Ever since the Writers Guild of America went on strike on May 2, soap fans have been wondering when it would begin affecting their favorite daytime dramas. And now we know the answer, at least for GENERAL HOSPITAL. Breakdown writer Shannon Peace shared on Instagram that the July 20 episode of GH would be the last one to have her name in the credits until the strike comes to an end.
“Starting Tuesday, [July 25], the writing team of GH will be watching alongside fans to see what happens,” Peace wrote. “For the sake of the fans, I hope the show is in capable writing hands. But I have to also acknowledge the pain of knowing that characters we’ve developed, relationships we built, and stories we planned are being handled by others.”
While most film and television productions have paused during the writers’ strike, soaps are continuing on with either scab writers who have crossed the picket line, or “fi-core” writers, who are writers who have given up their union membership in order to continue working.
“Daytime writers face a unique conflict during strikes,” Peace admitted. “We hate to see our characters and storylines handed over to ‘writers’ who cross the picket line. But we’re also keenly aware that stopping production could spell the demise of soap operas. Hoping the AMPTP does the right thing soon — not just for writers, but for the integrity of storytelling.”
SAG-AFTRA has also gone on strike and joined the WGA on the picket lines to seek fair contracts from the studios, but as previously reported, soap actors work under a different contract, so while they can join their fellow actors in picketing, they will not be going on strike themselves.
As the episodes featuring scripts from the new temporary writing team begin airing, Peace urged fans to keep watching. “My hope is that if you love GH, you’ll continue to watch,” she said. “You can morally support the writers and keep the show on the air!”
