So far, the news about what the strike will mean for Lost’s return to ABC this winter isn’t all that bad, but it could get worse if the picketing persists. According to Lost executive producer Carlton Cuse — who was walking the picket line Monday in front of Burbank’s Disney lot with fellow EP Damon Lindelof — ABC will soon have eight episodes in the can that it can begin airing after the first of the year (ABC has yet to announce a start date, though it seems likely the show will return in February). If the strike is prolonged and the scribes can’t get back to work writing the rest of the episodes, fans are going to be stuck with the kind of stunted season they were forced to endure last year. "It will feel like buying a Harry Potter book, reading half of it, and then having to put it down for many months," explains Cuse. "There is a cliffhanger at the end of the eighth episode. It will only be frustrating [for viewers] to have to step away from the show and not see the second half of the season.
"The first half of the season, like a good novel, sets all the events of the show in motion and the second half deals with the consequences," Cuse continued. "We’re very proud of the first eight but it feels weird to have to stop literally mid-stream."
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::incoherent stuttering:: God, I can’t wait for February. Please, suits, give them their due!
this is why the writters don’t deserve anything… hello a cliffhanger on the episode they last wrote coinciding with the strike… how convenient.
what d*o*u*c*h*e*bags
The fate of Lost is the main reason I hope the writer’s strike gets resolved quickly. With the shortened season, we were supposed to be treated to Sopranos-quality episodes. I can’t help but wonder if quality will be affected if the strikes cuts into production time, but not enough to justify scrapping the season.
The fate of Lost is the main reason I hope the writer’s strike gets resolved quickly. With the shortened season, we were supposed to be treated to Sopranos-quality episodes. I can’t help but wonder if quality will be affected if the strikes cuts into production time, but not enough to justify scrapping the season.
Argh. This will eventually get resolved, so how about now rather than later.
RyRy,
Oooooh….sorry the strike inconveniences you. Don’t you think that the people that write the shows that you watch (even Lost) deserve to make their piece of the pie? Media is changing and the terms of contracts must be updated in accordance with that.
“RyRy,” first of all…your handle here implies that it is YOU who is the d*o*u*c*h*e*bag. Second of all, as a member of a union, let me tell you that you’re a moron. Do you honestly think that compensation to writers should NOT reflect changes in media and technology? Do you think the writers should be paid at silent-film rates? And do you REALLY think that the writers of LOST wrote their episodes the way they did because they SOMEHOW knew FOR SURE that there would be a strike? Idiot.
Alright suits, pay the writers what they want and we can have our full season of Lost.
Capice?
16/2=8. THAT’S why there’s a cliffhanger in Ep. 8. No conspiracy, just simple storytelling. And if this strike goes on for long (and I have a feeling it will run through the New Year), those eight episodes are going to be a welcome change to whatever reality tv show is on (and this is coming from a person who loves reality tv).
We’re used to having new episodes of Lost only being shown every other decade or so anyway, so I wouldn’t worry about the writers’ strike at this point.
writers are een MORE important than theses overpaid actors…..pay them already!!!!!
writers are even MORE important than these OVERpaid actors,so PAY them already & let’s get the season going…b4 we ALL defect to internet & cable,in disgust
We’re used to not getting any answers, so honestly, who cares. Lost takes another 5 month break. Awesome.
The show goes on hiatus from May to February to accomodate an odd 16 episode season and these Cats only have half the eps written 6 months later? Lame! I’m mostly for the writers on this strike issue but this whole thing should have been a complete NON-issue regarding LOST and their high priced writing team. Big mistake putting a delayed season on hold half way thru, better figure it out C&L or you’ll have even fewer fans follow you to the bitter end.
The show goes on hiatus from May to February to accomodate an odd 16 episode season and these Cats only have half the eps written 6 months later? Lame! I’m mostly for the writers on this strike issue but this whole thing should have been a complete NON-issue regarding LOST and their high priced writing team. Big mistake putting a delayed season on hold half way thru, better figure it out C&L or you’ll have even fewer fans follow you to the bitter end.
buddahead508, you realize that Cable is affected by the strike, too, right? TV, Cable, Films – all fall under the guise of the WGA, as well they should. The producers should give in quickly or we’re going to still be here 6-7 months from now.
I for on am outraged, OUTRAGED that we the viewers who pay our good money every week that the writers don’t just suck it up, after we’re paying for this right?…wait…what we AREN”T PAYING A DIME for this? It’s free every week? To us? Quality Entertainment, for free?
Hmmm…we should respect the creators on this and without writers, everybody is speachless.
Great news!! Last year they dragged the show and spent more time on soapy, cheesy storylines more than ever and then they announced that there would be three shorthened seasons with two full years of material. And now they will have 4 seasons for 48 episodes. Both the writers and the producers will earn more money no matter what the result of the strike is. I hope Lost ratings go down when it comes back.
YAY!!! MORE REALITY TV…WOOO-HOOOOOOOOOO
Hey, they need another mercedes.
Greed, once again, rears its ugly head.
beeboppp,
If you worked on something, got paid fairly for it, and then saw the the people you worked for, were selling it differently than you had agreed on and making an obscene amount of money, money that you were not seeing a penny of, would YOU feel greedy if you wanted some of that NEW SOURCE OF MONEY?
I think you’d feel resentful and want what you were due.
I sure am glad I work in education where I get paid fairly for my contributions to society…wait…I don’t and never will regardless of a strike!…yet another value judgement from our society…
If it last to long I will just wait and buy the DVD when it comes out ,We the fans of the show have waited long enough ,I think the plot off the this is to make us suffer by the time it starts up I will have forgot where it left off, maybe they should hire scabs ,I am not a fan of it but come on now how long do we have to wait for everybody to realize without us there is no them.
I sure hope this matter gets resolved in a timely fashion, but more than that – it should be resolved favorably for the writers – look how much pleasure, escape and diversion they provide to us!! They should get their due and rather quickly!
Joyce
They actually have 14 of the 16 scripts written, they just haven’t all been filmed yet. More than that, call it greed, but writers make about 3 cents for every $20 DVD sold and they make no money on downloaded content. So if you download a movie for $20, that all goes to the company (let’s say disney) and there is no overhead for DVDs or cases, and the writer’s get none of it. It’s more an issue of respect than anything. They write the shows and movies we love and they don’t get paid nearly as much as actors, directors, producers and without them, everything sucks. I love the daily show and colbert report, but those guys can’t make a show without their writers, they can’t do it on their own. If anything, it’s the larger corporations being greedy. They don’t want to share any of the profit. If you patent an invention and then Sony markets and distributes it for you, don’t you think you should get something for each item sold? It was your idea after all. Just saying.
Shout out to Beezus: I, too, work in education and we will never get paid what we’re worth, esp. those of us in special ed! That said, the writer is the show, there wouldn’t be anything worth watching without them. Just bring LOST back soon!
hollywood, get over yourselves.
This is terrifying news. End the strike!
I’m with Damon & Carlton. Lost is so good I’d wait for it as long as I have to. They should get part of the revenue on DVDs etc. They are the reason there is a show in the first place. Without a writer actors would not have the motivation and words to preform their talent.All writers don’t have big salaries or have staying power over the long term. The majority of writers in the WGA aren’t necessarily WORKING writers. I support the writers. I wouldn’t want something I created to be profitable to everyone but me. How fair is that?
Aren’t they also striking because they aren’t being paid (or are being paid VERY poorly) for internet material, like stuff on websites and webisodes? I remember hearing something about this when Battlestar Galactica did those webisodes and it was basically done on pennies (actors included). It’s nice they did it for free, but nice don’t pay the bills. Would you put in overtime without compensation?
And to Beezus and Lizzy- it is almost criminal what school teachers make. Wishing you luck and respect, because I couldn’t do your jobs.