We’re near the end of the first week of the Writer’s Guild strike, and while we have yet to feel much of the effects (beyond the lack of new episodes of the Daily Show, Colbert Report and Conan O’Brien… and other, less funny late night comedy programs), its only a matter of time before more shows cease production and the networks will be forced to go to reruns. Or worse, develop more unscripted shows (reality shows, game shows and so on).
It is thought that that the movie industry won’t have as much impact until next year, when we will find out how many crappy scripts the movie execs have stockpiled. And as next year’s television season becomes more in question, this thing in the short term could seriously impair the perceived new ‘Golden Age’ of television. Whether you watch much television or not, the last few years have seen a great rebirth of shows worth watching.
But for those unsure about what to do when the nightly or weekly fix of programming dries up, I have come up with a list of activities to get through the hard times.
1) Catch up on tv shows on DVD and internet. Seems like a no brainer, but there are plenty of things to watch that you probably missed or never heard of. Like Northern Exposure or Soap or Battlestar Galactica.
2) Finally find time to talk to your kids about the birds and the bees. I mean they are 19 now.
3) Flip and rotate the cushions on your couch so the indentation is less noticeable.
4) Stage your own television production or make your own film. Certainly there are enough fan fiction scripts out there to last a lifetime. Get creative… you can finally shoot that Scully\Dr. Huxtable\Jake and the Fat Man team up you’ve always dreamed of. Just as your parents to borrow their video camera sometime…you know the one daddy keeps hidden behind the painting in his bedroom that mommy doesn’t know about (sorry kids).
5) Get to know your neighbors. Haven’t you always wanted to overturn your nearby evil corporation or local government? Why not invite your neighbors over to have a lemon bar, some orange drink and stage a coup? Bring the kids! Their tiny hands are great for soldering the small wires on your plastic explosives.
6) Play in a rock band. Everyone at some point has wanted to play an instrument, or play in a band with fellow musicians. Its pretty durn cheap and easy these days to buy some equipment, record some music and put on the internet where no one will hear it and less will care at all. Just ask us! Music made by three, ignored by dozens!
What are you doing during the writer’s strike? Let us know here or at [email protected]