not really, because it's not structured like that. if someone like fallon or kimmel was like fuck it, they could hire non-union writers i suppose, but all comics are writers too and they would never do that. they're all on team wga and their people are hand-picked and no way they would screw them like that. nbc/abc knows better than to even broach it with them. and the strike has been looming for so long that all overall deals and writing assignments (rewrites and such) were closed out before may 1st to avoid being left in the lurch.
productions that can move forward without a working room will do so, and the rest will hold steady until it's resolved. several studios/networks have a backlog in case it stretches on, which it might, especially if it overlaps with another guild's deal expiring. the issue with the chaos ladder is that the same people still control the distribution, and everything goes through them, whether broadcast network, streaming, movie studio, whatever. all agents and producers lead to the same destination and all the lights are red.
not only that, but networks are no longer on a strict schedule like they would be 20 or even 10 years ago. if an abc show premieres in late october instead of early september, nobody even notices. there are no rules like that anymore. there could be 8, 10, 12, 16, or 22 episodes. nobody knows shit.
it should be an opening for nonscripted, which has blossomed during every strike. we're currently pitching our nonscripted show, but because of the strike and the general uncertainty in the business, we've been slow-walking it while so many studios are in reorg or outright buying freeze. our producing partner and agents won't reach out to hulu or prime or nbcu while they're on a freeze. execs won't hear pitches or they'll pass after an email. no thanks.
the weird lesson here, which i guess is unavoidable, is why announce and publicize the strike? everyone knew the deal would lapse on may 1st, and as far back as november, people who knew said nothing would be resolved before now, so everyone saw this coming. but a strike is supposed to cause turmoil through its unpredictability, and leave the higher-ups with no other option than to cave in to the demands. there have been strikes before and everyone was ready for this one, so it's ho-hum, here we go again.