[MADtv] Interim Deal?

[MADfan2004]

I don't know if this should be its own thread, or it should be in the Writers' Strike thread, whatever.

Okay, so tonight, Spike Feresten came back on the air. Now, I'm not even gonna get started on why FOX seems to put so much into this show when it has such piss-poor ratings, especially since they ignore MADtv when it's been on for THIRTEEN YEARS.

But anyway, Asterios (the guy who got fired) said that the writers come up with about 20-30 sketches a week, even though only about 7-15 actually make it to the show. These sketches can't possibly all be bad (and if they are, God help this show), and they're mostly non-topical character sketches, so they could ideally continue filming. And since SNL writes their sketches the week the episode airs, so this would give MADtv a HUGE upper hand, especially since, as Bobby implied, it's a pretty make or break season.

Plus, even if this WERE the last season, wouldn't it be nice for it to be longer than four episodes.

Also, I think that, had they kept their old format, with the studio and the tapings, they could still be airing new episodes right now. Since they filmed them in a block, they could've just aired mash up episodes of the leftover sketches. Plus, they would've started in August, not October, so they would've had more than enough material to last them through the strike. And they wouldn't have had to worry about guest stars not wanting to cross the picket lines or strikers interrupting tapings (since they wouldn't have had to shoot on location [at least not as much]).

So, what do you guys think? Is going back and shooting the leftover sketches a viable idea?

[JustG]

I'm gonna place a safe bet and say that either one of 2 things happened with Spike Feresten: 1) Either the show contracted non-union writers for them or 2) the original union workers chose to go fi-core as an attempt to save their jobs. My guess is that they probably chose non-union workers--I mean hell why not seeing as how they can easily get crappy writers for a crappy show.

They only ordered 18 episodes for production which meant they had no choice but to start later than usual; the 4 "Best-Ofs" barely had any production. This show needs to get picked up by another network with more dignity because FOX treats this show like dirt. I think they deliberately planned to sabotage it. It would be nice to film the holdover sketches that never made it to the air in the first place. The problem is the whole picket line thing. FOX Networks was under the heat because a lot of writers picket lined the studios. It's pretty much a mess right now.

[Rurry]

Wouldn't it be Girl Group that would make the final decision to put the show back on the air?

Anyway, FOX is probably the least worried out of all of the networks about this strike because they have American Idol which draws up 30 million viewers REGULARLY (imagine how much it'll do now that it has pretty much no competition), so I don't think FOX would be as likely to jump at the opportunity to bring a show back then any other network.

I have to say though, I'm surprised SNL hasn't been brought back through one of those deals.