The Writers Strike of 2007-2008 was a significant event in the history of the entertainment industry. It lasted for 100 days, with thousands of writers striking against production companies, resulting in millions of dollars in losses. The strike’s impact was felt across all genres of television and film, including sci-fi, fantasy, and horror projects. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular franchises in these genres and how the strike affected them.
Heroes
“Heroes” was a popular sci-fi TV series that aired on NBC from 2006 to 2010. The show’s first season was a massive hit, but the second season’s quality was affected by the Writers Strike. The strike resulted in a shorter season with fewer episodes, leading to a rushed storyline and disappointing ratings. The show never fully recovered and was canceled after its fourth season.
Supernatural
“Supernatural” is a long-running horror-fantasy series that aired on The CW from 2005 to 2020. The show’s third season was affected by the strike, resulting in only 16 episodes instead of the planned 22. Despite this setback, the show continued to gain popularity and became a cultural phenomenon, running for 15 seasons and 327 episodes.
Battlestar Galactica
“Battlestar Galactica” was a critically acclaimed sci-fi series that aired on Syfy from 2004 to 2009. The show’s fourth season was impacted by the strike, resulting in fewer episodes and a rushed ending that left many fans dissatisfied. The show’s creator, Ronald D. Moore, later revealed that the strike had a significant impact on the show’s ending and that they had to cut many planned storylines and character arcs.
The Hobbit
“The Hobbit” is a popular fantasy book series by J.R.R. Tolkien that was adapted into a film trilogy by Peter Jackson. The second film in the trilogy, “The Desolation of Smaug,” was affected by the strike, resulting in a shorter shooting schedule and rushed post-production. The film’s visual effects and CGI were criticized for being subpar, and many fans felt that the film didn’t live up to its potential.
The aftermath of the Writers Strike was felt across the entertainment industry, with many shows and films never fully recovering. The strike led to changes in the industry, with studios and production companies rethinking their approach to compensation and creative control. Despite its impact, the strike also brought attention to the importance of writers in the entertainment industry and their contributions to the success of franchises.
In conclusion, the Writers Strike of 2007-2008 had a significant impact on the sci-fi, fantasy, and horror genres. Many popular franchises were affected, leading to rushed storylines, shorter seasons, and disappointing ratings. However, some shows, like “Supernatural,” were able to overcome the setback and become cultural phenomena. The strike’s aftermath led to changes in the industry and a renewed appreciation for the role of writers in creating successful franchises.
