5 More Shows I Am Concerned For as the Strike Continues On

So after the WGA and the AMPTP's meeting on Friday, August 4 resulted in no resolution, the strike continues. I'm going to be blunt--I'm scared. I've seen a lot of my favorite shows canceled for less than this. I didn't think this strike would be as bad as the one from 15 years prior, now...it has the potential to be exponentially worse. As I said before, it's the viewers who suffer. It's the equivalent of the familiar heartbreaking scenes at a number of houses--the writers and actors are the bickering parents, and we, the viewers, are the heartbroken children begging and pleading for Mom and Dad to stop fighting and settle things for our sake.

The strike has surpassed 100 days, and according to what I keep hearing, there isn't an end in sight. There's even talk that this will span right into 2024! As a viewer, I'm frightened. I still remember how the last strike got Reaper canceled. I can't lose any of my favorite shows just because the writers and actors are throwing a publicized temper tantrum. I just can't! A lot of shows could be affected, and regarding my faves, I mentioned three that I hope survive the strike in an earlier story I wrote. Here are five more that I'm scared for.

Cobra Kai

I have not watched Cobra Kai, but I've wanted to and have been planning on it for some time. I had been taking the proper procedure to do so, and by that, I mean watching the movies. I've seen the first two, now I need to watch the third film and The Next Karate Kid (the latter just in case) before I start on the Netflix series. The show wrapped Season Five some time ago, but this strike could decrease the chances of a sixth season. As a devout optimist, I would enjoy watching this series regardless of its fate, but I would feel so much better if my bingewatching comes with something to look forward to later.

Twisted Metal

A week before writing this, I enjoyed watching all of the episodes of Peacock's Twisted Metal series, which starred Anthony Mackie as John Doe, a nameless delivery man who was tasked with an important delivery to New San Francisco, under the orders of the town's COO, Raven (Neve Campbell). He's accompanied by a woman only going by Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz), and among many other things, the pair deal with numerous encounters with Sweet Tooth, played by AEW's Samoa Joe and voiced by Will Arnett.

So I have to mention some spoilers. For one, that "important delivery" was a container of rocky road ice cream, and secondly, John's reward was a new life in New San Francisco. However, after John voiced his desire to be back on the open road with Quiet, Raven reveals her true motive: to groom John as her driver in the first annual "Twisted Metal" racing tournament. So not only is Raven a villainess, but she's basically similar to the warden in the Death Race. With that, a second season has to happen, but this strike has me fearful that the cliffhanger could be all we get.

Poker Face

I love Poker Face with a passion! The reason is simple: it's a modern day Columbo. It has the movie-style format, every episode is loaded with notable guest stars, and it's a howcatchem--we are introduced to the killer and we see them commit their crimes before the case begins. Even Natasha Lyonne's Charlie Cale bears similarities to the classic show's title character, from the accent to the ruffled appearance. The only difference: Charlie's not in law enforcement. She's just a woman who works odd jobs and has a huge knack for spotting liars.

The show did get a second season, so a renewal doesn't worry me. My concern is how the strike affected filming; I have no idea if they've finished filming Season 2 or not. It could also affect the episode count; Season 1 had 10 episodes, it's not known how many episodes the second season will have.

iCarly

Paramount+'s iCarly reboot aired its third season finale on July 27, 2023. The third season finally saw Carly and Freddie become a couple, while the finale featured the planned wedding between Freddie's mother, Marissa, and her fiance, Lewbert. The episode also saw Carly and Freddie voice their own fears regarding any plans of marriage, and it's at this point that Carly voices the root of her fear to Spencer: their mother. Carly mentioned that their mother abandoned her and Spencer when they were kids, and she fears that she may end up just like her. However, after Lewbert and Marissa eloped, Carly and Freddie were set to marry in their place, and that's when Carly says it--to end the season:

"Mom?"

That little word is why I want this strike to be settled, not just for myself, but for fans of the show who watched the original religiously. We cannot remain hanging on that cliff. There is a chance that this strike may cause that one short word to be the last one of the entire series. Plus, I have to wonder who will be cast to play Carly and Spencer's estranged mother. I sense a pretty big name.

Cruel Summer

Another show that aired their latest season finale is Freeform's Cruel Summer, with the second season ending on July 31, 2023. Season 2 centered on the interesting friendship between Megan Landry and Isabella LaRue, as well as their relationship with Luke Chambers, with the events occurring in three separate timelines: Summer 1999, Winter 1999, and Summer 2000. The most recent of the timelines saw Luke found deceased, kicking off an investigation, though the finale revealed that Luke's murder occurred during the Winter 1999 period. Luke's older brother, Brent, confessed to the murder and was arrested, but as the final moments of the season revealed, Isabella turned heel during the winter timeline, as she drowned Luke and was shown six months later on a flight to Ibiza.

Cruel Summer is an anthology series, as each of the two seasons had a different story, different characters, and different timelines. I am hopeful that we get a third season of this show, but I am very fearful that we won't. It took two years for Season 2 to premiere after the show's renewal, and that and the strike may play a role in a decision to not go through with a third season. I just hope that we get a third season with an interesting story, and maybe another villainess or two would be nice as well.

In closing, the strike is still going on, and I continue to worry about my beloved shows. The actors and writers need to just come to an agreement, because if they continue this fighting, every viewer will continue to suffer, and that's just unfair.