Could the Inevitable WGA Strike spell the end of OFF the Simpsons

There are three new episodes left and we haven't heard anything either way from the network. The two creators (Jeser and Silverstein) have signed a deal with Fox and wouldn't be available to run the show if it did get a pick up at this point. I just signed a deal with Walt Disney TV Animation so I'm no longer available. Erik Sommers is now working on American Dad. So if the show were to get picked up at this point it would be with an all new creative team at the helm.





Those people are still all writers. WGA writers. The titles simply reflect the hierarchy of the writing staff. They can't and won't do any writing during a strike.

The Simpsons can't find just anybody to write the show. 20th Century Fox can't just go down to Home Depot and pick up some day laborers to write the show. Despite what some people here believe, fanboys who know the show backwards and forwards can't write the show. They have no talent. And anyone with talent who hasn't gotten their break yet doesn't want to risk being a scab because they'll be blackballed from writing once the strike is over. The returning writer/producers will never hire them on any show ever again and the studios won't need them anymore because professional WGA writers will be available again.

The bottom line is there won't be any writing, scab or otherwise, while the strike is going on.

Bill
 
Perhaps to you, but all the people who make Drawn Together the highest rated cable show in its time slot probably wouldn't consider it an improvement.

I still don't know why all the people here who hate the show watch it every week and then complain about it. But, despite what you think, you're still in the minority. The show is quite popular for the kind of show it is. And I suspect it's more popular than your television show.

Bill
 
Wow, this guy knows what he's talking about for sure

Well all I can say at this point is good luck with your strike guys, I hope the networks realize what they are doing and come to an agreement with you SOON
 
Well, yeah, there was stuff like Candid Camera, This is your Life, and I believe even the first season of COPS, and there was even a few attempts at prime-time game shows, but not at the level of popularity in the early 21st century.

However, I am going to have to admit that I don't have the innate knowledge of the writing industry that Merrick Bill has as a Guild Member. I just think it's probably going to be harder for the Guild this time, but Bill and the rest of them deserve to be paid for their work, just as much as anyone else, and as long as it doesn't affect me as a consumer of that work, I hope the Guild wins out in the end, though maybe he can clear up some nagging questions. That part about Non-traditional media residuals and charging 1.2% for paid internet programming but 2.0-2.5% on what I would guess is internet programming paid by ad revenue, is that 2.0-2.5% the norm for Guild-Written programming on TV? As a consumer, I am worried about having to pay for content and would indeed rather watch ads if I get the content for free. Could you also explain the part about jurisdiction and terms for made-for new technology in more detail, because I'm sure not everyone is going to join the Writer's Guild to post a YouTube video.
 
Because we're loyalists. I have been watching the show since it aired with Tracy Ulman. I can still remember how exicted I was that it broke free from it's own show. Now I only watch it because I'm loyal to the original creators and writers. And even still, it's so labor intensive to sit through, I'm gonna give up and watch reruns of the good episodes.

Sure, we "fan boys with no talent" (especially ones that are aspiring cartoonists that actually went to college to hone our craft) may not be able to do much better, but you guys surely can. You can take the criticism and listen to it. I'm sick of Homer having a new job every week. He works at the power plant. I hate how Ned Flanders became a neoconservative religious person. And the self satire is self serving at this point. All I'm saying is go back to the beginning of the show and see what made it special. Maybe you'll get back the fans you alienated with bad episodes featuring Lisa doing a parody of a Musical.

But just remember this. When you put out something to the public, you are open to redicule and critisism. You're choice is to listen to them or ignore them.

Maybe if you actually stop having to rely on one note joke characters to say one or two lines for a cheap laugh, maybe, just maybe people will stop complaining. I'm amazed how enjoyable the movie was, but how poor this season has been overall.

So, if you don't want to listen to the fans that kept the show going, that's just fine with me.

Edit.

By the way. Check out what people think of you're prescious Halloween episode this year.
 
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