Finally, its over!

I'm not a huge tv addict, but I have definitely felt the pain of the writer's strike over the last 100 days. Hooray that its finally over! Now the question is, when are the shows going to be back on again? Here's what I've found so far...

LOST (which is thankfully still on right now since they had 8 episodes filmed before the strike began)

Damon Lindelof is eager for some answers. An executive producer of ABC's mystery serial "Lost," he should learn this week what his show's future holds as it closes out its fourth season.

"Lost" has been back on the air just two weeks. But the strike meant a planned 16-episode shooting schedule was halted after just eight episodes were shot. Fans braced themselves for no more this season.

"But we very much want to come back and do as many episodes as possible," said Lindelof, who then listed a few issues that first need to be settled.

"How many episodes can best serve our story? And what are the production realities?" He noted that the shooting facility in Hawaii, 2,500 miles from his Los Angeles office, had been shuttered since Thanksgiving. The crew has dispersed, the huge cast has scattered.

The first new post-strike episode of "Lost" could possibly be ready for broadcast the week after episode eight appears, he said. There likely would be three or four more after that.

Could there be even more?

"I'd be surprised if the network wanted to air episodes deep into the summer," he said. But if all the pieces fell into place, "Lost" fans would be blessed: "I don't see why we couldn't deliver all eight remaining episodes."

That kind of zeal should warm viewers' hearts. Lindelof and the rest of TV's creative community seem delighted to be back.

Almost as delighted as we are.
(http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/12/hollywoodlabor.viewer.ap/index.html)


The Office

Comedies will be able to return to air the quickest with new episodes, in as soon as four to six weeks. NBC's "The Office," for one, had one script ready before the cast walked out at the start of the strike. The show hopes to have five to 10 episodes starting in April or May.
(http://www.courant.com/entertainment/tv/hc-showstatus.artfeb13,0,6214897.story)


Grey's / Private Practice

Four to five new episodes of the ABC hit "Grey's Anatomy" and its spinoff "Private Practice" are being prepared for April and May; both shows have been picked up for the fall season.

Etc.

The latest thinking on Jack Bauer's strike-interrupted season on Fox's "24" is that it will just wait until January 2009 to try again. Producers didn't want to present a fraction of the shows it had done without being able to present 24 in a row as usual.
(http://www.courant.com/entertainment/tv/hc-showstatus.artfeb13,0,6214897.story)

Many hit series (such as ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy," as well as CBS' "CSI" trio) will be back this spring for what's left of the current season, with anywhere from four to seven new episodes.
(http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/12/hollywoodlabor.viewer.ap/index.html)

Hooray - I can finally start filling up my DVR again :)