It has been one month since members of the WGA left the picket line and returned to work. But, with an approaching economic recession and a total upheaval of the process of greenlighting and purchasing spec scripts, the victorious are the few.

Though only a handful of shows have returned to the air since the writers went on strike in November and all production was shut down, TV ratings have yet to rebound. Variety posted this article last month, illustrating the plans of the major networks. 

Because this season was essentially cut in half, studios are limiting the pilot season to only a few newbies and are denying raises for staff that worked on less than a full season. Whereas production staff and writers would receive a pay bump at the start of a new season, studios are now claiming that episodes that air in the fall will count as part of this season. Thus, no bigger paychecks.

This is just one of the many ways studios are pinching their pennies. So much money was lost during the three-month strike that congloms are trimming development deals, streamlining staff, and being extremely choosey about pilots. Wired posted that the final cost of the WGA strike was $2.5 billion. This sum includes lost wages, losses to businesses that rely on the entertainment industry (caterers, limo drivers, and the like), and halted productions. The cancellation of the Golden Globes alone bore a $60 million price tag. 

The pilot season has always been an inefficient race; dozens of new shows competing for only a handful of spots. Now, studios are using the strike as an excuse to rework this process to a year-round pilot season that would see shows released as they were ready.

Variety reports that many in Hollywood are under extreme stress and fear that the day that the recession that is sweeping the United States lands in Hollywood is growing closer every day. 

The writers can't be blamed for the current atmosphere in the entertainment capital. Though some believe that the downsizing currently taking place is the studios trying to punish the writers for striking, the studios' actions are merely sound economic practices. True, the studios may have a bit more leverage now that the strike is over, but there doesn't seem to be any malice towards the writers. 

Variety quotes "Bones" creator Hart Hanson as saying, "Nobody's getting a big fat raise, at least not easily or automatically. I feel I have to justify expenditures even more than usual. I have to say, though, I don't get the sense of the companies 'taking revenge.' The strike hurt their bottom line, and they are trying, as corporations, to mitigate the financial hit they endured. There's not the feeeling of personal vengeance behind it."

In the past, studios would collect writers to accumulate a staff that would [hopefully] eventually come out with the next great sitcom. Now, those development pacts just don't make sense. Streaming video is the future, there will be fewer overall deals made, and the pilot season is on its way out. Why keep a room full of writers on payroll based on a hope?

Actors are also feeling the effects of the strike. Not only did they suffer massive pay cuts and lose lots of income during those three months, they will now spend the summer in production instead of on vacation. Even though this doesn't seem like a big deal (poor rich actors don't get a summer break), it will become a problem for those that, during the hiatus, agreed to work on feature films. There may be a reshuffling of film casts in the future. One studio exec claims that "I've had more requests from actors looking to be let out to do feature films that I can ever remember." My guess is one of those is "Grey's Anatomy" star Katharine Heigl, who has found her niche as the next rom-com favorite.

As for the feature film industry, numerous projects are in waiting to be greenlit. However, that avalanche of so-called great films that were supposed to hit screens after the strike are currently being held in case of a summer SAG strike. 

Entertainment Weekly has posted a calendar detailing return dates for 45 television shows. Will you be tuning in?