The WGA Contract Expires At Midnight. What's Next?

Take a second and think about your favorite television show right now. For me, that’s Abbott Elementary. I enjoy ending my weekday curled up on the couch with my favorite meal to laugh for 22 minutes. These beloved programs are not only a way to unwind, they’re something to bond over with friends and colleagues.

What happens if TV and film writers strike?

Now that the contract between Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is set to expire one minute after midnight, I can’t help but wonder how these shows we all love to watch will be affected.

Writers could go on strike as early as tomorrow. It would be the seventh time the WGA hit the picket line since 1960 — the most strikes of any industry union.

My colleague John Horn is reporting on the strike as new developments arise. His latest article explains what happened the last time the writers went on strike in 2007-2008 — $2.1 billion in economic losses and a stoppage in scripted TV production — and what might happen this time. Late-night shows would be the first ones to be impacted, prompting Late Night host Seth Meyers to comment that a strike would be a "miserable" thing.

A lot has changed since 2008. For one thing, streaming services like Netflix and Hulu are king, but they don’t allow writers to obtain residuals. That’s just one of the many issues on the table between the WGA and the AMPTP.

The Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild each told its members they are contractually obligated to continue working and not honor any WGA picket lines should they happen. But, as John reports, plenty of people could be affected — costume designers, lighting companies and even caterers — and it could mean tens of millions of dollars in lost business per day.

As always, stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below — just keep reading.

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Wait ... One More Thing

The Top Three Tea-Sipping Trends

Erick Galindo's guide for L.A.'s visitors.

(Alborz Kamalizad

/

LAist)

THREE — Erick Galindo’s Welcome To Los Angeles Guide 

I often scroll through Twitter and see L.A. newcomers talking about all the things they find challenging about being here. The complaints are usually centered around food and things to do. Well, if you’re new to L.A., my colleague Erick Galindo has the perfect guide for you. Here’s his Constellation of L.A. Stars that YOU should visit as a newbie.

TWO — Writers Guild of America Looming Strike 

The New Yorker recently published a story about the possible Writers Guild of America strike titled “Why are TV Writers So Miserable?” In the story, Michael Schulman presented anecdotes from TV writers expressing hardships that come with the job. One story I found particularly interesting was Alex O’Keefe’s experience as a writer on FX’s “The Bear.” He found himself living a working-class existence, applying to movie theater jobs even after working on a show that had won the WGA Award for Best Comedy Series. O’Keefe uses some salty language to describe his experience so you'll just have read the story to see how he REALLY feels.

ONE — Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors Advance to The Next Playoff Round 

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday to advance to the conference semifinals. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings yesterday to also move on to the conference semis. You know what this means? Two beloved basketball stars — LeBron James and Steph Curry — will once again square off in the postseason. Game 1 is tomorrow night at 10 p.m.