We all know about the writers' strike. It happened. It's over. Our shows have finally come back to us, and regardless of the shortened seasons, we're grateful. So why is it still relevant?

Well, besides the lingering financial impact it's having on crew members, the strike also seems to be hampering the ratings at every network. ABC, CBS and NBC have seen sharp double-digit drops in their viewership over the past month, and not even May sweeps can save them.

No one is immune from the decline. Not only did highly rated shows Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty see their lowest ratings ever last week, but usual ratings juggernaut American Idol is feeling it, too. Despite holding the top two spots in weekly ratings consistently, Idol is not bringing in viewers like it did in the past. AOL News reports that Idol producers are even surveying viewers to determine which changes they would like to see in the program in an effort to give it a much needed makeover before Season 8. … continue reading

By the end of today, the writers' strike should be officially over. I think we can all breathe a deep sigh of relief that the nightmare scenario of MILF Island, America’s Next Top Pirate and Are You Smarter Than a Dog? never came to fruition. Can I get a halle-freaking-lujah? Sure, the strike’s end means we’ll no longer get to see adorable shots of Tina Fey and others on the picket line. But I’ll gladly sacrifice a little photogenic solidarity for fresh episodes of my favorite shows. Pending a final vote today from Writers Guild of America members, scripted shows could begin production Wednesday. Of course, now you’re all thinking, but when? When will my show be back?

Well, don’t get mad when I tell you this, but you’re going to have to be a bit more patient. According to The New York Times, it takes at least of four weeks to get a 30-minute comedy completed from scratch and six to eight weeks for hour-long dramas. So that means, realistically, it will be mid-March or early April when new episodes start to flood the airwaves again. But they are coming. While some shows have already abandoned the rest of their seasons, others will be back for anywhere from four to ten new episodes.

The New York Times and TV Guide have made comprehensive lists of returning shows. Let’s run through some of the AfterEllen.com-friendly offerings together, shall we?

30 Rock: Five to ten more shows to air April/May. Thank God; life without Liz Lemon was one big blerg.

Battlestar Galactica: The first half of the final season begins April 4. Production on the second half could start in March, with an airdate not yet set.

Bionic Woman: According to TV Guide, “No new episodes expected. Ever.” Oh, Sarah Corvus, I think I’ll miss you most of all. … continue reading

Depending on which media outlets you're reading, you're either convinced the writers' strike is over, or you're cautiously optimistic that it will be soon but you're not counting your chickens just yet. Seems one former Disney exec has proclaimed the strike to be at an end. Unfortunately, Michael Eisner may not know exactly what he's talking about. (Why does this come as no surprise to me?)

Eisner is quoted as saying, "I have some friends in certain places and I believe there was a handshake last Friday ... it's possible they (the writers) will turn it down but it would be insane if they turned it down." Call me a pessimist, but it sounds like posturing to me. His statements are being widely reported as confirmation that all is said and done, but that's not exactly the truth of the matter. In fact, the WGA released its own statement earlier in the week, warning its membership to be wary of reports that claim a settlement is "imminent." For me, this yes-it's-over-no-it-isn't dance is frustrating. The writers are meeting on Saturday to go over the ins and outs of the current proposal, which is a good sign. But a handshake is not a signature on the dotted line.

All this workplace strife has me thinking of movies I love in which workers fought against the powers that be for what was fair and right. More specifically, I'm remembering movies in which women bucked the system for the betterment of not just themselves, but every other woman in the system. In the spirit of solidarity, I thought I'd share those films with you.

Let's start with the classic Norma Rae, starring Sally Field.

Based on a true story of one woman's efforts to unionize the workers at the textile mill where she worked, this was Field's first Oscar-winning performance. (Her second speech was more memorable though.)

1983 brought us the brilliance of Meryl Streep and one of the best performances of Cher's career, all wrapped up in one depressing little package called Silkwood.

And did I mention it was penned by Alice Arlen and one Nora Ephron? All four women got Oscar nods for their work on the film. … continue reading

The writers' strike certainly made an impact on the Golden Globe Awards this year. No glitz, no glamour, no stars, no oops-Christine-Lahti-is-in-the-bathroom moments. Shots of the red carpet were replaced by shots of those red-and-black WGA picket signs. But, as cohost (and pinhead) Billy Bush noted, the winners still deserved recognition, so some sort of show had to go on. Here are some highlights of last night's Golden Globes Winners Special on NBC. (Images are from the press conference rather than the broadcast, but you get the idea.)

MOVIES

Best Actress, Comedy or Musical: Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose

Best Actress, Drama: Julie Christie, Away From Her
Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There

Best Actor, Comedy or Musical: Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Best Actor, Drama: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Best Picture, Comedy or Musical: Sweeney Todd
Best Picture, Drama: Atonement
Best Director: Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

TELEVISION

Best Actress, Drama: Glenn Close, Damages
Best Actress, Comedy: Tina Fey, 30 Rock … continue reading

Remember when we were all asking, "What will the networks do if the writers really do strike?" That question is sooooo last year. Now, a few detailed answers seem to be popping up. And the answers will continue to play out, over and over and over again in reruns, right there on the new 52-inch LCD big-screen TV your loved one gave you this holiday season. Fine, you bought it for yourself. Whatever; love is love.

Anyway, back on point, I have been mildly annoyed by the slew of teaser ads from the various networks touting "new" episodes of some of the top-rated shows. I've seen ads for Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and CSI, but of course the networks fail to mention that there really are only one or two new episodes of these shows left to air. OK, fine, they do say "a new episode," which implies one single episode, but wouldn't it be nice if they said, "the absolute last new episodes to be seen this season because we walked away from talks with the writers so if you miss this episode you ain't seeing a dang thing new from this show for quite awhile, suckers!" — or something like that? Is that asking too much?

… continue reading

According to Yahoo TV, there will be a lot of new programs worth watching in the upcoming months.

Ever wonder what would happen if Joss Whedon sent out a call to action? The answer appeared in the form of 400 actors, writers and fans walking the WGA picket lines with Whedon this past Friday, including Buffy writing alums Drew Goddard and Jane Espenson.

Sarah Michelle Gellar brought doughnuts. … continue reading

How do you get a bunch of actors to stop talking? Wait, wait: I know this one. Does it involve a pineapple, a screwdriver and a three-legged dog? Oh, sorry; you weren't joking? In all seriousness, the way to get a group of top-flight, big-name actors to finally stop speaking is to stop giving them scripts. A slew of A-list actors are appearing in the new Speechless campaign, a collaboration between the striking members of the Writers Guild of America and members of the Screen Actors Guild.

So far 14 black-and-white, mostly wordless spots have been released, with more on the way. Among the actors already appearing are Oscar winners like Holly Hunter, Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn and TV heavyweights like America Ferrera, Eva Longoria and Ed Asner. Even L Word alums like Rosanna Arquette and Alan Cumming joined in the silence. Here are some of my favorites so far. (For the entire list, check the Speechless channel on Brightcove.) … continue reading

First, I want to admit that I have yet to see BSG: Razor. It's been recorded and is waiting patiently for me to find a few hours of spare time. See, I'm what you might call overly analytical. I can't just watch it and be done with it. I'll have to watch it, re-watch it, analyze it against the first three seasons, and likely watch it two or three more times just to be sure I didn't miss any of the important details.

That being said, the fact that the series sidebar is awaiting my perusal has me wondering when we'll start seeing season 4. This naturally leads to questions of what the season will bring, when it finally arrives. The answer, unfortunately, is greatly affected by the ongoing writers' strike. … continue reading

As the writers strike proceeds through its second week, I'm faced with the sad prospect of a finite number of entertaining Thursday nights (or Saturday afternoons, really, since I watch TV on my computer, thus contributing nothing to the writers' paychecks — so very wrong). No new scripts means no more Wilhelmina! No more Cristina! No more Meredith! Wait a minute ... no more Meredith? Maybe the strike is just a tiny bit OK. It's also providing all sorts of photos of stars supporting the cause.

No, I know — great pics and lack of Meredith aside, it's really not OK, and for reasons obviously far larger than my need for Saturday entertainment. I truly hope it is resolved soon, and in a way that will allow me to watch online TV without feeling complicit in some larger trend of failing to give credit (and cash) where due.

Until then, I'm inspired by a recent post at Give Me My Remote to give TV the desert island treatment. That's right, for absolute torture pure fun, consider: You're off to a desert island for, say, a year. Conveniently, the island has a TV (don't they all?), but you can only bring along one TV episode to watch during your year — not a series or a several-hour DVD, just one, lonely episode. What do you choose?

How do I choose is my question? The recent "Favorite Lesbian TV Moments" episode of She Made Me Watch This! is a good place to start, but I haven't seen a few of Sarah and Lori's picks, and while I too adored the hand-holding on The O.C., would I really want to watch it for a year running? No offense to Mischa Barton and Olivia Wilde, but not so much. … continue reading

You've probably seen the headlines: The striking writers aren't very happy with Ellen DeGeneres.

You see, she gave them a puppy, and the dog was a great companion out on the picket lines. But then Ellen returned to whisk the canine away, mumbling something about an animal shelter and bad PR. Despite the tears and pleas of hundreds of unwashed writers in need of a little puppy love, the mutt will never again march and chant with his guild brothers and sisters.

Nah, it's something much more serious: The writers want Ellen to stop taping her talk show until the strike has ended. The WGA East issued a statement on Friday, and it got personal:

In anticipation of her plans to tape shows in New York City on November 19th and 20th, the Writers Guild of America, East is extremely disappointed to see that Ellen has chosen not to stand with writers during the strike. Ellen’s peers who host comedy/variety shows have chosen to support the writers and help them get a fair contract, Ellen has not. On her first show back, Ellen said she loves and supports her writers, but her actions prove otherwise. ...

We find it sad that Ellen spent an entire week crying and fighting for a dog that she gave away, yet she couldn't even stand by writers for more than one day — writers who have helped make her extremely successful. … continue reading