It is day four of the television writer’s strike and already, some of our favorite shows have been affected. FOX has already removed 24 from the schedule this January. The show may not even come back until late 2008, which also may be when ABC’s Lost returns. Desperate Housewives, The Office, and Two and A Half Men have already shut down production and Grey’s Anatomy should be next, with Shonda Rhimes joining the picket line. Change have been made to Prison Break as well and the show will be heading on hiatus sooner than expected.
Originally, Prison Break was supposed to run new episodes through December 17 then take a hiatus, returning in April. Now, the show will take its break after the next episode, which airs November 12. The last episode, “Bang and Burn”, will focus on Michael’s escape plan, which now has Susan in the driver’s seat. Mahone will also get his court date but must testify against others in order to save himself.
The next new episode, “Boxed In” will kick off five new episodes, beginning January 14, 2008. If the strike is resolved quickly, production will pick up and the show will film remaining episodes. If not, the thirteenth episode will become the last one for the third season and air sometime around February sweeps. As of now, a new reality show will fill Prison Break’s time slot beginning in March, When Women Rule The World.
According to the New York Times, 20th Century Fox sent a letter to Prison Break writers, notifying them that their pay has been suspended due to failure “to report to work and render their non-writing producing services.” The same letter was also delivered to writers of The Unit and My Name Is Earl. Currently, there are no talks scheduled between the Writers Guild Association and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The last strike, which took place in 1988, lasted over five months and cost the entertainment industry $500 million.
– Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
Source: FOX, WGA, NY Times
(Image courtesy of Vancouver Sun)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
