Writers Agree Deal to End Strike: When Will Your Favorite Shows Return?

A tentative deal has been reached between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to bring an end to the strike after almost five months.

The WGA has been on strike since May over residuals from streaming media and the use of AI in film and television. This brought a shutdown for productions across the industry, with late-night talk shows and many daytime programs immediately leaving the air.

In a joint statement, the WGA and the AMPTP said, “The WGA and AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement.”

Meanwhile, the WGA told its members, “We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA, which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language.”

Picketing has been suspended effective immediately, and the WGA told its members they could return to work during the ratification vote before the new contract has been officially confirmed.

This does not include the Screen Actors Guild, which continues to strike against the AMPTP.

If the WGA board votes in agreement with the new deal, it means WGA scripted programming can return to production. The first shows likely to return are late-night and daytime talk shows.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers all went off the air when the strikes began but will now be making plans to return to air.

According to Deadline sources, the late-night shows will likely return a few days after the strike is officially over. These shows don’t need to wait for the SAG-AFTRA strike to end, as they are not struck shows. It just means not to expect a bunch of actors to show up as guests.

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The next to return would be the syndicated daytime talk shows, such as The Drew Barrymore Show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and CBS’ The Talk. Should the WGA board agree to the deal, these programs are expected to be back for new seasons by the second week of October.

The Drew Barrymore Show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and The Talk all recently postponed their planned September 18 season premieres due to backlash and picketing by the WGA.

However, it could still be a long wait for fans of scripted shows such as Law & Order, the One Chicago franchise, and other beloved dramas. Even if the actors’ union reaches a deal soon, these shows have suffered significant production delays due to the strikes and, according to Deadline, it’s looking like “early to mid-March” for dramas. The outlet also suggests that some shows could be held for the 2024-2025 season, versus returning in the spring. There’s also going to be a question of episode orders and whether any shows will be canceled, as has been seen on streaming services like Prime Video (The Peripheral and A League of Their Own) and Peacock (Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin).