How 2007 Writers' Strike Almost Killed The Big Bang Theory At The Beginning
Don't worry, if the show is good, it can survive anything.
With the recent news that more than 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) are going on strike starting this Tuesday, the general public has begun to worry about the production of their favorite shows.
Of course, the concern is mostly focused on the content that is produced non-stop on a regular basis, like the late night shows that have already announced the upcoming hiatus.
While some younger viewers are panicking about surviving the next few months on Tik Toks and YouTube videos, older viewers remember the last strike in 2007.
Much like today, the WGA was fighting for fair working conditions and payment for their work. Many sitcoms were threatened by the events, and some, like The Big Bang Theory, were on the verge of cancellation.
Although The Big Bang Theory never went off the air because of the strike, the producers suffered greatly.
When the strike began, the show had only been on the air for 8 episodes and was still very new to audiences.
There was a great possibility that people would get tired of watching it over and over again while there was no chance of producing anything new.
However, CBS received an overwhelmingly positive response and gave the show a chance to grow, even though it was moved to a different time slot. The show's co-creator recalled those days in an interview with Variety:
"When the strike ended, I was frightened that we wouldn't even come back, that we wouldn't get a second season. We certainly hadn't had a chance to really land as a series yet. But we came back and kind of relentlessly and maniacally wrote and shot nine more shows in, like, two months".
As we all know today, The Big Bang Theory ended up being a huge success with numerous awards and 12 full seasons under its belt.
Of course, the show has had its fair share of hardships and tribulations, but it has proven to be worthy of viewers' attention even in the worst of times.
If you are feeling anxious about one of your personal favorites during this year's writers' strike, just remember this story for inspiration.
You can also spend some time during the strike binge-watching The Big Bang Theory on Netflix or MAX.
Source: Variety