Writer's Strike

[semiotic_pirate]

CoB and I were discussing the writer's strike the other day. Today, while having lunch, I got reminded of a solution (or stop-gap measure to stave off the coming plague of reality tv crap) that I came up with...

Re-release a bunch of old shows as if they were new, from the pilot episode, through as many seasons as they made. Suggestions of such shows were as follows:

Chips
Magnum PI
WKRP
Dallas
Simon & Simon
Northern Exposure
Greatest American Hero
Moonlighting
Knightrider

Stuff that we aren't seeing in reruns now. Stuff that is getting bought like hotcakes in the stores because people miss it so much they are buying it. This is the chance to introduce all this stuff to the generations that were not able to watch the first time around. We could also import more stuff - like all the UK shows that would be really popular (instead of having to rewrite them into an Americanized version, which really killed the comedic effect of Coupling) if aired on the regular stations instead of exclusively on BBC America.

A thing to do that could help out if the strike started affecting the movie industry would be to re-release classic films (yes, they'd have to lower the prices on tickets because come on, they aren't paying as much to show these older films - which is why we have discount theaters showing "new" releases that are past their prime). They've been doing that, as well as live showings of opera as it is being performed at theaters, as pilot programs for a little while now... They could expand that. Imagine being able to see Spamalot at your local movieplex? I for one would love that.

Comments? Ideas? Nominations for re-release? Things you would like to see aired live at your local movie theater?

Comments

[junquegrrl.livejournal.com]

TWIN PEAKS!!!!!!!

[govcampbell.livejournal.com]

The original Misson:Impossible.

[monsterbrain.livejournal.com]

Hi, your crabby fiancee suggested I check out your LJ and this post in particular. May I add? :)

I think your classic TV/movies ideas are great. I'd certainly want to see some of those series from the beginning.

But I do wonder if there might be a rule against doing something like that during a WGA strike (to protect writers now from endless recycling of old material.) And residuals for the writers those old shows might be a point of contention if they're shown on broadcast networks during prime time, as opposed to merely being syndicated for small local stations to air whenever.

[semiotic-pirate.livejournal.com]

You may add, most definitely. Welcome.

I'm not sure if there are any restrictions as to how or where or when they can rerun old material. From what I know, there is a renumeration system in place in the form of residuals. However, I am not sure about that. Not all shows, nor all cast members of said shows, were arranged or taken care of in this way.

Would it be undermining the strike to want to rerun the oldies? I'm not even sure of how that would play out. I am not very conversant in the show-business business model.

[monsterbrain.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'll add ya after I post this! :D

I'm not really clear on the business side of things, either.

I think it might undermine the strike in a way. From what I understand, one of the ways a strike works is that it keep the company from conducting its normal business. Networks now are tending to go for reality shows (which, while they are "written" to a large degree, do not currently have WGA members writing them) to get around the strike. But having reruns of long-gone series as their primetime programming would give them one more option for "mixing it up" with their lineup and possibly keeping more viewers.

[semiotic-pirate.livejournal.com]

Don't most of the big three own at least one of the various non-main networks? A lot of those already play old stuff during the primetime line up. So. The main networks (abc, cbs, nbc) themselves have nothing but reality shows... but the other networks can start running all these classic shows.

I'd like to add:
Family Ties
Facts of Life
Equalizer