Is Last Week Tonight with John Oliver new tonight on HBO, May 7?
Before we get too far into this article, we should just go ahead and point out the big news of the week. The Writers Guild of America is currently on strike after negotiations broke down between them and the AMPTP, the governing body of streaming services and networks. This means that for the foreseeable future, scripts will not be written, and the vast majority of late-night shows will be entirely off the air.
Alas, this means a goodbye to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver until a strike is resolved. It can be hard to figure out a precise length to a strike at this point. The one during the 2007-08 season lasted for several months, and it is possible that this one will, as well. The show is in complete solidary with the WGA; they even included a brief image proving so at the start of this past episode.
Ironically, we think a lot of viewers out there would benefit from a granular main segment explaining what the strike is, how we got here, and what will be needed to resolve it. The biggest thing that we can say right now is that writers are fighting for a collective future, one where their profession is taken seriously and where there are opportunities for advancement. Also, there’s a real push to make sure they do not become victims of technology like AI, which more and more corporations could be looking to take advantage of at some point in the next few years.
For now, let’s cross our fingers and hope that a deal gets done — provided it’s a fair one for the creative people out there. All of their requests feel reasonable and just.
When are you hoping to see Last Week Tonight with John Oliver back on HBO?
Be sure to let us know right now in the comments! Once you do just that, remember to come back for some other updates you don’t want to miss.
(Photo: HBO.)