Hollywood is on strike — at least, the writers. This week, the Writers Guild of America headed to the picket line. The union, which represents the majority of writers for movies and TV in the United States, is striking.
This isn't a snap decision or anything — this strike comes weeks after failed negotiations between the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Unfortunately, the two parties could not come to an agreement that worked for everyone involved, and the result is a strike that's now happened 15 years after one that lasted for a whopping 100 days in 2007.
This likely makes sense on an objective level, but what does it mean for you as a viewer? There are a few things you should know if you're someone who watches a lot of TV. Many of your favorite TV shows will not be affected: network shows like Abbott Elementary and Law & Order are set to finish complete seasons, with finale episodes written, filmed, and likely already ready to go.
What will be affected, however, are late-night talk shows and soap operas. Hosts like Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert have seen their shows shut down by the strike. Daytime favorites like The Kelly Clarkson Show have also been shut down. You'll likely see reruns in their stead. Given that these shows and soaps often rely mainly on writers to help create the content itself, they'll have no choice but to go dark.
That brings us to shows like Yellowstone, a favorite that folks have been waiting for since the Season 5 mid-season finale aired at the beginning of the year. It's unclear what, exactly, the strike means for Yellowstone Season 5 going forward, or if it will affect whatever production schedule is happening with the show these days or not.
As it stands, the future of Yellowstone as a whole has been uncertain for months. There still isn't a concrete date for when the series is set to resume filming to finish the second half of its latest season or if Kevin Costner will be returning to reprise his role as John Dutton. While moving forward without Costner is an option, fans have been wondering for some time if the actor would actually jump ship.
Despite these issues, however, it's likely that Yellowstone Season 5 is probably already written and planned out — if it's even going to debut in the coming months. Whatever the case may be, the writers' strike likely won't affect Yellowstone any more than what we've already seen happening.
So if there's anything to take away from the strike, other than hoping a resolution comes to help treat writers fairly, it's that your favorite shows likely won't be affected, and Yellowstone? It's really anyone's guess as to when it's coming back.
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