How the Strikes Will Impact Your Favorite Shows (and Conventions)

Pic from TrekMovie.com

(For an article that speaks more generally, click here.  I'll be focusing on Star Trek because, let's face it, the strikes have nothing to do with why we haven't heard anything about the new Galactica show.)

Although, this pic feels appropriate, too.

The Writer's Guild of America went on strike in May.  The actors guild (SAG-AFTRA) began theirs on Thursday.  Among the demands from both camps are 1) an updated compensation structure that deals with streaming content more fairly and 2) restrictions on the usage of AI and other computer tools that perform the duties from either union.  (After all, ensigns should make more than this and extras shouldn't have to worry about being in their own version of "Joan Is Awful.")

(And outside of the writers and actors, one mustn't forget the contributions of the many scores of people behind-the-scenes who make these shows possible.  They, too, will be out of work.  Visual Effects Production Manager Shawn Ewashko has tweeted praises about the team he's assembled for Trek live action going forward, but he's also worried that prolonged strikes could decimate that team as its members have to find other work to feed their families.)

Both strikes have come at a time of desperation for Paramount and when its future is clouded.  Any discussion of post-strike Paramount and Trek would be pure speculation at this point, so  I will focus on the productions that are already greenlit and at various stages of completion.

DISCOVERY: As we all know, after filming on the fifth season was wrapped last November, Paramount canceled the show in March.  New scenes were written to wrap up the series and pickup shoots were planned shortly thereafter.  A tweet from showrunner Michelle Paradise indicates that filming for those pickups began in late April, so we can speculate that the filming is complete by now.  Post-production is still underway on DIS season five and that should continue unabated.

STRANGE NEW WORLDS: The show was renewed for season three and writing was completed before the WGA strike in May, however, the series delayed its production start in solidarity with the WGA.  Once the strikes are over, SNW will likely resume shortly afterward.

LOWER DECKS: Voice actors are also on strike, but the recording for season four was completed last year.  Assuming it's not already finished, the show is in the hands of the animators and should be released as planned.  A fifth season was ordered in March, but production on that will have to wait until after the strikes.  (Writing for animation is handled by a different guild than the WGA.)

PRODIGY: (sigh)  Despite its cancellation (more precisely, renewal reversal), the second season is nearing completion.  (The voice acting was complete.)  The Emmy-nominated series is being shopped to other streaming services and producers are confident it will find a home.  

SECTION 31: While a writers room for this show existed way back in 2020, it hasn't been said publicly if the conversion of that series into a single film was completed before the strike began in May (making S31 into a movie was announced in March, so I'm sure that some work was already underway).  Regardless, production has not yet begun and won't until after the strikes.

STARFLEET ACADEMY: Perhaps not as long as S31, but SA has had a writers room for a while and it was already active when the series was announced in March.  However, like S31, no production is expected for a while.

LEGACY: (Not greenlit, but the people want it.)  One of the powers that be says the "appetite for it is undeniable," but there won't be any discussion about it officially until the strike(s) are over.

Conventions:  You may not have seen this coming, but there's a long list of things striking actors can't do.  Sure, SAG-AFTRA members cannot film their roles, but they can't promote them, either.  That means no conventions.  (I'm not sure what's going to happen at Comic-Con then.)  It is unclear at the moment if an actor from a legacy show (like TNG, DS9, etc.) can appear at a convention.  Armin Shimerman is looking for more info while a tweet from Anson Mount suggests that they can make a "personal appearance," so long as they aren't promoting anything specific.

And now you're up to speed.  Let's hope the compensation for writers and actors both can enter the 21st century and end this thing before too long.