National

Scripted Shows Stall as Writers' Strike Continues

By Kim Masters

Published November 7, 2007 at 3:00 AM PST

This story was published more than 17 years ago.

Actresses Julia Louis-Dreyfus (left) and Wanda Sykes join Hollywood writers as they picket outside the set of <em>Desperate Housewives</em> in Los Angeles, Calif., on Tuesday. — Actresses Julia Louis-Dreyfus (left) and Wanda Sykes join Hollywood writers as they picket outside the set of *Desperate Housewives* in Los Angeles, Calif., on Tuesday.

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Hollywood producer Robert Morton talks about the 1988 writers' strike on <em>Morning Edition</em>

Wednesday is day three in the television and film writers' strike.

Late-night talk shows were the first to go off the air on Monday, but now a number of scripted programs are also halting production.

Strikers picketed for a second day on Tuesday, getting some support from the Teamsters. Outside the Sony Pictures lot, picketers were heartened when a driver refused to cross the line.

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Meanwhile, sitcoms shot in front of studio audiences have been closing down because scripts are written just before filming. Among them is Fox's Back to You with Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton.

CBS is halting shows, including Two and Half Men and The Big Bang Theory.

At least one hour-long drama, Desperate Housewives, is also shutting down.

In addition, an increasing number of writer-producers who were expected to perform non-writing duties — such as, supervising filming of previously written scripts — have announced that they will not work at all. That list includes Shonda Rhimes of Grey's Anatomy and Carlton Cuse of Lost.

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