"Previously, on .5 ..."

The recently-concluded writers' strike had widespread and profound effects throughout Hollywood. The cost unseen to the rest of the world was the hit local businesses ancillary to the entertainment industry took. Everything from electricians and carpenters to caterers and florists suffered a significant downturn in business. Without commenting on the relative merits of bargaining positions, those who suffer from any strike are not limited the principals to the dispute. One of the weapons of a strike is its effect on innocent, worthy parties who may have a stake in the outcome but no voice.

Like, for instance, me.

One of the more visible casualties of the strike was the cancellation of the hit show "24." We have seen every season of this show, which we typically watch around Christmas when the entire season is available on DVD and we can devote many hours to watching multiple episodes at time. Because the show films later in the year than most others, the production had barely begun before the strike shut it down. The producers elected to suspend production for the season, and have only begun filming again this past week.

To provide the show's fans with a little taste of what they have been missing (as well as to keep the brand alive and experiment with a new means of distribution), key members of the production team have been filming a "Rookie" companion series to be broadcast solely on the internet. It is a bite-sized version of the main show. Instead of 24 one-hour episodes tracking superhero Jack Bauer through a day, "Rookie" follows a trainee through six five-minute episodes.

Jack Bauer has a difficult enough job uncovering a secret terrorist plots, sacrifice himself for loved ones, escaping from ultra-secure captivity, saving presidencies, rooting out inevitable moles in CTU and saving the world from certain destruction in 24 hours. I'd like to see him try that in half an hour. Slacker.