by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
First, I have no idea if there the strikes that currently are happening in Hollywood will still be going on this fall. But we have to begin to take the possibility that there won’t be a 50th season of Saturday Day Night Live seriously.
At the moment, there is a lot of chatter that the strikes will be wrapped up by around September when it really starts to hurt the industry in practical ways. And, yet, the case could also be made that lulz, because of AI, these strikes are going to linger for months and months AND MONTHS because suits are simply waiting for AI to catch up so the strikes are all moot.
I would estimate that we’re 18 months away from pretty good all-AI generated movies being practical. As such, that’s about how long I could see all these strikes taking before they’re wrapped up because there’s pretty much no human involvement in recorded entertainment at all.
But back to SNL.
I suppose SNL could get a specific exception? Maybe? Or maybe they might be able to get a specific carveout JUST for their 50th anniversary special? I suppose that’s possible. There is a darker possibility — the strikes, if they linger — might be used as an excuse to END SNL once and for all.
Lorne Michaels has suggested that he may retire after the 50th season and if there is obviously NOT GOING TO BE A 50TH SEASON then, lulz, he may just pack things in and the show goes out not with a bang, but with a whimper.
