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'Bionic,' 'Office,' 'Rock' Actors Suspended

By Nellie Andreeva,

Reuters

Posted: 2007-11-16 08:23:47

Filed Under: TV News

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 16) - As the writers strike nears the end of its second week with no resolution in sight, the most dreaded phrase in Hollywood is making the rounds: force majeure.

Producer Universal Media Studios on Thursday began notifying the regulars on NBC's "Bionic Woman," "The Office" and "30 Rock" that the studio is suspending them on half-pay for five weeks, citing the force majeure provisions in their Screen Actors Guild (SAG) contracts.

Writers' Strike: The Aftermath

'Lost'
Returns: Currently on
Number of Episodes: 10
In addition to the eight episodes already completed, ABC will shoot an additional five to begin airing April 24. No word yet on how many of those will feature Jack's "depression beard."
ABC
'Grey's Anatomy'
Returns: Late April
Number of Episodes: 4-5
You won't have to wait until fall to see whether Mer and Der get back together; a handful of new installments will air in April/May, before 'Grey's' begins another full 22-episode run this fall.
ABC
'24'
Returns: January 2009
Number of Episodes: 24 (obviously)
Although eight Season 7 episodes have been shot, Jack Bauer will have to postpone his plans to battle his very-much-alive former CTU pal Tony Almeida until all 24 episodes can air consecutively in 2009.
Fox
'Heroes'
Returns: Fall 2008
Number of Episodes: 22+
Although the show won't be returning this season, production is set to begin again in April. Season three will likely have more than the traditional 22 episodes and will focus on supervillains gone wild.
NBC
'Desperate Housewives'
Returns: Fall 2008
Number of Episodes: 4-5
The catty women of Wisteria Lane will return to ooze more desperation in a bunch of new episodes this April/May. ABC has also picked up 'Housewives' for a full 22-episode run to begin this fall.
ABC
'The Office'
Returns: April 10
Number of Episodes: 6
Michael Scott and co. are punching back in at Dunder Mifflin, which means we'll finally get to see the eagerly anticipated Michael-Jan/Jim-Pam dinner party at Michael's condo. The big question is: Will Hooters cater the affair?
NBC
'30 Rock'
Returns: April 10
Number of Episodes: 5
Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin (but most likely not Greenzo) are back with hilarious new plotlines that may include a pregnancy scare for Liz Lemon and more 'MILF Island' fun.
NBC
'My Name Is Earl'
Returns: April 3
Number of Episodes: 9
Having nipped karma in the bud, a newly immoral Earl returns with a one-hour episode on April 3. Look for Alyssa Milano to come onboard in a recurring role as a possible love interest for our karmically challenged antihero.
NBC
'Scrubs'
Returns: April 10
Number of Episodes: 5-9
It looks like J.D. and the gang will get a proper last hurrah. The medical comedy will close out its seven-year run with five pre-strike episodes and a likely four new post-strike installments.
NBC
'Chuck'
Returns: Fall 2008
Number of Episodes: 13+
NBC has renewed the frosh action-adventure-comedy-drama for a second season.
NBC

While deals with actors allow for the force majeure -- or "greater force" -- option right after production is suspended, such a contract clause could be invoked for writers very soon if the strike continues. Most writers' production deals trigger the termination clause four to six weeks into a stoppage, but in some, the cushion is said to be only two weeks.

That means that as of Monday, studios could start terminating their overall pacts with writers.

Since the beginning of the strike on Nov. 5, TV studios have been debating how to deal with series regulars -- whether to invoke the force majeure clause that allows them to terminate actors for unanticipated or uncontrollable reasons put them on hiatus or do something else.

On Friday, Sony Pictures TV took a different tack, notifying the regulars on two of the sitcoms it produces-- Fox's "'Til Death" and CBS' "Rules of Engagement" -- that they are being put on unpaid hiatus, remaining exclusive to the studio.

That move didn't sit well with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), which represents the two shows, or with SAG.

Both unions called putting actors on unpaid hiatus a violation of the SAG-AFTRA joint TV contract, which expires June 30, and vowed to take action against it.

According to SAG's interpretation of Section 61 of its collective bargaining agreement, the studios have three options in case of a strike: put series regulars on hold at full salary, suspend them for a period of up to five weeks at half-pay or terminate them.

Photo Gallery

Nick Ut, AP

They Walked the Line

1 of 8

Members of the Writers Guild of America voted to end the show stopping labor strike which lasted three months and crippled Hollywood. The WGA recently announced their members have also voted to accept the contract laid out by the studios.

If, like Universal, the studios opt for suspension, the performers themselves, according to SAG, can terminate their deals at the end of the five-week period. If they don't do that, the studios can choose to keep the regulars with full pay or end their deals.

Upon termination, actors are no longer paid and are free to do other projects. When production on the shows resumes, they are guaranteed to be rehired by the studios under the original terms of their deals.

The actors have to make an effort to accommodate the series, but their new projects are in first position. That would work well for in-demand-actors like "The Office" star Steve Carell, who can go off to do a movie without having to worry that an end of the strike would cut short his shoot.

During hiatus, however, actors must drop whatever they might be doing and report to their series immediately if those shows resume.

At least two other TV studios have been toying with the idea of putting actors on hiatus, but none has triggered that option since SAG and AFTRA's stern reaction to Sony's letters.

Meanwhile, a letter sent earlier this week to employees by Warner Bros. TV, was making the rounds Thursday. It estimates that, if the writers strike continues, all of its series -- which include "ER," "Without A Trace," "Cold Case" and the promising rookie "Pushing Daisies" -- will shut down in the next six to seven weeks, possibly leading to a loss of jobs.

"We currently anticipate that such layoffs, if they occur, will be temporary and that many employees will be recalled to work at some point after the WGA work stoppage ends," wrote Hank Lachmund, the studio's senior vp labor relations.

Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2007-11-16 06:49:15

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798 comments

rmathmania 02:27:34 PM Nov 24 2007

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To : JLo74
Is your husband a high school teacher or elementary teacher? Having been a teacher for 48 years for all grades K-graduate school, I have found that elementary teachers put in an inordinate amount of time outside of the classroom. This may appear sexist but I have found that women teachers are more likely to carry work home over the weekend than their male counterparts. Also, how much time has your husband spent improving his teaching skills by attending classes over the summer or on weekends? Inquiring minds want to know.

richgrunt 02:06:57 PM Nov 24 2007

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Love Ellen and going to miss bionic woman

Jlo74 02:06:53 PM Nov 24 2007

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To Mlle Aimee:
My husband is a teacher and he would be disgraced by everything you ranted about. I'm a counselor and agree with him. He cannot stand when teachers stand up and play the martar. How many days a year do you work? The typical teacher contract is 185 days a year. How many other professions can say they work 185 days a year?!?!? Take your salary and divide it by the number of contract hours you have to work. What is your hourly rate? I will bet my salary it is WAY more than most garbage men in CA. I do know that most people in schools put in more hours than are contracted, but so do most people who are paid on salary, regardless of their profession. It's part of being a responsible member of Working Society. Do not give me that crap about being under paid.

Jlo74 02:06:45 PM Nov 24 2007

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Jlo74 02:06:18 PM Nov 24 2007

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Jlo74 02:06:09 PM Nov 24 2007

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wileywalt 01:21:14 PM Nov 24 2007

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fab you're nothing but a waste of air.

wileywalt 01:20:19 PM Nov 24 2007

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Ellen's cool, the actors are cool, and the writers are cool. The Studio Heads are the A$$HOLES here.

marmurph 10:42:35 AM Nov 24 2007

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I agree with you, Mlle Aimee, about the importance of the unions. Good comments. I am a teacher also, with over 20 years experience in a very good district in my city--- I make a bit less than 75,000. I have above a master's degree. We only get what we get because of the unions. Unfairly in my state, anyone in the district gets the same salary (depending on years' of experience) same benefits, same conditions- even if they are not in the union. It is the union members who support the union which works out EVERY benefit and dollar we get. Without the union support and negotiations, we would get less and have more difficult conditions for teaching. I believe the unions are still needed in our country!

bbogieshfle 10:29:29 AM Nov 24 2007

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I think that all the bad press on Ellen Degeneres is bull. She did the only right thing a caring person would do. She kept her show on so the people who were not writers on the show could get paid and the audience members who traveled miles to see her would not be disappointed. Here is one for you Ellen.

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