The conclusion of a nearly four-month-long Hollywood writers strike has TV fans asking one question:  What does this mean for my favorite shows?  In most cases, the news couldn’t be better, according to trade sources Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, TV Guide, Mediaweek and E! Online.  Let’s start with the dramas: Smallville has four new episodes finished (including tonight’s), and will now produce five more this season.  Supernatural will air its remaining two new eps this month, and add another five or six for spring.  One Tree Hill will stockpile six more hours to the six already completed.  Reaper still has three new shows ready, with five or six more ordered—and you can expect the rookie dramedy to delve much deeper into the “deal” mythology when it returns.  Breakout freshman hit Gossip Girl has aired everything produced, but will quickly resume work on up to a half-dozen more stories.  Variety reports that the Upper East Siders may even get an early Season Two launch this summer, following the successful pattern of The O.C.  Life is Wild has ceased production at this time.  On the comedy front: The Game received a solid vote of confidence, with a pickup of eight or nine more episodes—to go with its four remaining new shows.  Everybody Hates Chris (12) and Aliens in America (eight) have enough new laughs in the can, so they won’t produce any more for this season; and Girlfriends, currently the longest-running network comedy, will bid adieu after eight years with a likely one-hour retrospective now in discussion.

There are telltale signs that Sunday night’s episode of Life is Wild could be either the season or series finale.  Entitled “Home,” it’s the last of 13 episodes produced, and the cast has returned to America after months of shooting the drama on a lush game reserve in South Africa.  Too, The CW is moving its Monday comedies into Life is Wild’s Sunday timeslot the following week.  Even if the writer’s strike is soon settled, how quickly could production resume on a set 8,000 miles away?  So this weekend’s saga will likely tie up several key storylines, such as Jesse’s crossroads decision on whether to follow Mbali to New York, Katie’s budding romance with best-friend Tumelo, and (based on the promos) a possibly fatal lion attack on Art.  Will the family flee their exotic naturealm for the concrete jungle of NY?  Life is Wild has been such a great series for parents and kids to watch together, and if you’re tempted by that little football game on another channel, I promise there’ll be scores and highlights replayed for weeks.  You won’t miss a thing!  In fact, you may want to stick around for the Crowned finale encore after Life is Wild.  (SPOILERS)  Many already know that the Daredevil Divas, Moya and Jenileigh, won the pageant—and who can complain, given all the tragedy they’ve endured?  Moya’s husband was killed in a chopper crash and financial struggles cost the family their home.  They conducted themselves with class throughout the series, in stark contrast to the Sincere Sexy Reds (Laura and Patty), who Hollis had the pleasure of de-sashing in a mid-finale “ambush” elimination.  What the Reds did to “Climb Every Mountain” in the talent segment is just a crime against music.  My gameplan advice is to make Sunday a Super Finale night. 

 On March 6, 1999, the cover story on TV Guide proclaimed 7th Heaven “the best show you’re not watching.”  Well, enough people tuned in to keep the Camdens on the air for 11 seasons, and when Life is Wild took over their Sunday timeslot this year, comparisons were drawn between the two family dramas.  But these series are worlds apart, in every sense of the word.  Filmed entirely in South Africa, Life is Wild offers a unique backdrop of exotic animals and stunning scenery.  Good-looking teens are at the heart of many CW shows, and it’s no different a hemisphere away, with step-sibs Jesse (Andrew St. John) and Katie (Leah Pipes) involved in separate love-triangles that are really compelling.  When “bad boy” Jesse learned that Mbali was engaged, we felt his heartbreak—the same pain Tumelo had seeing Katie kiss suave rich guy Oliver (Calvin Goldspink).  Each of these young people are dynamic actors, blending well with solid veterans D.W. Moffett and Stephanie Niznik, parents of the semi-dysfunctional family.  There are lessons subtlety woven into storylines, and we get to learn about the African culture, with the music, in particular, a stark contrast to much heard on U.S. airwaves.  In fact, the promo alone for this week’s installment will give you goosebumps.  Life is Wild is sort of hidden away on Sunday nights—but if you watch it just once, I guarantee you’ll be back.

For those who can’t get enough TV spoilers, here are a few plot previews and guest-stars we’ll see over the next few weeks on The CW.  America’s Next Top Model will fly the girls to China and also to Mexico, where they’ll star in a music video with Enrique Iglesias.  The Nate/Blair fiasco is about to explode on Gossip Girl, which may pale in comparison to the revealing Thanksgiving episode!  Clark meets his Kryptonian mother—played by big-screen Supergirl Helen Slater—on Smallville.  Mercedes McNab (Harmony on Buffy and Angel) will guest-star on both Reaper and Supernatural.  And in the casting coup of the year, Melinda Clarke (The O.C.’s Julie Cooper) is the devil’s girlfriend on Reaper!  Erykah Badu, Eva Marcelle and Lil’ Kim visit the Monday comedies, while Justin and Raja outdo themselves with an outrageous school prank on Aliens in America.  Even the animals are turning up the heat on Life is Wild, where a hippo chases two stars up a tree, and an elephant falls in love with a giraffe.  Sweet.  And trust me, that’s just a small sampling of what’s to come.  Stay tuned…

When fun facts begin to snowball, interesting trends emerge. I began thinking about various WBNX stars who are also involved in the music industry…and was surprised to quickly list 22. With Cleveland’s strong rock-and-roll ties, having that many actors on one north coast network who also “moonlight” as singers is unusual, if not unprecedented. The impressive group includes three Grammy winners (Reba, Queen and Will), multi-Grammy nominees (Foxx and Milian), and a member of one of the most-popular ‘70s groups, Tony Orlando & Dawn, Telma Hopkins. I also included Kiefer Sutherland, since he’s formed his own recording label and studio for hot indie bands. Many of these stars below can be heard performing on YouTube. Here’s my rockin’ rundown… look over our TV program lineup and see if you can add to the list! If you want more info on a particular star, post a comment.

Reba McEntire (Reba)
Queen Latifah (Living Single)
Will Smith (Fresh Prince)
Jamie Foxx (Jamie Foxx Show)
Telma Hopkins (Half & Half)
Scarlett Pomers (Reba)
Renee Olstead (Still Standing)
Persia White (Girlfriends)
Bethany Joy Galeotti (One Tree Hill)
Wesley Jonathan (What I Like About You)
Calvin Goldspink (Life is Wild)
Katie Cassidy (Supernatural)
Cassie Steele (Degrassi)
Mike Lobel (Degrassi)
Jake Epstein (Degrassi)
Tisha Campbell (My Wife & Kids)
Jim Belushi (According to Jim)
Tatyana Ali (Fresh Prince)
Kiefer Sutherland (24)
Christina Milian (8 Days a Week / midseason)
Bret Harrison (Reaper)
Amy Pietz (Aliens in America)

There is nothing else like Life is Wild on network TV, says Andrew St. John, one of the series’ young hunks. And he’s right. No other CW show is filmed over 8,000 miles from the United States, or puts its stars in the open path of elephants, lions, giraffes and assorted big game. Oh sure, there are animal wranglers just off camera, but even one of them mentioned in a new CW interview that “you have to remember these are WILD animals, and they can turn on you or hurt you without even realizing it.” He said that as an elephant swung its enormous trunk just over the head of teen star Leah Pipes. Debuting this Sunday at 8pm, Life is Wild is much more than simply a show you can watch with the whole family. The young stars are charismatic, and love triangles quickly form—even on a game reserve in South Africa, where this blended NYC family-in-distress has migrated for a year of forced bonding. It’s fantastic to see Everwood’s Stephanie Niznik (Nina) back on WBNX, but the stunning scenery and furry co-stars just may steal the spotlight. Danger or not, the young actors appear in awe of their surroundings and involvement with this one-of-a-kind show. Check it out and let us know your reaction!