Thursday, February 14, 2008

The long wait for our shows begins

With the strike over now, and the networks making their various announcements as to what's happening and where, it quickly became clear that while some shows were in for a speedy turnaround, others were not so lucky. As I mentioned in my post last week, for the most part older established shows will push through with a few more episodes this year, and the freshman shows will return in the fall. Check out TV Guide Returning Show chart for more up to date specifics. Since my last post though a number of things have been officially announced. NBC, CBS and ABC have all issued press releases on the state of their shows.

Of what I think are the three biggest scripted tv shows on the air the most disappointing news has to be or 24. Fans are going to have to wait until January '09 for the shows return. Thankfully, I'm not really into the show, so I think I'll be ok. Conversely, Lost fans, of which I definitely am one, can be really happy with the announcement that 4 or 5 additional episodes are expected to start shooting immediately and are scheduled to air in April and May. Heroes, of which I am something of a rabid fanboy, will have to wait as well. NBC and the producers have decided to hold off on it until the Fall... sigh, so sad.

I suppose at least we know now. And additionally as some good news, many shows will actually be starting to shoot much sooner than the usual schedule. Beginning production for a Fall show as early as the beginning of Summer as opposed to the standard midway through. This means a few things that I think are really good. Firstly the producers, writers, and actors will have time to breathe. Not that the shooting schedule will be longer I'm sure, but that the option to go back and shoot a pick up, or to spend that extra day on effects shots in post production are much more viable, which generally can only serve to better a show. The other outcome will be that shows will not be 'forced' to take so many breaks while airing. If we learned anything from last season's Lost, it's that fans get pissy when they have to wait too long for new episodes.

While I'm not super psyched about the long wait ahead for Heroes, at least we know when it's coming now, and knowing is half the battle.
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