Hallelujah!

Writers to pick up their laptops tomorrow? Tuesday? I almost don't want to go on as I might jinx it...

Weeds are Growing and the Men Grow Angrier

Thank goodness! Just when I thought TV was dying out Lionsgate has signed a deal with the WGA. So Weeds and Mad Men can actually write, film, edit and air their episodes this year! So happy about this.

The informal talks between the WGA and AMPTP meanwhile progress so let's hope for the best. Especially since I'm waning on my boycott on online programming, TV DVDs and iTunes. It's hard, Californication Season One is on there right now and I want to purchase to watch it all over again. I think there was a new episode of Chuck last night on TV but I've got to the check the Tivo to make sure. So that will give me at least one entertainment source while I wait. Hard times.

TV, Interrupted

Sorry about the shameless U2 promo from last post. I've got a weak spot for those guys. Something related to my brother handing me a tape of the Joshua Tree on a magical family road trip in 1987. And listening to it over and over in my yellow walkman And sleeping outside for concert tickets and getting #13 in the lottery and getting front row seats. Anyway, let's move on.

So the writers are talking to the producers again. I'm hoping this strike will come to a close and everyone will be satisfied with the end results. My biggest complaint about this whole thing is that we've had to endure a TV season that has been interrupted, halted, and mixed up. The shows are out of cohesion and it doesn't really work for me. How will they come back on the air? When? So many questions so little time.

Hope for the best!

How Bloody Painful...

The Golden Globes news conference was a cringe fest. It took me about 4 minutes to find one channel on TV that was covering it live, good ole' CNN had it on - sound delay and everything.

I loved it when drippy "entertainment" CNN reporter Brooke Anderson reminded us that this was REALLY a huge event with lots of reporters and journalists covering it and everything, oh gee, gosh! I'm squealing with excitement here at this point- not really. If any woman could be a douche bag at this moment- Ms. Anderson would be it. Way to rub it in to everyone that no GG ceremony is happening and no one gets any type of celebratory night where everyone drinks to be merry and congratulates you on your noble TV or movie achievement. Way to go Brooke (sorry she really bothered me).

A lot of my hopeful award winners that I picked in December will not be able to pick up their award because well they didn't win. :( oh well. BUT DID YOU SEE THAT TINA FEY AND MAD MEN WON! At least I was right in two TV categories.

This whole "world event" news conference (along with live drums- did anyone hear that!?, oh and what about those heavy footsteps to the podium) really didn't match up much with the world premiere event of Ghostbusters airing on VH1 this afternoon. Nothing compares to the scene with Sigourney Weaver as Zuul on her bed acting as a demonic temptress to Bill Murray who she thinks is the gatekeeper. Seriously this was much more entertaining.

Can't wait to see this

This GG news conference should be interesting. Although I don't know were to watch it on air, online or where to Tivo it :) How ironic really.

Good news for the New Year!

Sick on the couch today I was happy to see this news alert. The ultimate funny man is coming back to late night TV with his writers in tow! What a man! I knew there was a reason I spent the night on the streets of San Francisco when you came for a visit my freshman year of college. I finally forgive you for giving my stand by ticket to Joe Montana!

Seriously though, thanks Mr. Letterman for being fair to the writers. You're the best and CBS will be the best in late night thanks to you.

all i want for christmas...

are my TV shows to come back! And the writer's strike to come to a beautiful end negotiation.

Things are heating up…

So I’m a bit behind on TV with all these merry holiday parties. I woke up tired this morning to a flashing headline in my email box (which I missed yesterday) about the writer’s strike. Holy crap the WGA has filed charges against the AMPTP. I guess the WGA feels that they were treated unfairly last week, so unfairly that they believe that the AMPTP violated federal law. Go writers!

Man, of course, this news only leads to a more depressing 2008 January TV season show lineup. But you know what, I can’t be selfish any longer. I’d rather have the TV and movie industry start taking the Internet more seriously and pony up the cash to the people hard at work.

On another non-scripted subject... I was able to catch THE PAPER the other night. This was a PBS Independent Lens production. I revved up the Tivo and pushed play thinking that I’d get bored quickly and take a nap on the couch. But I was riveted. Penn State’s Daily Collegian has one of the largest distributions for a college newspaper- 20,000 people. Wow. But as this doc starts they are losing their audience- down to 15,000. The college newspaper made up entirely of students has to get people reading their paper and fast.

The doc portrays the newsroom as thrilling, challenging, and even threatening as they strive to win back their readership. I was so impressed by the commitment level of the student reporters and editors. I mean, what was I doing in college? Only a couple student projects- I didn’t have to tackle issues of diversity, violence towards women and sports bullies when I did my little measly video projects. Kudos to these students and I’m sure they are moving on to better things at newsrooms across America. Oh, wait readership is down with national newspapers too. Well, I’m sure they will figure it out in the digital age.

Picking up their laptops?

Will the TV and movie writers pick up their laptops again? Looks likely, think good thoughts. Today the news everywhere is reporting optimistic talks between the Writers Guild of America and The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Thank goodness. Yesterday marked a month of striking by the WGA. I was starting to worry about future episodes of LOST, PD and DH. Interesting that this news would occur a night after I broke my fast of not watching TV programming online. Yes, I did the unthinkable, my Tivo missed an episode of something and I had to indulge online. I feel even more guilty as it is a program that I've allegedly purged.

Well, keep your fingers crossed for the WGA.

that's right ladies! march!

So it's just getting worse! The Office is closed, Keifer has to go to jail and LOST will be just that at the start of the new year. And I really feel that up here in SF there's nothing that I can do. It's simply hilarious that The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers claims they can't track "new media." I mean what does that mean? I can track every single hit and move on my measly blog through Google Analytics. I'm sure that when ABC.com streams a show they aren't just showing those ads for kicks.

I've thought about the idea of abstaining from programming on new media sources. I don't own any DVDs of TV shows except for The Office (British version) which I think is in the hands of one of my husband's coworkers. I haven't downloaded a TV program off iTunes in about 4 months. And...there's not much I want to watch on the web streaming from the networks. Although I will admit it's my last ditch effort to catch up on TV shows I forgot to Tivo. So I guess officially TODAY I'll abstain from watching TV programming online, on DVDs and iTunes.

Some of you may feel the other way around. You're thinking - Why don't we watch the new media to prove to the industry that the medium is critical and easy to track? I've thought about this and you know I think they already know this. So I'm betting on supporting the writers. I'll stick to the tube for now.

Holy Crap!

"Tuesday afternoon, the AP reported that Fox's "Back to You" and "'Til Death," ABC's "Desperate Housewives," and CBS' "Rules of Engagement" will stop production and go on hiatus because of the Hollywood writers' strike. The annoucements came a day after the late night comedy shows -- including those of Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jon Stewart and Jimmy Kimmel -- went into reruns."

Not DH! I can live without the...wait...are those really shows on television? Back to you...'Til Death..sounds like old sitcoms from the 70's. Oh wait, they are!?

Anyway, this is a real drag! They are predicting a real marathon between the producers and writers. And I thought TV was boring right now, I'm getting ready to turn it off soon. Shoot, back to DVDs and reading books! Scratch that on the DVDs, not sure if the writers get their share on those. What shows can you NOT live without?

didn't i say i loved Tina Fey!

WRITER'S BLOCK

Oh man, this is bad!

"Producers said writers were not willing to compromise on their major demands. Writers said they withdrew a proposal to increase their share of revenue from the sale of DVDs that had been a stumbling block for producers. They also said the proposals by producers in the area of Internet reuse of TV episodes and films were unacceptable."

Well polished scripts, monologues,and dialogue- its the foundation for GOOD TV. Please PRODUCERS bend your ways, give in, I hear you only pay pennies per DVD! And this doesn't sound too good...

"The strike is the first walkout by writers since 1988. That work stoppage lasted 22 weeks and cost the industry more than $500 million."