Network Dramas ‘Might’ Salvage 13-Episode Seasons If Strikes End Soon, Veteran EP Says

Former Law & Order spinoff boss Warren Leight gave viewers a new perspective in a Tuesday X post (fka Twitter), stating that it may still be possible for networks to salvage a 13-episode season, but only if the WGA strike’s demands are met soon.

“Today many network dramas would have begun shooting their 4th episode of the fall season,” the former executive producer and showrunner for SVU and Criminal Intent wrote. “If the strike were somehow to end by Labor Day and shooting were to begin in early fall, the networks might be able to salvage a 13 episode season. The clock keeps ticking.”

In a reply, Leight also made mention that writers rooms typically open up five weeks before shooting begins. That “could be condensed” for a shorter season, he said. (Of note, Leight recently stepped back from his duties as a strike captain and co-chair of the Strike Rules Compliance Committee.)

Despite Wednesday marking Day 100 of the strike, the WGA and AMPTP remain at a stalemate after a new deal failed to come to fruition after the planned meeting held Friday, Aug. 4. “As of now, there is no agreement on these items, because the AMPTP said they needed to consult with their member studios before moving forward,” the WGA Negotiating Committee said last week.

When the strike first began, TVLine heard from multiple sources that the guild was steeled to go at least six months if that’s what was needed to make any headway on their multiple asks. At the center of the negotiation: An acknowledgment of, and correcting for, the way that streaming has affected the work, compensation and working conditions of writers. Some of the association’s other demands include increased residuals for reuse markets, the reduction of “mini writers rooms” that greatly diminish the size of TV writing staffs, increased contributions to pension plans and health funds, and standardized compensation and residual terms for features released either theatrically or via streaming. In addition: enacted measures to combat discrimination and harassment and promote pay equity, and a strengthened regulation of options and exclusivity in television writer employment contracts.

Leight was showrunner on SVU from Seasons 13 to 17. He returned in Season 21 and helped usher in a milestone, as that was the season SVU became the longest-running (primetime) live-action series in TV history. Before that, he served as EP and showrunner on Criminal Intent from 2002-2008.