Hollywood Says a Writers Strike is Inevitable. But Why?

Hollywood is on the brink of its first major labor stoppage in 15 years. The contract between the Writers Guild of America and Hollywood studios expires May 1. While these two parties have been in and out of negotiations for the last several weeks, it’s hard to find anyone who believes they will reach a deal before the deadline. Inevitable is the word used most often.

“We are preparing as if its going to happen,” Brittani Nichols, a writer on Abbott Elementary, told me Friday evening.

The impact of a strike depends in large part on how long it lasts. Late-night talk shows would go off the air right away, while a strike would have little immediate impact on the release of scripted TV or movies. But it does halt development and production right away. So, if it drags on for a while, the stoppage will prevent broadcast networks from producing shows for the fall season — no new Abbott Elementary or NCIS in September.