Craig Mazin ('The Last of Us') & other top Hollywood showrunners explain the writers’ strike

The Writers Guild of America called on their members to launch a strike on Monday night after the contract negotiation period with major studios ended without a new deal in place. The walkout will likely result in a halt of production on most TV shows produced in Hollywood for the first time in 15 years.
JOHN HOFFMAN (“Only Murders in the Building”), BILL LAWRENCE (‘Shrinking’), CRAIG MAZIN ('The Last of Us’), JANINE NABERS (‘Swarm’), LIZ TIGELAAR (‘Tiny Beautiful Things’) and RAMY YOUSSEF (‘Ramy’) join Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Yvonne Villarreal for the L.A. Times Envelope Showrunners Roundtable.

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LET’S CONNECT:

[MayLily]

Please post the full discussion. We need more roundtables like this so we can all see the different perspectives of what makes showbiz really work.

[lynnturman]

One of the things the WGA & writers need to do (and which is probably the reason for this clip) is get out to the public that this strike is about writers just being able to make a living so they can pay the rent & buy groceries. Too many people outside of Hollywood think this strike is about writers wanting to make more money so they can buy another sportscar or another house or another yacht.

[MayLily]

'The Last of Us' has made Pedro Pascal into a superstar, even though of course he has been grinding for years. No doubt that Pedro himself is talented, but the overall writing of a show makes all the difference and can let actors shine as they should.

[commandZee]

Excellent discussion, but where's the rest of it?

[shoWbitz]

'Shrinking' and 'The Last of Us' has some of the best writing on TV right now. Hoping that WGA and AMPTP resolves this asap

[PIayer_]

Where can I watch the full discussion?

[anonamouse.p]

The lack of empathy and understanding towards Striking Writers is not on. This Roundtable shares what has Changed in the Industry with Salaries that give the majority of Writers a Cost of Living that is sustainable. Why are so many on this Post condemning the Writers and not the multimillion and Up Companies who make up the Paymasters? Soften your hearts!!!

[ShadowFireXX]

Its ridiculous that writers are being pushed off sets.

[martinavila]

Where can i watch this whole roundtable?

[vingram]

I'm on team writers!! Pay them, they shouldn't have to accept awards while making hardly any money. The actors would have nothing to say or do without them!

[Manaliiiii]

would love to watch more of this conversation!

[TyroneLT]

I do hope they discussed the issues coming up with AI because that's also another huge reason why they're striking. Please post that part of the conversation!

[janetrobertson]

Its ridiculous that writers are being pushed of sets. We have so much dross on Netflix and Disney. To read so much praise about Swarm and then discover the conditions it was written under is appalling.

[KawaiiLuckyGirl]

good luck to everyone. I hope the streaming companies buckle. I have a friend who works at one of the big streamers in the PR/Comms department, and she told me that no one in her job has even moved out there seat to stop this from continuing. They're looking for content in other countries at the moment. ugh

[liv]

Power to the people!!! Love you Craig!

[angelh]

I'm actually glad this is happening. Let's be honest. The majority of the shows for the last 5 years has been worthless crap. Limiting to 10 episodes? Especially all comedy shows in the last 5 years are freakin' lame. OMG. No real joke insight. And if you listen to these comedy shows now, it's all pre-recorded laughter. Let's not forget a lot of studios no longer allow audience into the final taping of the show's episode. Back in the old days they used to say, "This show was taped before a live studio audience."

You can't say that anymore. I don't think there is an actual new sitcoms today that use an audience.

I really hope this strike changes things back for the better. When shows had real quality writing and actually had 24 to 28 episodes a season. And not 8 or 10.

[RobEcu]

Lets be 100 percent honest these same writers have been churn out sh it TV nonstop, since the last strike. Only a hand full of series have really been great. A lot on HBO lol. I don't know whose fault that is but, hopefully this is a start to better content. I have a feeling that Netflix and apple are big culprages here, net flix especially because of how many good shows they cancel after 2 or three seasons.

[Rockstar]

Pure corporate greed. All power to the guild

[janechoy]

Thank you for this AMAZING explain video!

[IM]

I wonder if all those minimum wage workers out there breaking their backs would sympathize with unionized people... who write for a living