Monday, April 7th, 2008

The Three Strike Rule: TV Returns!

by Scott Malchus

Beginning this week, the major television networks will begin rolling out new episodes of regular series that have been on extended hiatus since the writers strike began last winter. TV fans can rejoice because this week, the 1-2 punch of The Office and 30 Rock returns to the air. I was not a fan from the get go of either show, but since the middle of both first seasons, I believe The Office and 30 Rock have become the standard of television comedy. Here’s why…

WE INTERRUPT OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COLUMN FOR THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.

Dear Screen Actors Guild,

As you prepare to open negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on April 15th, I offer my humble plea as you consider the possibility of a strike: Don’t. Don’t do it, dudes. Going on strike will bring the film and television industry to another grinding halt and will cripple the economy in Los Angeles (which is still trying to recover from the writers strike). Pilot season, that time of the year when most actors are lining up for gigs on pilots, is pretty much been scrapped. The networks are going to be more selective about what they’re going to greenlight, and in the case of NBC, they aren’t even ordering pilots for next year, instead going straight to series with their new schedule.

The economics are something I don’t fully understand. I do get that you’re being ripped off over residuals from digital formats. It’s bullshit and the producers know it. When the writers went on strike, they had a list of demands that they eventually whittled down (resulting in animation writers STILL not getting the respect that they deserve) in order to get what they were asking for regarding digital media. The truth is, no matter how “hardline” you claim to be, the AMPTP isn’t going to give you everything you want. So I hope you keep that in mind when you sit down and begin your talks. Seriously, figure out what’s really important… based on what they gave to the writers and directors guilds, go in expecting the same and work something out fast.

Look, I’m not trying to be snarky here, but why make the industry and, let’s face it, the fans, suffer some more? I know, I know, we’re talking about your livelihood. Residuals for an actor are as important, sometimes more important, as their initial payment. But the truth is, if you strike again, you will drive away more fans. Fans are the ones who pay to see movies. Fans are the ones who tune into your television series and buy the DVD box sets. And fans are the ones who will find other means of entertainment should there be no more television to watch come September.

I’m sure that there are some actors out there who may be upset with my generalization of the seriousness of the SAG contact negotiations. I am not trying to make light of what the union is trying to achieve. However, I am not alone in believing that a strike is not the answer. Recently, important actors Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Robert DeNiro took out full page ads imploring the guild to get the job done sooner than later. Look, I may just be the TV writer for an awesome online pop culture magazine, but these four are respected veterans who people look up to. On top of that, they may have some idea what its like to be a working actor. So please, if you’re not going to listen to me, one of your fans, then listen to your own kind and get this contract done now. Thank you.

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED HERE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OPINIONS OF THE EDITORS OF POPDOSE.COM. WE NOW RETURN YOU TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COLUMN.

… And there you have it, my 256.5 reasons why The Office and 30 Rock are the best comedies on television. Thanks for reading!

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 7th, 2008 at 9:30 am and is filed under The Three Strike Rule. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • No one WANTS a strike, Steve. But a threat or action of one is the only real tool a union has against management.
    The truth is YOU are going to come back. You aren't going anywhere. As are most of the demographic that advertisers want to reach...for now. regardless of a strike or work stoppage the younger generation is moving elsewhere for their entertainment anyway.
    But, I want to make a living. Do I deserve the money I continue to make on episodes of Friends, Yes, Dear, etc? Only if the people who are managing the reruns are making money on selling the work I did to help make the show. (And my contribution was minimal, hence the small house I live in.)
    Hulu is a great example of why we need to address the issues now. But I will go a step further: I am going to quote the briliiant sitcom writer and director of MASH and Cheers among many many others, Mr. Ken Levine. He allowed usage on my blog but I don't want people to have to click through, so here goes:
    "The WGA is trying to get a “Fair Market Value” bill passed through the California legislature (Bill #1765 if you're scoring). Here’s why:
    A studio like 20th Century Fox produces a big hit like MASH. Some of the members of the creative staff (in this case Alan Alda and Larry Gelbart) have an ownership piece of the series. 20th offers the show for syndication. There’s a bidding war. They take the best offer – a huge windfall. Alan and Larry share in the largesse. And since residual rates depend on the deal – actors, writers, and directors receive nice royalties. Everyone wins.
    But now these studios are all swallowed up by mega conglomerates. And agendas change.
    20th becomes the property of News Corp. News Corp. wants to start a cable network (FX). They need programming. MASH would be perfect. So instead of renewing a rich syndication deal, they sell it essentially to themselves for nothing. Now the profit participants get nothing. News Corp. receives all advertising revenue from MASH and uses the show to lure viewers and build their cable network. Ultimately, the cable network will be more profitable to the conglomerate than the syndication sale. Residuals are smaller and the creators get screwed.
    That’s what News Corp. did with MASH and X-FILES, and Universal did with WILL & GRACE. In all three cases the profit participants sued and each received a giant settlement. The congloms have done this with other series and have gotten away with it because the cost of litigation is so high.
    So the Guild is trying to prevent this practice in the future. And this bill would go a long way towards that end. Over the next couple of months we MASH writers will be going to Sacramento to plead our case to state legislatures. We might even get to see the Governor if we promise to say we didn't hate AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS.
    What does it say when we have to get an actual law passed because “everyone wins” just isn’t good enough for them?"

    So, sorry if I really don't care if your entertainment time is interrupted. Anything that isn't fair to everyone should be dealt with. If it is truly corrupt, then it should be destroyed. It would be it's own undoing.
    The reason we (actors) supported the WGA earlier this year was a) because it was the right thing to do. and b) for their support during this potential strike.

    No one WANTS it. If it has to be, it's because I and many others need to eat.
  • First, I meant to say "Scott" and second, calling for an early discussion isn't saying we shouldn't strike. Those four are, more than most, aware and concerned for the safety of the littler guys.
  • I don't know all the details of the WGA settlement, but if they started with demands that were eventually "whittled down", wouldn't it be a bad idea for the actors to start with their demands already whittled down? Where do you go from there?
  • Not me, I want another strike. I want it so bad, I can taste it. Imagine, even more reality TV until it oozes from all our orifices like gooshed toothpaste. I liken it to the end of the movie "Dragonslayer" when the feeble old king stabs the long-dead dragon and proclaims himself the victor. Well, that's modern network TV, stabbing away at the corpse of entertainment, shouting to the world, "Awesome!!"

    So long as PBS isn't affected, I'm cool.
  • I'm with Dunphy. I don't have cable or satellite. Strike, and I watch more PBS and less of the network piffle the so-called writers -- now back in business -- dish out for us. (What's the reverse of pearls before swine?) I call that win-win.

    Go ahead. Make my day.
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