1988 Writer's Strike

[Catman]

I was like 6 years old in `88 so the strike didn't really affect me. I still saw my cartoons and what-not. lol. But, anyway, how about you old people share some stories about the `88 strike. Educate us, dammit.

 

[porchmonkey408]

You




are older than me ftw!

 

[Catman]

Aren't Matt and Slinger old dudes? Share stories, dammit.

 

[steelio2006]

The Strike from '88 lasted bout 27 weeks total.

 

[Ghostvirus]

*pours a glass of scotch in a dimly lit room* It was hard times. *puffs on cigarette* I lost many friends to boredom. Some couldn't handle not getting their weekly dose of the Facts Of Life, so they hung themselves.

It was rough in deed. I still don't know how people made it through. I know I barely did. I remember waking up, & thinking all I have is the outside world now. I might even have to socialize with these poorly written & bland characters.

My mother found me hanging from my closet. There was a tape full of Perfect Strangers episodes playing on my TV. I remember waking up in the hospital wondering why god would allow me to live in a world of re-runs.

Now it is all happening again. The feelings are coming back. Why god. Why would you do this again?

 

[Shifty]

Aren't Matt and Slinger old dudes? Share stories, dammit.

Here's a story:

Spoiler

I was three years old in '88. t: How old do I come across?

 

[Pink Ranger]

Well, I remember the 88 strike. It sucked, although we did get the new Mission Impossible out of it, which I enjoyed.

 

[Sawyer]

You




are older than me ftw!

 

[steelio2006]

i'm 19 now. so all i've learned bout the '88 Writers Strike is from what i've read and heard bout. let's hope that this Writers Strike doesn't go the same way and is resolved soon.

tho, till we get good shows and less reality shows there's always dvd series. that's why breakin out my Batman: The Animated Series to start watchin.

 

[Catman]

*pours a glass of scotch in a dimly lit room* It was hard times. *puffs on cigarette* I lost many friends to boredom. Some couldn't handle not getting their weekly dose of the Facts Of Life, so they hung themselves.

It was rough in deed. I still don't know how people made it through. I know I barely did. I remember waking up, & thinking all I have is the outside world now. I might even have to socialize with these poorly written & bland characters.

My mother found me hanging from my closet. There was a tape full of Perfect Strangers episodes playing on my TV. I remember waking up in the hospital wondering why god would allow me to live in a world of re-runs.

Now it is all happening again. The feelings are coming back. Why god. Why would you do this again?

Thats an awesome story.

Here's a story:

Spoiler

I was three years old in '88. t: How old do I come across?

Could have sworn you were older.

Well, I remember the 88 strike. It sucked, although we did get the new Mission Impossible out of it, which I enjoyed.

wasn't the "new" mission:impossible based on the scripts for the "old" mission:impossible?

 

[Addendum]

I was 10 at the time, so I don't remember much of it

 

[bullets]

There was a strike in 88?? All i can remember watching around that time was the muppets i think .

 

[Catman]

There was a strike in 88??

yea

 

[amazingfantasy15]

It was a much different time in '88 though. There wasn't the internet, so you didn't have as much info about shows and also not as many other ways of getting home entertainment, so it was pretty much reruns or nothing. Plus most of the shows were sitcoms and the dramas didn't have the serial nature they do now, so reruns still did pretty well. Wasn't most of the strike during the summer too, not in the middle of the season?

 

[Shifty]

It was a much different time in '88 though. There wasn't the internet, so you didn't have as much info about shows and also not as many other ways of getting home entertainment, so it was pretty much reruns or nothing. Plus most of the shows were sitcoms and the dramas didn't have the serial nature they do now, so reruns still did pretty well. Wasn't most of the strike during the summer too, not in the middle of the season?

I believe the strike started in the summer and maybe the first 2-3 months of the TV season were reruns. Plus all the cable networks that have popped up since then. They say the networks lost 10% of viewers, and they continue to lose every year so I would hope the strike is over in two months once all the networks "backup" programming is over. The writers will have taken a big hit money wise while corporations will only have a small hit.

 

[Pink Ranger]

wasn't the "new" mission:impossible based on the scripts for the "old" mission:impossible?

That's right, exactly. But it was one of the only new shows out there at the time, and it had pretty good action and special effects for 80s TV. I was still in HS at the time, and there was no consumer internet back then (yes, I am that old) so I didn't care about the scripts and had little day-to-day knowledge of the strike.

 

[Catman]

Wasn't most of the strike during the summer too, not in the middle of the season?

Yea, but the fall tv season was pushed back to winter. I don't think movies were really affected but tv was to some degree. Although not as bad as this strike.

 

[Shifty]

There was a 1960 Writer's Strike.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Writers_Guild_of_America_strike

Anyone around for that?

It lasted 20 weeks, 1 week less than the '88 strike. The studios have about two-three months worth of stockpiled shows, which would bring the 20 week mark sometime in March. So this 2007/2008 Writer's Strike looks to end in March. Hopefully.