[Televisionary]

Not much to report today on Day Three of the WGA Strike. However, it does seem as though both sides are digging their heels into the ground and seem unwilling to sit down with the federal-appointed mediator to discuss the contract negotiation any further, a decision which will have lasting ramifications in the months to come. Several high-profile series have shut down after work was unable to be completed this week, due to the fact that writers, showrunners, and actors have walked the picket line and not turned up for work. Expect confirmation today from studio NBC Universal that production on hit comedy The Office has in fact been shut down , as I reported yesterday. (For a hilarious and apt behind-the-scenes look at the striking writers on The Office , click here .) The tally of series that have either had shoots derailed or have shut down completely include: The Office, Old Christine, The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Desperate Housewives (which was, however, expected to wra

In an expected move, studio NBC Universal has shut down production on comedy The Office . The decision comes after stars Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson, in addition to writer/actor hyphenates B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, and Paul Lieberstein, have not shown up for shooting again on Day Two of the WGA strike. Executive producer Greg Daniels has also not reported for work this week to render non-writing services as part of his role as showrunner. The writing staff, as well as other WGA members, have been heavily picketing the lot where The Office shoots. In related news, reports have reached me that Tina Fey has not crossed the picket line to film her scenes for NBC's 30 Rock , despite being quoted yesterday that she would be fulfilling her acting obligations to the series. Production has also been halted on comedies Back to You, Old Christine, 'Til Death, Rules of Engagement, Two and a Half Men, and The Big Bang Theory as well as drama Desperate Housewives.

A day later, the issue on everyone's minds is still the WGA strike. The effects of yesterday's WGA strike launch were immediately felt throughout Hollywood, with several ongoing series affected by the picket lines. Studios were quick to respond with suspension letters to several writers with overall deals. A quick run-down then on which scripted primetime series were immediately affected since yesterday's update : The Office . Steve Carell, a WGA member and writer on the "Casino Night" and "Survivorman" episodes of The Office , along with writer/actors Mindy Kaling, B.J. Novak, and Paul Lieberstein did not show up for work yesterday. Additionally, actor Rainn Wilson called in sick later in the day. Production was only able to shoot two scenes yesterday and it's thought that the above actors will continue to withhold acting services during the strike period. An NBC Universal spokesperson contacted for this story had no comment on the possibility of a

Whew. After my disappointment last week in an average but uninspired episode of Chuck , this week's episode may have turned the tide, introducing an intriguing subplot about one Chuck Bartowski's recruitment by the CIA back at Stanford and revealing why Bryce Larkin seemed hellbent on destroying his life in college. Last night's installment of Chuck ("Chuck Versus the Alma Mater"), written by Anne Cofell Saunders (who has in the past written for Battlestar Galactica , Eureka , and 24 ), served to push the boundaries of the story we've seen thus far, offering a different vantage point with which to view the past while forcing Chuck and Sarah to exorcise their shared demons. Plus, Morgan didn't irk this episode as Saunders created an atmosphere as equally fraught with peril at the Buy More as Chuck was experiencing in the field, no mean feat as thus far the only episode that has pulled this off was the series' brilliant pilot. Chuck. It was nice to see

I'll admit that I was holding out hope these past few days that a potential WGA strike could be averted but it wasn't looking good. Sources had told me last week that the strike would start on Monday morning and sure enough, despite talks over the weekend, the WGA held firm to their threat. I have very mixed feelings about the strike. I do feel that writers and others deserve to be compensated fairly for their work, whether that be on linear television, home video, or online. Writers definitely rolled over last time their contracts were up when the ancillary home video market was still a nascent spark in the eye of studio moguls; back then, the studios claimed that home video would never amount to a significant revenue stream, much like they are doing today with new media. The fact is that new media is the business of tomorrow. Even as studios and networks are in the process of figuring out how to monetize this new form of programming, the fact remains that it is a source of re

Ah, how I've missed you, Amazing Race . You're like a breath of fresh air at a time when we needed you most. In a season filled with the looming threat of the writers strike, subpar reality entries (ahem, Phenomenon ), and disappointing new series (save a few, really, which tend to be discussed here frequently), The Amazing Race is just what the doctor ordered. On last night's season premiere of The Amazing Race ("Donkeys Have Souls Too"), we met the eleven teams competing for a million dollars in a race around the world. I try to not call out my favorites this early in the race as it's still a little too early to figure out just who you should be rooting for. Sod it, I'm going to do just that. It's clear which teams I am most intrigued by. Despite their garish appearance, I kind of do like Goth couple Kynt and Vyxsin, though I had always believed that Goth culture embraced black as a primary color of clothing, rather than, you know, hot pink. Still,

Between getting her DEA agent husband killed and participating in a drive-by shooting, Nancy Botwin must be doing something right. Pay cabler Showtime has renewed dark comedy Weeds for a fourth season, ordering 13 episodes of the Mary-Louise Parker-led ensemble comedy. Network is targeting a summer 2008 launch for the fourth season of Weeds , with production to begin in April. That of course, depends on the outcome of the current writers strike. Weeds ' current season, pegged at an expanded 15 episodes, is currently in full swing on Monday nights at 10 pm ET/PT on Showtime. What's On Tonight 8 pm: How I Met Your Mother /The Big Bang Theory (CBS); Chuck (NBC); Everybody Hates Chris/Aliens in America (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC; 8-9:30 pm); Prison Break (FOX; 8-10 pm) 9 pm: Two and a Half Men /Rules of Engagement (CBS); Heroes (NBC); Girlfriends/The Game (CW); Samantha Who (ABC; 9:30-10 pm) 10 pm: CSI: Miami (CBS); Journeyman (NBC); The Bachelor (ABC) What I'