With the possibility of the writers strike coming to an end on Monday (hoping!), I am wondering a few things. Where does that leave TV series for the duration of this season? Presumably they won't have time to get anything in the can and complete a full season of any show, so will most of them just wrap with shortened or nonexistent seasons this year? Like 24, for instance, I'm guessing will miss a year, Lost will have just the 8 episodes, etc, etc. That sucks.

24 officially cancelled until next year.

But the paper today said Lost could get it together in time if it ends this weekend and they rush. Depending on the show it takes 6-10 weeks to get an episode finished, they said.

Technically, I believe the Lost guys said by mid-January it would have to end, but they maybe could rush it

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - With a deal taking shape to end a three-month walkout by Hollywood writers, the strike-hobbled television industry is scrambling to get back on its feet and salvage what remains of the broadcast season.

Churning out fresh episodes of hit dramas and comedies after a lengthy production shutdown is more complicated than simply hitting the "power-on" button of a remote control.

Industry executives say it will likely take eight weeks to restore favorite shows like "House," "CSI," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Desperate Housewives" to prime time once the strike ends.

Even if the labor dispute were settled by next week, as some have anticipated, viewers would be unlikely to see original episodes of returning hourlong dramas before early April. The same is true for single-camera comedies such as "The Office" or "Scrubs," which like dramas, are shot more like a film and without live audiences.

Multi-camera sitcoms like "Two and a Half Men" and "Back to You" take less time to make -- three to four weeks from start to finish -- and could be on the air before mid-March.
http://www.reuters.com/article/televisi ... 7020080207

I knew I could count on Rob (not sarcasm). Thanks yankee clipper!

So I'm stuck watching Deal or No Deal at work until at least March?

"Smallville" (which is one of the few shows I still watch) still has four episodes that haven't aired yet, with most of them not scheduled until March. They could probably get back to work, film seven more episodes and wrap up the season with the usual total of 22 episodes. I'd be very glad to see that, since Michael Rosenbaum has indicated that this will be his last season (which means perhaps its the end of the show as well.)

I do wonder if the creators of "Heroes" will try to do its "Origins" episodes for introducing new characters if the strike ends. It seems a bit late for them to get started on Volume Three.

Looks like it's over.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/business/media/10strike.html?ref=us

Oh no, bad news! I was finally making some headway into my backlogged comics pile!