For some individuals, and for some industries, there are events that shake the center of their universe, altering their futures for the long run. One of these said events that had an effect on the entertainment industry in our society today was when the Writer’s Guild Of America, or the union that makes up the writer’s of some of your favorite sitcoms, series, and films, went on strike to fight for better work deals and contracts. It caused quite a stir at the time, causing favorite shows to get off course with their seasons, the Golden Globes to be cancelled, and many other occurrences. Although the strike only lasted a mere 14 days, it made a standing impact on our industry today, and now, 10 years later, we are seeing what a difference it really had on the entertainment world, specifically with some of the shows that were drastically effected.
“24”
Although this show and series has now ended after many years on the air and after a huge fan following, the strike caused “24”, which starred Keifer Sutherland, to hold off any new episodes for almost an entire year. Season 7 of the hit series didn’t air until 2009, but luckily, Fox was able to keep the engagement in the show and characters alive and well with the film “24: Redemption”, which aired in November of 2008. Who knows if the show would have been as successful in the end had they not had that filler film between seasons.
“The Big Bang Theory”
This may seem like a surprise, since we still can catch new episodes of the hit sitcom on CBS, but the show may not have had the amount of success that it has seen in recent years had it not been for the strike in the first place. “The Big Bang Theory” first debuted back in 2007, just before the strike took place. During that time when the writer’s were on strike, the network continually played reruns of the first season, which created a huge following and fan base. After the strike, the show was renewed for a second season, and clearly has had influential and amazing success ever since.
“30 Rock”
Another series that has since left the air, “30 Rock” also had a huge fan following throughout its years. Although its second season was cut short due to the writer’s strike, it gained many benefits from it. Because of the strike, “30 Rock” was able to fill the void for fans by having them film a live episode of the series, which was met with huge success. This also led to two more live episodes that aired on NBC in the years to follow, and can be seen on the 5th and 6th seasons.
Although the writer’s strike had some drastic events to many of the sitcoms and shows that were on the air between the years of 2007 and 2008, not all of the outcomes were detrimental in the least. Many of the shows found their own ways to fight the strike, and to create ultimate success during that time and in the years to follow while they were still on the air. Luckily, many of these shows can still be seen by fans and audiences everywhere, and we will never forget the Writer’s Strike of 2007.
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