ABC’s The Chase Writers Are Going on Strike

Photo: Courtesy of ABC

The writers behind the challenging and robust quiz questions of ABC’s The Chase are currently striking against the show due to a contract dispute. Variety reports that the show’s writing staff, whose trivia questions are attempted to be solved by a competitor as well as “Chasers” Ken Jennings, James Holzhauer, and Brad Rutter (a.k.a. the famous Jeopardy! trio), were not being met with the “Minimum Basic Agreement” of the Writers Guild of America. This agreement is considered fairly standard among American game shows, regardless of network or longevity. (Jeopardy!, for instance, is one of those shows.) The WGA claims that the show’s production company, ITV America, refused to let the writers be “represented by the union and to receive pension and health benefits, residuals, and the other basic provisions.” ITV America disputes this claim, stating that despite “good faith negotiations,” the proposed terms “would economically cripple the show.” The Chase recently ended its first season of nine episodes, and is in limbo of receiving another season renewal. Who knows, maybe Jennings will have another job before this all cools down.