BAD NEWS!!!! Actors Move Toward Strike Vote

[March2875]

With our ratings struggling a little bit, but thankfully slowly showing signs of improvement comes another blow to Knight Rider's future.


Actors Move Toward Strike Vote
Industry downturn, economic freefall, what better time than now?
by Travis Fickett
October 2, 2008 - The recent elections in the board membership of the Screen Actors Guild seems to have brought Hollywood closer to another strike and potential work stoppage. According to the Hollywood Reporter, SAG's national board has issued a resolution to urge its members to take up the vote:

"A strike authorization vote of the membership is necessary to overcome the employers' intransigence," the resolution said. It also called for the national board to adopt a campaign advocating a "yes" vote, giving the bargaining team the authority to call a strike when the board "deems it necessary and unavoidable to do so."

Read the complete story here


http://tv.ign.com/articles/915/915885p1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dalton]

Lets hope they get a good number of episodes in the can first.

[Lost Knight]

Well, we're guaranteed 13 episodes one way or the other, regardless. There's a lot of plot developments that can occur in that time. I'd also imagine that by episode 13 that the story might be written in such a way that the series could technically end at that point if needed.

[weeezl]

Oh dear..........

[PHOENIXZERO]

Ugh, do they have any idea on how bad that would be all around? Not only would it hurt economies WORSE than what the writer's strike did (not to mention more immediate) but actors themselves would be out of work too and would certainly kill many TV shows. Ratings are already not so great compared to a year ago, I'm willing to bet that this would hurt TV even more.

I really, really really hope this is averted. Studios and SAG better get their crap together and settle this....

[DJGM]

. . . by episode 13 that the story might be written in such a way
that the series could technically end at that point if needed.

Here's hoping that won't be the case. If there's going to be a strike by the SAG anytime soon,
let's hope the ratings for the season upto the point where any strike is announced as going
ahead, make NBC bosses want to recommission KR for another season for next year.

Eitherway, whatever happens, with all the time and effort that's gone into producing and
promoting the new Knight Rider, I seriously doubt that NBC would want to just to axe it.

[KiTT316]

Eitherway, whatever happens, with all the time and effort that's gone into producing and
promoting the new Knight Rider, I seriously doubt that NBC would want to just to axe it.

Look what they did to Bionic Woman!! This is scary news....

-Matt

[DJGM]

Eitherway, whatever happens, with all the time and effort that's gone
into producing and promoting the new Knight Rider, I seriously
doubt that NBC would want to just to axe it.

Look what they did to Bionic Woman!! This is scary news....

-Matt

The remake of Bionic Woman was, I believe, a whole different kettle of fish to Knight Rider.
As I recall, there were a few other issues that ultimately lead to that show getting axed.
IIRC those other issues were talked about on these very forums.

[NeoRanger]

I don't know if there were any behind-the-scene news that got Bionic Woman cancelled, but as far as I'm concerned, it was asking for it. Knight Rider's so far a whole different thing.

Having said that, the timing is bad. A strike that will freeze the industry for the second year in a row may not be the best idea.

[goldbug]

I don't know if there were any behind-the-scene news that got Bionic Woman cancelled, but as far as I'm concerned, it was asking for it. Knight Rider's so far a whole different thing.

Some creative differences occurred on "Bionic" that led to its original show runners leaving. Entire plot points were shifted around early (such as Jamie's boyfriend living or dying) and by ep 5 or 6, at least one regular actor changed. You could tell that the story had no idea what to do with itself. KR may not be Shakespeare, but it clearly knows what it is and wants to be and goes about it unapologetically. "Bionic" couldn't quite say the same.

[KRAvengerII]

I seem to remember that "Bionic" was promised 13 episodes, and NBC assured everyone that they were going to complete the remaining episodes, and give the show a chance to find itself after the strike-so i can't really take them at their word about a 13 episode commitment

[NeoRanger]

Yeah, but Bionic Woman's ratings kept dropping a lot by each episode... and it was pretty obvious that having lost its direction, it was unlikely to pick up. KR so far, while still hasn't brought in particularly good ratings, it's done consistently decent- so far. We're in only two episodes, so things might very well change a great deal until the strike goes into effect.

[Knight-Armen]

Well, now look at what you've (Gary Scott Thompson) done!

(http://www.usatoday.com/life/television ... ider_N.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

NBC's 'Knight Rider' is not up to speed

By Robert Bianco,

"If we must pitch dreck at children, can't we at least make it age-appropriate dreck?

There is much to despise in Knight Rider, a shockingly incompetent, barely coherent, ad-driven rip-off about a shape-shifting autobot that owes more to Transformers than it does to the cheesy '80s original that shares its name.

...

But then seldom has a major network launched a show boasting as many terrible performances or jaw-dropper moments as this premiere.

There's Sydney Tamiia Poitier as an FBI agent who refuses to issue a security override — until Bruce Davison's scientist says "please." Or there's Smith Cho as a tech genius who can speak nine languages and manages to be annoying in all of them. And while no one expects reality to intrude much on this Rider, even a 10-year-old may wonder why Mike just stands there dumbstruck when the villain approaches.

Maybe that's answer for the next Rider revamp. Instead of just aiming the show at children, maybe NBC should let them write and perform it.

They could hardly do worse."

Why did I quote this article? Well, it represents what I think and probably will think after the show has been cancelled! I simply cannot understand how film and TV show prouducers can fail to do their job properly with all that experience they receive from previous creations. Seen from the US I'm living across the planet with totally different values and traditions and still I can predict what's happening and most of all what they're doing so damn wrong! A producer/creator must know what risks you may run into if the transition from an old classic to the new one is way too sudden and unpredicted.
There are lots of TV shows in production today and many of them are cancelled after one or two seasons, why? Well, in the case of the TV show Shark that was cancelled til further notice after two seasons, they ran out of TV viewers who thought it was too repetitive with one case after another each episode.
In the case of Knight Rider, most of the people around know what it was like and the majority was actually growing up watching the series. If you was born in 1980 you'd be nearly 30 years old by now and if you're a fan of Knight Rider you'd probably have the original series in your head everytime you reflected the new one (i.e. draw comparissons).
What I'm trying to say is that the new Knight Rider is really not very amazing as it was in the 80's and the article above is trying to convey the same thing. The Transformers has already wowed us with their transformations and cars that can talk. If the new Knight Rider series would go on to do the same thing a couple months later will be fatal for it's continuation in which you can notice now! In other words, the new Knight Rider is probably destined to end the same way dussins if not hundreds of medioker TV shows has done already...

[Lost Knight]

Well, now look at what you've (Gary Scott Thompson) done!

(http://www.usatoday.com/life/television ... ider_N.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

Where have you been? That, along with countless other negative articles have been posted in dozens of other topics by now.

[Knight-Armen]

What do you mean? Do you have a problem with me expressing my opinions?

I want to have my say about the articles too...

[Matthew]

Please try and keep things on topic guys. There's already a pretty comprehensive catalogue of reviews that has been put together in a dedicated thread.

Matt

[Lost Knight]

What do you mean? Do you have a problem with me expressing my opinions?

I want to have my say about the articles too...

That's fine, it's just off-topic and in many other threads, that's all.

[Knight-Armen]

With all due respect, Matthew I thought my post was quite relevant to this thread indeed.
Why?
Well, amongst many other things of course I think that the strike has to do with poor ratings. That's why I thought it was relevant to include the article of my choice.

[Lost Knight]

Well, amongst many other things of course I think that the strike has to do with poor ratings.

I'm inclined to disagree there because the 2-hour backdoor pilot premiered during the strike and had very high ratings. It may have had to do with the quality of the backdoor pilot because they couldn't really revise any major plot points, but people's dislike of the movie didn't have to do with its ratings.

There is only talk of an Actors Strike at this point in time which can't have anything to do with the show because it hasn't happened yet.

[Sue]

With all due respect, Matthew I thought my post was quite relevant to this thread indeed.
Why?
Well, amongst many other things of course I think that the strike has to do with poor ratings. That's why I thought it was relevant to include the article of my choice.

Eh? (Sue scratches head) I think your a little confused Knight-Armen, Its not just KR actors its all actors in the Screen Actors Guild. I don't see why they'd all be upset about KR ratings. Well David Boreanaz maybe, it very well could have been the final straw for him.

[KRAvengerII]

Why? he's still on top- and this is a FOX show, for crying out loud.

[Knight-Armen]

Eh? (Sue scratches head) I think your a little confused Knight-Armen, Its not just KR actors its all actors in the Screen Actors Guild. I don't see why they'd all be upset about KR ratings. Well David Boreanaz maybe, it very well could have been the final straw for him.

Well Sue, you seem to be a little confused yourself in the sense that you've got everything mixed up. So, in order to avoid any further misunderstanding I will explain it to you just briefly and you can decide for yourself if you are going to actually listen and read the entire post before conveying that I'm confused.

Quoted from "Actors Move Toward Strike Vote":

"...but industry itself is currently on shaky ground. New television shows that got a rough start last season due to the writers' strike – such as Pushing Daisies and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - are down in the ratings and struggling for viewers as networks work to bring the audience back to their sets. There are a few more steps to go before a strike would occur, and it's uncertain how the general SAG membership would vote."

Other sources on KR08 ratings:

http://weblogs.variety.com/on_the_air/2 ... er-43.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/tel ... &rid=11708" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It has been made evident that the new Knight Rider series didn't bring the numbers we hoped for. Sure it brought about 7.3 million viewers which made it just about in the top 3 list but that is largely because of it's heritage and what it accomplished previously.
Sue - you seem to think that I'm talking exclusively on the behalf of the new Knight Rider series and somehow managed to put words in my mouth about me thinkning that people are upset with the KR ratings, why?
What I'm saying is that the lack of storytelling and major gaps in acting and what not has caused these ratings. A strike will certainly not help in bringing it up!

[Matthew]

OK,

There is only one person who’s “confused” here Armen, and that’s you. This thread was about a potential strike by the Screen Actors Guild, yet you chose to post a scathing review of the series that was written by some jumped up nobody, and doing that simply wasn’t appropriate to the discussion at hand.

Suffice to say that the “confusion” is due to the complete disregard you’ve shown towards what this topic was originally intended for, along with the blatant indecency to not only ignore, but also question a polite request from me to keep this topic on track.

I’m not a hard ass by nature, but this kind of *?$# really does my head in. If you want to discuss said review, and anything pertaining to it, do it in the thread that I linked above, because if it continues in here, I won’t even bother to move the posts, I’ll just delete them.

End of discussion!

Matt

[weeezl]

Well said Matthew! Thank you!

[xmguy]

I'm 23 yrs old. I was to young to see the series on when it was first aired. But I watched the entire series on WGN in the mid 90's. Then may times over via DVD and watching it again from the start on SleuthTV (on now). I enjoy the new series. I agree the KITT transforming into a truck is overkill. But over all the series is fairly good. While not in the "great" category yet. I think it can improve. I hope NBC keeps this series on air. I think it can make it, if it looses the "over-hi-tech" mentality. That's what the 80's series had. It was hi tech, very hi tech for the time. But not such that it was out of the realm of belief.