In an effort to help curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), many studios including Disney, Netflix and the CW have suspended all of their film and television productions. Numerous shows have yet to finish shooting their current seasons, including Marvel's WandaVision and The CW's Batwoman. While we hear of extended delays quite often when shooting films, the same cannot be said for television. What the industry is experiencing right now is unprecedented, as it is not only rare for television productions to experience such extended delays but also for so many to be impacted at one time.

The big question in the industry right now is what will happen to the many series that have had their entire productions suspended. The short answer is... we don't know. However, while the situation today differs in many respects, a look back at the four-month long Writer's Strike in 2007 and 2008 should give us some clues about what to expect once the pandemic is resolved.

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Writer's Strike Impact on Television Shows

The Office promo shot for Season 2 featuring main cast

It is an understatement to say that the Writer's Strike made a great impact on the entertainment industry at the time. On November 5, 2007, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike after negotiations broke down between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represented hundreds of studios and production companies that employed those writers. The strike went on until February 12, 2008, when negotiations were settled and shows could resume production.

While some series were barely affected -- for example, those that were unscripted, used non WGA-affiliated writers or were produced in Canada -- a vast majority of television programs were forced to make changes. Some shows addressed their problems with solutions such as switching to non-union writers (as was the case with The Young and The Restless) or waiting to air after the end of the traditional season.

For many others, the changes came in the form of content, as many productions were unable to follow through on their season-long story plans as a result of the strike. Supernatural Season 3 was one of those impacted productions. The story arcs that were originally set up for characters like Bela and Sam were cut short. Plots like Sam discovering he had special supernatural abilities as well as the rescue of Dean from hell had to be pushed until the next season.

The Office Season 4 experienced a similar fate. Only a few episodes were filmed after production resumed and the season was cut short, leading some plot points to be pushed into future seasons. Other shows that suffered a shorter season, such as Lost, tacked additional episodes onto the following season.

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Post-Pandemic Predictions

Unlike the Writer's Strike, unfortunately, the coronavirus is not a localized event. Solutions are limited as well. The problem can't be solved by switching to foreign crews (as some productions did during the strike) or by shooting in other locations as most countries are now under strict travel restrictions. One possible solution to limit the impact on television shows would be for studios to use remote work as an option for writers, which some productions are already doing. This would make it possible for them to complete a large part of the writing process, which in itself can take months.

The big question that remains, however, is what will happen to the series' that haven't filmed all their episodes for the current season. Because production teams are not able to complete filming, it could significantly delay shooting and release schedules. Depending on the length of time that a production is suspended for, some series might not finish shooting the rest of their seasons.

In such cases, as happened during the Writer's Strike, shows' seasons could be shortened, plot points could be delayed into the next season or shows could decide to add extra episodes to make up for lost time in the following season. In at least one instance, a show's current season has already been impacted. The Walking Dead is truncating its tenth season and coming to a conclusion with its penultimate episode. While the final episode of the season has already been filmed, because post-production can't be completed due to the pandemic, the episode won't air until an unspecified date in the future.

Production delays are likely to impact network and cable shows more than shows on streaming networks, as network shows tend to adhere to a strict release schedule. Content that is created by streamers like Netflix or Amazon Prime are often more flexible with their release dates. Yet, if the pandemic goes on long enough, even these services could feel the impact if they are no longer able to make a steady stream of new content available.

Unlike the 2007-08 Writer's Strike, the issues currently facing the television industry are more uncertain. No one has a good idea of how long social distancing will remain a necessity. And the current situation won't just impact Hollywood, the global television industry could take a financial hit on levels it has never seen before. (In comparison, the Writer's Strike cost the American entertainment industry over $2 billion.) One way or another, we are sure to see more shows announce shortened seasons or rescheduled release dates before the pandemic is over. The television industry has never had to deal with such an unprecedented level of disruption before and the true cost remains to be seen.

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