Another Strike: Would the Soaps Survive?

[Sylph]

Deadline.com is reporting that the Writers Guild of America, West has just released a bulletin outlining the issues to be negotiated with the AMPTP. It's the usual stuff: pensions, new media, credits, coverage of the agreement... Soon we shall enter the final six months of the validity of the current Basics Agreement — it expires on May 1st, 2011.

The previous strike lasted 100 days (here is the timeline and cost the industry anywhere from $380 million (UCLA assessment) to $2.1 billion (economist Jack Kyser).

In my view, the damage was colossal and we're still seeing the effects of it. Nielsen calculated that the viewership declined by 6.8% during the strike.

If another one hits, what do you think will be the effect on daytime soap operas?

[DRW50]

The soaps are falling further down the rabbit hole with or without a strike. I think the last strike period was actually an improvement for a number of shows, especially GH. Daytime needs something different. I realize that the loss of revenue from a strike could kill soaps but they are dying anyway.

[dm.]

I wish it would happen because I'd take anything just to see some changes in the industry. It just can't always go on like this - recycled hacks or lifeless writers on the heads of every single soap opera still alive.

I would prefer to see the soaps canceled, to be put out of their misery, rather to have them in the state they are.

[Sylph]

I can't really remember, but didn't people loathe them even more during the strike? Which is why your GH remark here and there on the main page puzzles me.

Y&R will most certainly be safe, given that people in charge took the financial core status.

On B&B you can expect more feet washing, courtesy of Kay Alden.

[DRW50]

I don't know how people felt about GH at the time, but then the show was in a pit at this time. I was impressed by some of the moments, human little moments, during the strike, like Lucky's speech to Jake about being his father no matter what, and the goodbye scene between Skye and Jax, and some of the effort to redeem Sam. There was a much-needed break from some really terrible stuff, like Lucky being made the villain for Liasion. I think the strike also started Sam/Lucky, although I can't remember, and it had the fun scenes where Diane and Alexis broke down somewhere and went from hating each other to being close friends, and talking about how you don't need a man -- something Guza probably would never say...

[dm.]

Damn.

[Sylph]

I don't know — it kind of didn't really do much in that regard. Actually, it got worse because the strike proved Dena Higley is more powerful than the Guild and it brought in a new crop of hacks (B&B people).

ABC and Corday got sued because they kept the strike people and didn't allow the original writers to return to work. Don't know how that ended, if it did.

[remos]

GH had a renaissance during the first 2/3 of the strike and the stories focused away from SaSon and back on legacy characters from the beginning of the strike up until February, when everything fell away. The numbers went up and we actually saw character interactions, logical family connections, the best LuNacy ever, Monica with a story, Bobbie, etc. Then Guza returned and he had to "fix" things with Claudia, causing all the progress to be dropped. Then there was the backlash against Georgie's death and Diego suddenly being the Text Message Killer - just a bad couple of calls all the way around.

As for the OP, I think it would be 'six to one, half a dozen to the other'. It would all depend. If GH could have that experience of renewed character focus and intergenerational stories again, they'd be fine. If during a strike the "replacement writers" would respond to the demands of the fans that haven't been seen on any of the shows, I think daytime would be fine. However, a writers strike would hurt the entire medium again and I don't think soaps - regardless of how well they might do individually - would benefit if the entire TV world is hurting.

[DRW50]

What were Tracy and Luke doing then? Was that when Luke was in the hospital?

I never can remember if Georgie was killed before or after the strike...I remember the strike story about the man holding the hospital hostage because of his wife, but at least that was some nice hospital-based drama.

I wonder if the strike people brought Felicia back and that's why Guza quickly dumped her.

[remos]

^^ going from memory...

The strike brought us the B&W ball and all that fabulous LuNacy in Wyndamere stuff, the heart attacks, and the hospital aftermath, Luke's 3 dreams and him running out on reality with Skye's help (that part was just wrong IMO).

The strike also brought us the death of Emily (which was preplanned), as well as Georgie and the re-write with Diego at the end of February/early March. It brought the "Not-the-Carly" version of Claudia, Di-Lex (which Guza would NEVER have given us), Jake's paternity revelation, early LuSam, the last true family Thanksgiving, the first Christmas without the children's parade, Felicia at the end of everything, 3 solid weeks in January with no CarSaSon, the February where every couple broke up except CarJax - they just lost their baby, and a general hospital focus. Ratings were 3.7 the first week in January (for some reason I remember, don't ask me why).

The beginning of the strike up until about early February, the Replacement Writers were doing a stellar job. But February was the un-sweeps with all the break-ups around Valentines Day (seriously, what WERE they thinking ). it went downhill from there, unfortunately.

.... now, if I could only remember my children's lives with such detail....

[bellcurve]

They would survive a strike, but not declining ratings. And after every strike, it is a known fact that people leave and never return. It happened in '88, it happened in '08 and it will happen if there's another strike in '11.

Also, the timing of the strike is lovely...both SAG and the WGA's contract are up for negotiation in the Summer of 2011. A lenghty strike works in their favor, because it delays the fall season and if push comes to shove, the networks will abandon the usual "Fall Start Date" and focus more on year-round upfronts(i.e. Cable).

I just wonder if ABC will scrap scabwriters and go with reruns, considering they're doing reruns for 20 days out of the year.

[bellcurve]

BTW, isn't John Wells also a director/producer? I know one of the reasons why the WGA didn't strike in 2001 is that the person who was president of the Guild at the time was also a director/producer and ultimately got the guild to side with the AMPTP.

[Sylph]

Yes. John China Beach, E.R., Third Watch Wells.

But I haven't heard about that being the reason for why there was no strike in 2001.

I know a lot of people didn't like Patric Verrone and thought he completely mishandled the strike.

Oh, P. S.:

http://www.thewrap.com/awards/article/wga-bulletin-we-must-improve-our-current-contract-21968

[Sylph]

Bellcurve, are you sure Jill was the head writer?

Or was it Garin Wolf?

I can't remember.

[bellcurve]

The only GOOD thing that came out of the last negotiations was getting the WGA and SAG deals negotiated at the same time. AND during the summer. Those two sides could keep this going for a long, long time if they wanted. This might last into January. Aside from that, Patric Verrone was rather useless.

I heard alot of it was Jill. But I don't know that for 100%.