Photo illustrations: AP

When we hastily named this category "Strike Zone" way back in November, we had no idea that 64 posts and three months later we'd still be using the rubric. But the joyous end of the writers' strike also means it's time to retire the Strike Zone category. We won't miss it; even though we are always desperate for something to write about, labor unrest never really stops being boring. May Vulture's least-beloved category be forever absent from our pages!

Ah, who are we kidding, we'll be writing about the SAG contract in a month. Luckily, Tina Fey's a member of that union too.

Photo illustration: AP

At last, film and TV scribes on both coasts are firing up Final Draft right now for the first time since November. Yesterday, 3,492 Writers Guild members voted to end the 100-day-old strike, while 283 would've preferred to sleep in this morning. WGAW president Patric Verrone issued a statement last night encouraging all those who were employed before the walkout to report to work today. Also, whoever's in charge of Leno's monologue may want to head in a little early. Verrone reminds guild members that the tentative contract with studios still needs to be ratified, but for all practical purposes, this thing is pretty much over.

At this time, Vulture would like to extend our sincere thanks to Tina Fey (at left), whose picket sign and far-off, unenthusiastic facial expression have helped us illustrate innumerable otherwise-boring strike-update posts.

It's official: WGA strike is over [Variety]
STRIKE OVER: Hollywood Back To Work! [Deadline Hollywood Daily]

When is your favorite show coming back? Check out Vulture's constantly-updated Poststrike Encyclopedia to find out.

Photo illustration: AP

With the strike finally, it seems, over, it's time for the meta-question: Was this strike worth it, and who won? Well, it depends whom you ask!

For instance, if you ask Variety, you'll learn that writers were silly for striking and have cost the richest and most important of their ranks money, precious money. Writers have complained throughout the strike that Variety is in the pocket of the studios, and it's true that their poststrike wrap-up, the awesomely headlined "Dealmakers Spurred by Fear, Loathing," is sharply critical of the writers (though it doesn't skimp on criticism of the studios' negotiation strategies, either). "The victories in new media that may pay big dividends in the future have come at a high price in the here and now," Cynthia Littleton writes, making the point over and over that monetary gains over the course of the contract may be eclipsed for some writers by the money lost during the strike. "A showrunner who was slated to make around $40,000 per episode on a 22-episode order for the 2007-08 season that has been downscaled to 12-15 segs is out at least $280,000." We're sure the rank and file of mostly unemployed WGA members are heartbroken about that development.

Now that the WGA strike is over, news is filtering out every day about when shows are ramping up production and when they might return to the air. Since you don't have time to read the trades every morning for that news, Vulture's here to help. After the jump, find reports on which of your favorite shows will return this spring, this fall, in 2009, or (gulp) never.

Photo illustration: AP

After three long months of work-stopping labor unrest, Tina Fey can finally put down her picket sign. At a press conference yesterday, WGA president Patric Verrone announced the details of a tentative three-year agreement with the studios that will likely bring an end to the writers' strike, with TV-show runners (like Fey) set to return to work this morning and other scribes on Wednesday. The Writers Guild's general membership still has to vote to end picketing tomorrow and approve the deal sometime in the next twelve days, but everything indicates that they will, after meetings this weekend ended with no major dissent.

The actual terms of the agreement are probably beyond the scope of this blog post, but just know that writers will at last be paid for Internet thingies, and you can finally bring your TV back down from the attic.

Showrunners back to work Monday [Variety]

Photo illustration: AP

Yesterday on CNBC's Fast Money, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner declared the writers' strike effectively over. "They've made a deal, they shook hands on a deal," he said. "The deal is going on Saturday to the constituents [for a vote] … I think it's impossible that they turn it down."

Despite this, Nikki Finke says, it's not yet a done deal. Right now, the Writers Guild is scrambling to complete a draft of the agreement before tomorrow's informational meetings for scribes on both coasts, at which leaders will gauge their constituents' enthusiasm over the tentative contract. On Sunday, the WGA board puts it to a vote, and if it's approved, the strike is called off, the Oscars are saved, and Jay Leno's monologue will be restored to its former glory. Sure, everything could go horrifically wrong between now and Sunday, but for the moment — *fingers crossed* — it looks good.

Exclusive: "WGA Strike Over" Says Eisner [CNBC]
Writers Strike Isn't Over Yet (...Despite What Michael Eisner Says) [Deadline Hollywood Daily]
WGA Confab Timetable For Next Few Days [Deadline Hollywood Daily]

Photo illustration: AP

Despite the excitement over a rumored end to the writers' strike, Writers Guild and AMPTP insiders say many details have yet to be agreed upon and "there's still a possibility this thing could get fucked." According to Nikki Finke, WGA leaders are happy with the deal they worked out with studios on Friday, but the board can't vote to authorize it until a resolution is set in writing — and any disagreement over language, tone, or overly aggressive punctuation could derail the whole thing. Additionally, picketing would be called off as soon as the board approves, but there's still a possibility that the WGA's 10,000 members could reject the deal, at which point Hollywood would crumble and all Oscars statues would be distributed to various American Gladiators.

Variety says the WGA is hoping to have a draft proposal ready by Friday, meaning this whole thing could be resolved sometime next week. Then again, if even the tiniest thing goes wrong, chaos will reign and the strike will probably last forever. For right now, both sides are urging everyone to stay calm so as not to upset the negotiating process — if this doesn't work out, it'll all be your fault.

WGA, studios hammer on details [Variety]
STRIKE STATUS REPORT (UPDATED): WHERE THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW [Deadline Hollywood Daily]

Photo Illustration: Everett Bogue; Photos: Getty Images, Courtesy of
NBC

Lest anyone get excited over the possible end to the writers' strike, the L.A. Times reminds us today that most of the crap on TV now was green-lit before the strike and it's going to get worse before it gets better. Sure, the writers returning to work means more episodes of 24, The Office, and Lost — but we probably won't get to see them until sometime in 2009. In the meantime, we'll just have to make do with reality shows like American Gladiators and upcoming ones like CBS's America's Top Dog and NBC's America's Favorite Mom (which was actually pitched, produced, and overseen by Web-based flower seller Teleflora), on which moms will, presumably, battle each other in a series of Gladiators-like physical challenges.

Photo illustration: AP

Just as we were finally beginning to accept the reality of a future without scripted television, it seems as though the writers' strike may actually be nearing an end. After Friday's informal negotiations between the WGA and the AMPTP reportedly yielded an agreement over ad-supported Internet streaming of TV shows (which was the last major sticking point), it's likely a tentative deal could be announced soon, possibly as early as this week. According to Nikki Finke, Fox chairman Peter Chernin was at the Super Bowl last night telling friends "the strike is over," which certainly sounds promising, even if he was drunk.

Any resolution would have to be ratified by the Writers Guild's 10,000 members, and the union is still urging writers to picket today, but, for the first time since the strike began 90 days ago, things are starting to look up. If all continues to go well, the Oscars will go ahead as planned (with scripted banter!) and — far more important — ABC can finally get back to work on the second season of Cavemen.

Progress Toward Ending Writers’ Strike [NYT]
Strike: An end in sight? [Variety]
Chernin Tells Super Pals "Strike Is Over" [Deadline Hollywood Daily]

Photos: Getty Images, courtesy of the Recording Academy

This morning brings news that the Writers Guild has allowed an interim deal for the February 10 Grammy Awards ceremony — not only will the WGA not picket the event, they'll also allow scribes to work on the show. We have no idea what they'll actually write, since we thought the Grammys were just three hours of nonsensical bling-fueled idiocy, but at least this train wreck will be scripted.