NBC Universal uses the “Force Majeure” clause
By fred | November 17, 2007
Apparently NBC Universal is one of the first studios to use the “Force Majeure” contract clause, suspending actors from Bionic Woman, The Office and 30 Rock. Under this clause the studios can chose between the following options in events of greater force, such as the writer’s strike :
A) Keep the actors at full salary
B) Terminate the actor’s contracts completely
C) Suspend them for up to five weeks with half-salary pay, and then choose between A or B
What this means is that within the next five weeks top NBC will have to make serious decision about the fate of all those shows. It seems unthinkable that they would terminate contracts for The Office, given its success, or even 30 Rock. That would be worst than shooting themselves in the head, really.
About Bionic Woman things are different. The series premiere was watched by over 14 million viewers, of which more than a half are now gone. Despite all the hype they tried to create about the show, it has been hitting series low one week after the other, and for a reason. It sucks.
Seems that the only reason it is still on the air is in fact the writers’ strike and the need for the network to have new content. Whether or not the strike last for weeks, I can’t see any reason why NBC would bring the show back once it will be all over, so I would imagine that the announcement of its cancellation will be heard within the five next weeks.
Posted in News
Shows: 30 Rock, Bionic Woman, The Office
