Writers strike left big winners, losers in its wake

Winner: NBC
The network with the least to lose lost the least. NBC, which was mired in fourth place at the start of the season, has found moderate strike successes with unscripted fare such as the nostalgic "American Gladiators" and the just-plain-getting-old "Celebrity Apprentice."

Post-strike outlook: NBC still will likely finish in fourth place, no matter how well its midseason schedule shakes out. But at least it can blame the strike for messing up its schedule. Which brings us to ...

Losers: NBC scripted series
"Heroes" was trying to recover from a sophomore slump when it ran out of new episodes, and its proposed spin-off, in which viewers would select a new hero from new options each week, was canned back when the strike was just a threat. The promising new series "Chuck" was picked up for a full season, but the strike kept it from generating momentum as it, too, ran out of new episodes.

Both of these shows will return with more episodes eventually, but now NBC also has more of the cheaper and potentially more popular "Gladiators" and "Apprentice" in the pipelines as well, threatening their time slots.

Post-strike outlook: If the scripted shows don't come back big, their returns won't last long.

Winner: "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"
Fox's action drama benefited from a perfect storm of scheduling. Its premiere got the slot that would have gone to “24,” and it premiered opposite the Golden Globes, which almost no one watched because the strike forced NBC to cancel the party and instead devote an hour to Billy Bush. And the premiere followed a post-season football game. Out of new episodes of their favorite shows and with little new scripted stuff worth watching, viewers rewarded "Terminator" with an amazing 18.4 million viewers, making it the season's highest-rated new show premiere.

Post-strike outlook: Fox has found another high-adrenaline hit whose success should continue.

Loser: "Pushing Daisies"
The fall's best new series earned respectable ratings, which could have grown thanks to positive word-of-mouth and three Golden Globe nominations. But after the strike, it could air only nine episodes, and its big exposure at the Globes was dashed as well.

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Post-strike outlook: It could conceivably return by May sweeps, but ABC might choose to hold off on airing any new episodes until next fall. Of course, this show is all about putting off death, so its future could still be bright.

Winner: "Comanche Moon"
This mediocre mini-series was supposed to be dumped onto the schedule in late December, just an afterthought of CBS' development slate. Once the strike hit, though, the three-part "Lonesome Dove" prequel became a highly promoted cornerstone of CBS' January schedule, where it delivered solid ratings for the script-starved network.

Post-strike outlook: This could serve as a reminder to networks that made-for-TV movies and miniseries still have value outside cable. But it won't.

Losers: New CW shows
After establishing itself last year as the new network on the block, The CW desperately needed a new breakout hit this year to cement its identity. And it launched a surprisingly strong slate of new shows to do it. "Aliens in America," "Gossip Girl" and "Reaper" all could have been the show The CW was looking for, but the strike ruined their chances. Even if viewers liked "Aliens in America," the same few episodes have rerun so often that the fresh and funny show now just seems tired.

Post-strike outlook: The CW would be wise to keep all of these shows on its lineup next year and start again.

Winner: "In Treatment"
HBO's mesmerizing half-hour weeknight drama about a therapist and his patients requires a big commitment from viewers. But thanks to the strike, some viewers with little else competing for their time at 9:30 discovered the under-the-radar gem.

Post-strike outlook: Once "Heroes," "House," "Private Practice," "CSI" and "Women's Murder Club" return, who'll have time for therapy?

Jeff Hidek is the entertainment editor at the Star-News in Wilmington, N.C. Contact him at or through his blog at tv.starnewsonline.com.

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