"Mad Men" sized numbers in its debut on Sunday night. Wonder how people will feel when the meth head starts melting in the tub of acid... (Hollywood Reporter)
• Sneak peeks (with spoilers) at both of tonight's "Chuck" episodes on NBC. (GMMR and GMMR)
• Getting down to some nitty gritty in assessing the DGA deal. (Scribe Vibe)
• Some loose talk on the WGA side about how strong their hand is. (TV Decoder)
• Casting announced for Fox's sci fi drama "Fringe." (Hollywood Reporter)
• "Idol" still kicks ass in the ratings, but not quite as much as it did last year. Hmmm. (TV Decoder)
• Informal WGA/AMPTP talks resume. (AP)

Writers Strike: Could A Breakthrough be At Hand?

Looks like there's a chance good news is right around the corner. Well, around the corner, down the block and across the street next to Musso's. But you get the idea. Consider these developments:

• The Writers Guild of America has agreed to take two contentious issues off the table, namely representation for non-union writers in the reality and animation genres.
• The WGA also says it will not picket the Grammy Awards, meaning stars can attend without crossing a picket line, meaning the Grammy might not be a trainwreck like the Golden Globes. (On the other hand, there's no sign the WGA will issue a waiver allowing its members to work on the show.)
• With those items as a backdrop, the WGA and the producers group, the AMPTP, have resumed informal talks and declared a news blackout.

Now, all of this could turn out to be another cruel illusion, and the resumed talks could collapse in acrimony again even though they're "informal." But it seems that, with thousands of below-the-line workers missing paychecks across Hollywood, and production and pilot deals being canceled left and right, and the Oscars looming, the two sides have decided to give it another go. Everyone keep your fingers crossed.

Writers Strike Changes Everything, Sez NBC Honcho

No word yet from the resumption of "informal" talks between the Writers Guild of America and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers. But this TV season is beginning to remind me more and more of the ads for those very special episodes "ER" seems to have about three weeks out of four where "everything will change." Only with the writer's strike, that's actually true. And while many of the changes won't be immediately apparent to viewers, ultimately they'll be reflected in the shows we see and how they're promoted.

Just days after the end of the two-week Winter Press Tour that was canceled on account of the strike and may or may not return, NBC prez Jeff Zucker is talking about changing the entire way the networks do business. First up, he's going to kill NBC's glitz upfront sales presentation, usually held at Radio City Music Hall. And believe me, if one network decides it can sell its ad inventory without spending a bazillion dollars on drinks and entertainment for a bunch of ad agency weasels, then the other networks will follow suit.

“I think there were a tremendous number of inefficiencies in Hollywood and it often takes a seismic event to change them, and I think that’s what's happened here,” Zucker told the Financial Times. Also included in his vision - getting ready of the costly pilot season in which the networks pay millions for sample episodes of shows that will never air.

"Things like that are all vestiges of an era that's gone by and won't return," Mr Zucker told the Financial Times.

Oscar Nominees Known. Oscar Show, Not So Much.

The Oscars ceremony airs on ABC on Feb. 24. The best picture nominees announced this morning are "Juno," "No Country for Old Men," "There Will be Blood," "Atonement" and "Michael Clayton." The question now is, who will turn up to collect their Academy Awards?

With the writers strike going on, and the actors supporting the writers, it's entirely possible that no stars will cross a picket line to sit in their seats and squirm as they wait for their names to be announced. Producers reportedly have a secret backup plan that would fill the evening with clips of past telecasts, but that's unlikely to attract the gazillion viewers normally drawn to the telecast to see what the stars are wearing and what wacky things they'll do when they win or lose.

Meanwhile, here are the other major nominees:

Performance by an actor in a leading role
George Clooney in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah" (Warner Independent)
Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises" (Focus Features)

Gruesome Murder Scene Unrelated To Strike

The Hollywood Reporter says there are some "informal talks" going on, but I wouldn't hold out much hope. I mean, Nikki Finke over at Deadline Hollywood Daily is still out sick, and you know they're not going to end the strike until she's there to cover it.

If there's one thing movies have taught me, it's that you can't end a strike while the star reporter is out sick. It just makes for a terrible film adaptation.

Writers Strike: Uncertainty Replaces Gridlock

An awful lot of people are busy this morning trying to figure out what yesterday's Directors Guild of America deal with the AMPTP might mean for the writers in their war with the producers' group.

The most detailed summary I've seen is this one at the strikers' United Hollywood site. It looks at dollars and percentages, coming to this conclusion: The DGA deal, as we understand it, is neither reason for celebration nor mourning. Writers (and actors!) must resist the urge to get entrenched in a position on this too quickly. Parts of this deal will be the basis for a meaningful resumption of talks with the WGA, parts of this will not. Let's discuss it, let's debate it, but let's keep it civil and understand that the deal that gets everyone back to work will be the one that no one loves, but everyone can live with.

In other strike news:

• DGA-deal react from Oliver Stone, George Clooney and more. (Variety)
• I could swear USA Network wasn't going to renew "Nashville Star," but now NBC has picked it up to air in tandem with "American Gladiators" as part of a reality-intensive summer schedule. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Oscars producer Gil Cates says the show must go on, even without writers. (Variety)

DGA Deal! Could It lead To A WGA Deal?

OK, we were busy watching hours of "Breaking Bad," but the Directors Guild has cut a deal with the producers that some believe could lead to an end to the writers strike. There should be much better analysis by the morning, but the producers have already offered "informal" talks with writers. Paid downloads and ad-supported streaming, two key issues to the writers, are part of the deal. The question is whether the producers and studios - who are if nothing else supposed to be brilliant and cutthroat dealmakers - have managed to use a three-handed game to better their negotiating position. Here's the DGA statement.

Morning Reading: Writers Strike And More

Feast your eyes on the image of Randy Jackson and Renaldo Lapuz, one of the "American Idol" loons from last night, while you enjoy these morning links:

• AP updates the networks' stock of new shows at this point in the strike. (AP)
• Barnhart has a long and substantive interview with Shawn Ryan, creator of "The Shield" and a member of the Writers Guild negotiating team. And he takes issue with some of those numbers. (TV Barn)
• The WGA gets ready to make reality an issue. (Scribe Vibe)
• Matt Roush says it's "Nip/Tuck" that needs reconstructive surgery these days. (TV Guide)
• Chris Daughtry has backed off his comments dissing "Idol." Taken out of context, blah blah blah. (Page Six)
• A closer look at "Lipstick Jungle." I'm having a hard time caring, myself. (Televisionista)
• First look at Brian Austin Green on "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles." (TV Addict)
• Stephen Colbert's portrait has made it into the National Portrait Gallery. It'll be in the hallway next to the bathroom. (TV Squad)

Midafternoon Links Are Spicy, Boozy And High in Cholesterol

"American Idol" moves to Dallas tonight, so I have to get that side of beef dry-rubbed and in the firepit, not to mention lay down a base coat of whiskey in my stomach before I start liveblogging in only...four hours and change. But I thought you would want to know the following things...

Firstly, "Idol" crisped the rest of the competition on Tuesday night, but was actually down four million viewers from last year's premiere. Viewer fatigue with "Idol," or has the writers strike already driven people away from the tube entirely? (TV Decoder)

• Yet another independent studio has signed a side pact with the writers guild. (Scribe Vibe)
• Zac Efron of "High School Musical" reportedly was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. The surgeon said it was the cutest appendix he'd ever seen, almost too pretty. (Buddy TV)
• "George of the Jungle" is coming back to TV. Watch out for that...you know. (NY Times)
• The WGA won't be cutting any side deals with the Oscars. (Scribe Vibe)
• Oprah is not the most popular woman on television. And no, it's not Tila Tequila, either. (TV Squad)
• And finally, if you want to see "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" star Thomas Dekker getting rhythmic with his girlfriend at the premiere party, go visit our friends at Give Me My Remote.

Writers Strike: More Pain, But DGA Gain Today?

Just to use Scribe Vibe as an example, you can click here, here and here to read about studios terminating development deals with writers and producers under the "Force Majeure" (French for "screw you") clause in their contracts. Funny how they all did it at the same time - sounds almost like collusion to me. It's one more bit of hardball being played as the producers still won't come back to the negotiating table with the Writers Guild. But they are talking to the Directors Guild. And there are some reports that a DGA deal could be announced as early as today. It could provide a framework for a deal with the writers - or set those negotiations back even further. In any case, the WGA has canceled the planned "Ben Silverman Prom" on Thursday in favor of serious, heavily attended picket lines. Stay tuned.

Writers Strike: Golden Globes Kinda Sucked, Etc.

Those cut-ups at Scribe Vibe liveblogged the Golden Globes last night and it's worth reading if you need a few laughs this morning, much at the expense of Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell:

6:03 (Joe) And holy crap! NBC is still on its open-- they just missed an award. HFPA to NBC: Drop Dead!
6:04 (Mike) Wait, is NBC not actually carrying the press conference?
6:04 (Joe) This. Is. So. Lame.
6:05 (Mike) NBC: We’ll show them! Nanny-nanny-boo-boo!
6:05 (Joe) HA! NBC to HFPA-- Screw you, too! We're gonna tape delay it and use our own team. This is awesome!
6:06 (Mike) So awesome! They’re having to stretch and wait until after the HFPA announces, then announce it themselves. Which to watch? The train wreck press conference, or NBC’s train wreck of a fake press conference?

Here's a bad review. And here's another - Matt Lauer didn't mention the strike during star interviews??? And another - Matt Roush called it "an extra long edition of No-Access Hollywood." Ca-ching!

In other strike-related news...

• Are the directors guild negotiations now underway the best chance of getting Hollywood back to normal?
• Studios are starting to cancel deals with writers and producers.
• Writers guild president writes to members about the DGA talks and more.

Writers Strike: Irony At Work

The striking writers have canceled their own awards show. Seriously. In other news, it looks like the WGA is now cutting a side deal with moviemakers the Weinstein brothers. Some writers are also yanking Ben Silverman's chain with a new t-shirt. More on the "Law & Order" producer's brush with (not-)death on the picket line. Kimmel goes on Leno (yawn). The Times gives some ink to WGA dissidents. Slate wonders why "SNL" writers were missing from Letterman's Top 10 contingent. And in one piece of non-strike data, some pix from the "Terminator" premiere party.

Writers Strike: Morning reading

• Striking writers turn to penning children's books. (Hollywood Reporter)
• At least CBS news can make a deal for writers. (TV Decoder)
• Strike-dulled People's Choice Awards ceremony gets crappy ratings. (AP)
• Pain is the point of the striker. (LA Times)
• More picket-line confrontation, but the studio guy made the unfortunate decision to push a producer for "Law & Order." (United Hollywood)
• One commenter though has a pretty compelling argument that the writers welcomed this one. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
• Strike doesn't kill "Sarah Connor" premiere bash. (Scribe Vibe)
• Final two pre-strike eps of "Chuck" will run Jan. 24 on NBC. (Televisionista)
• Blogger is ashamed that strike will drive him to watch "American Idol." (Tifaux)

In non-strike linkage:

• "Celebrity Rehab" is actually kind of good. Addictively good? (Seriously, OMG!)
• "Torchwood" fans rejoice: More preview clips! (Freema Agyeman)
• You know what "American Gladiators" needs? Better gimmicks! (The Hater)

Imagine "Law & Order" Without Writers

It's been awhile since I've seen an even passably funny writer's strike video, so I was pretty glad to find this unscripted police procedural parody, starring the actual Kathryn Erbe from "Law And Order: Criminal Intent." I like that the actors manage to make fun of themselves and the genre of police procedurals as well as illustrating the importance of writers to the entertainment industry.

More Crap Hurled At Hollywood's Working Stiffs

As if the writers strike wasn't bad enough, what with the threat of 1,000 layoffs at Warner Bros. by week's end. Now Hollywood's biggest payroll company has suddenly gone bust, leaving its employees empty-handed and everyone else wondering about their money, paychecks, tax issues, et cetera. Defamer calls Axium International "The Enron of the payroll world?" and the Hollywood Reporter says it may be an IRS matter. This could be bad freakin' news for a large number of studio employees - how'd you like to be facing a strike-related layoff, only to learn that your last check ain't coming anytime soon, either?

Writers Strike Getting Juvenile: NBC Honcho Tries To "Carrie" Writers

Remember the old saw about how Hollywood is like high school with money? Well, pig's blood anyone?

Ad Age reports that NBC will shortly be giving $10 million to $15 million back to advertisers for the canceled Golden Globes telecast. No wonder first-season NBC boss Ben Silverman is pissed. But Monday he managed to piss off the entire writers union in unusually personal fashion by telling E! that the WGA getting the Globes canceled was "like the nerdiest, ugliest, meanest kids in the high school are trying to cancel the prom." Silverman, of course, clearly considers himself the handsome young jock in this scenario.

The strikers' United Hollywood countered with the lovely image at right and this picket-line invitation:

BENJAMIN SILVERMAN HIGH WINTER PROM
When: Thursday, January 17th from 11am-2pm
Where: BS High School (located at 3000 West Alameda in Burbank - often referred to as NBC Studios)
Dress: Prom Formal

Clearly Silverman has forgotten how "Carrie" ended.

Stewart Issue A Bit Prickly

Read our item and some of the other posts on the return of "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" and you get the impression that while Stewart is with the striking writers - saying the abbreviation for the studios' group is NAMBLA, for instance - he's also a bit peeved at the WGA. Nikki Finke reports that Stewart's studio audience heard a more candid version of his feelings Monday night, with the comedian a bit cranky about the fact that his show was denied the sort of waiver given to David Letterman and Craig Ferguson's late-night operations. Scroll down further and read the comments and you'll see this isn't going over so well with the writers ("Scab" and "fuck him" being among the remarks). And it's true that Stewart is missing the main difference, which is that those two CBS shows are owned by Letterman's Worldwide Pants Corp., while "The Daily Show" belongs to the giant Viacom conglomerate, one of the main companies taking a hard line against the strike. The WGA is trying to divide and conquer the studios, and Stewart is going to have to pay the price.

Writers Strike: Stewart, Colbert Return

While everyone else was digesting last night's news that the Golden Globes ceremony will be turned into an NBC News press conference - and doesn't that sound entertaining - "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report" returned to Comedy Central with new episodes, sans writers. While neither one seemed to openly flout WGA rules by writing monologues like Jay Leno did on "Tonight Show," there were definitely moments that appeared not entirely improvised, including Stewart's "Strike Unibrow," mocking the beard that David Letterman shaved off on his show last night. Here's a clip:

Memorably, Stewart's show went close to the bone when talking about the strike. Sometimes he played up to the WGA, with jokes like "The Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or NAMBLA." But sometimes he needled the union: "Last time that all these talk shows were off the air for any length of time was after September 11th. And that time, most shows were off the air for a week. So if my math is correct, the writers strike is now nine times worse than September 11th." OUCH.

The best recaps are from Mike Schneider over at Variety's strike blog: Stewart here and Colbert here.

Writers Strike: Golden Globes Will Live, Sort Of. Well, Not Really.

In a sad state, are the Golden Globes. Struck by the writers, and thus boycotted by the actors, the ceremony and NBC telecast set for Sunday has been cut down to a 6 p.m. press conference, to be televised for a single hour. If you're keeping score, that's one for the WGA. Champagne merchants, manicurists and high-priced escorts across L.A. are weeping for their lost income. Following is the press release from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association...

RECIPIENTS OF “THE 65th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS” TO BE ANNOUNCED AT BEVERLY HILTON PRESS CONFERENCE ON JAN. 13
HOLLYWOOD, CA, January 7, 2008 – The Hollywood Foreign Press Association today announced that the recipients of Golden Globe Awards in 25 categories will be revealed during an hour-long HFPA press conference at The Beverly Hilton to be covered live by NBC News beginning at 6:00 pm PST on January 13. “The 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards” NBC telecast and champagne dinner in The Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom is officially cancelled.
“We are all very disappointed that our traditional awards ceremony will not take place this year and that millions of viewers worldwide will be deprived of seeing many of their favorite stars celebrating 2007’s outstanding achievements in motion pictures and television,” said Jorge Camara, President of The Hollywood Foreign Press Association. “We take some comfort, however, in knowing that this year’s Golden Globe Award recipients will be announced on the date originally scheduled.”

Wow, there's some comfort, huh? No word yet on how NBC will fill the rest of the evening, although some Globes clips shows, perhaps produced by the news division, are rumored.