New Season of ‘24’ Delayed by Writers Strike

They may have a flawed understanding of the Geneva Conventions, but writers for 24 know a WGA strike means pencils down, apparently. Fox announced last night that they would delay the return of the show until the seventh season can be aired in one uninterrupted block. Only six new episodes have been completed so far (production continues on a seventh and eighth), but if the strike continues into next year, 24 may not come back until January 2009!

Obviously this is the worst news ever, but it gets even worse. After next week, there are no new episodes of The Office, and if Lost get delayed too, the only things we’ll have to keep us entertained next spring will be American Idol and our warm memories of already-aired Kid Nation episodes. Who knew writers were so important?

’24’ season in jeopardy [Variety]
For TV Executives, It’s Time to Juggle [NYT]
Earlier: Will the 2009 Season of ‘Lost’ Be Even Longer and More Confusing Than Usual?