In late September, fall television billboards started to appear around Los Angeles, replacing advertisements that have been up since March when COVID-19 began to plague the nation.
Since then, television has been a mainstay in people’s quarantine lives, now that a good deal of the world is doing some version of work-from-home. With this shift, Zoom conversations have started to entail asking others what television they’re binging now.
So, it is no surprise that people have been waiting with bated breath for new content. What will a person’s favorite show look like? Will Grey’s Anatomy talk about COVID? How will this forever change the makeup of Hollywood? How can we keep actors safe?
One of the highest-stakes examples of keeping an actor or host safe during the pandemic is Alex Trebek. The longtime “Jeopardy!” host was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer in 2019 and has since been undergoing treatment. Thus, Trebek is at a higher risk during filming. The show, which Trebek has hosted since 1984, has undergone renovations, such as distancing the podiums as well as maintaining CDC guidelines of six-foot distance. Johnny Gilbert, the show’s 96-year-old announcer is working from home, as is much of the staff that are not needed for taping. Competitors are doing their auditions over zoom. A show that has been consistent for much of its life on television is being forced to shift.
What has become of scripted shows? “Grey’s Anatomy’s” Giacomo Gianniotti already said to ET that the show “will begin about a month and a half into full COVID” perhaps with flashbacks. The show was interrupted by the pandemic, with four episodes not being produced. However, the show does have a sort of loophole with the cast able to wear masks due to the medical nature of the show. Gianniotti added that he “[feels] for shows that aren’t in the doctor world” because of the “added challenge that they have to face.”
Period pieces must also be taken into account. For example, “The Goldbergs” takes place in “ninety-eighty something” and cannot work COVID-19 into their storyline. Hayley Orrantia, who plays “Erica” on the show revealed in a TikTok the extensive clothing bagging safety measures and more in their trailers.
However, when the cast gets to set, they must stay in a room with castmates. The room is complete with “their” chair and plexiglass barriers. Masks come off when the cameras are rolling, but once they wrap up filming scenes for the day, they go right back into their trailers so as to limit exposure.
Dan Fogelman, creator of cult-favorite show “This is Us,” wrote in a tweet that he and the rest of “@ThisisUsWriters” will “attack things head on.” Viewers were curious because Fogelman and the writer’s room are notoriously intricate with the characters' storylines. However, Fogelman assured that it will be the same road to the end destination.
If the Sept. 20 Emmys are any indication of what Hollywood production will look like, it is apparent that some changes will have to be made in order to keep the cast and crew safe and retain their energy. However, it is just as apparent that shows are eager to get back to filming.
Many actors have been out of a job for months and want to get back to work. Due to this, SAG-AFTRA is offering relief. Hollywood has gaps in the amount of jobs that can be done from home. COVID-19 has affected every aspect of Hollywood, but certainly not the public’s appetite for content.