Televisionary has a new production blackout update, it's the best I've seen so far: [link]

Not that I am thinking what I watch on my television matters, but do we keep track of the episode numbers and not watch if they keep production going with replacement writers? Is it "tv off" time already, or is it okay to watch those episodes already written but not yet filmed when they air. And by "we", I mean "me" trying to figure out exactly how to be supportive. Or is anything I do with my television between me and my conscience.

They can't get replacement writers, Austin. When they run out of episodes, production will close. Some will shut down before then as showrunners walk. I'd imagine nearly everything will be off the air by mid-January, looking at that.

I'd say watch whatever you'd normally watch.

My understanding is that they can get replacement writers, just not anyone who is or ever wants to be WGA.

Well, if they get random writers in, they still wouldn't have a head writer, showrunner yadada. I don't think anybody would even try it.

That said, I'll totally ghost write Lost if they let me! I'll roll a dice to get all the plot elements. 1 = Some kind of bear. 2 = Something kind of ghost. 3 = Something involving a turtle. 4 = Cast member dies. 5 = Dead cast member returns. 6 = Thunderbirds rocket launches from island core.

What DebetEsse said, Kevin. Any strike has the opportunity for non union members to be the replacements. Isn't that the contention with Ellen right now? That she isn't shutting down.

I was reading this about replacement writing. I was just thinking, does it do any good to keep track of the episodes that were written before the strike? OTOH, "Days" might get better.

I think Ellen is operating without writers.

She's a stand up comic who does interviews. Carson managed (not that she's Carson, but its the same gig)

Bags bags bags! What else could I be spending my money on, anyway? Support the writers!

Just tell me where to send the money.

How do people feel about the huge Ellen controversy? I don't exactly understand why she, specifically, is being singled out when a number of other WGA members have crossed picket lines to fulfill other parts of their contracts. Tina Fey is still acting in 30 Rock, and Eric Kripke was still helping produce Supernatural, and I'm sure there are more examples.

But she is basically doing the work of writing, even if it's in the moment. If Fey or Kripke were making script changes, there would be similar reaction, I bet.