This is an opinion piece column for this week’s newspaper about the WGA strike.

Are you tired of watching reruns of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Ugly Betty” on Thursday nights? You’re not alone and it’s all to be blamed on Hollywood.

Okay, so it’s not just Hollywood but mostly the studios and the Writer’s Guild of America (East and West). The writers’ have been on strike since early November because of several issues such as DVD royalties and the viewing and downloading of full episodes online that they were not being compensated for.

If I went to ABC.com and watched an episode of “Dirty Sexy Money,” the only person making money is the website owner (the studio) who was paid to place the advertising on the website.

The strike began when WGA’s contracts with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) ended on Halloween and talks began that night over the internet (new media) issue. The next day, the WGA committee that was negotiating with AMPTP suggested a strike and it officially began at at midnight on Nov. 5, 2007.

WGA members began picketing studios in Los Angeles and New York City. Such television and movie stars as Jay Leno, Katherine Heigl, Robin Williams, and Julianne Moore went out to support the writers who were in the picket lines. Leno brought the picketers donuts. Democratic Presidential Nominee John Edwards even picketed with the writers.

Even former President Bill Clinton offered his services to WGA to help end the strike.

As of press time, there has been no resolution in the matter although the Director’s Guild, who were also on strike, reached a deal last Thursday after only six days of negotiating. The directors were arguing for the same things that the writers are – internet and DVD royalties.

Sources told the LA Times that the writers and major studios would resume talks this past Monday.

As a Mass Media major, creative writer and a television watching freak, I’m a little torn in what I think about the whole strike. A part of me wants to say, “Hey, idiots, get your butts back to work so I can watch McDreamy and McSteamy!” Then there’s the part of me that knows if I were one of those writers on a show like “Grey’s Anatomy,” I would want to be paid for people watching the full shows online.

Not only have our favorite shows been taken away from us, the Golden Globe Awards and the People’s Choice Awards didn’t take place. They were basically press conferences. I didn’t get to see Brad Pitt dress up or see what ridiculous dress Sarah Jessica Parker would be wearing.

Personally, I don’t understand why the writer’s couldn’t atleast worked on the awards shows that honored their products… the shows and movies that they are fighting so hard to be paid for.

It’s times like this that I’m glad that I can still count on Canadian shows like “Degrassi,” even if it’s silly teen dramas, at least new episodes are coming on.