How the Entertainment Community Fund Is Supporting Workers Impacted by the Strikes

Welcome to the 231st episode of TV top 5, The Hollywood Reporters TV podcast.

Every week, hosts Lesley Goudberg (West Coast TV Editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) provides an overview of the latest TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcomes showrunners, executives and other guests and provides a critical guide to what to watch (or skip, as the case may be) ).

This week we look at the impact of the double strike in Hollywood from a different perspective: that of the , who is helping workers affected by the work stoppage to make ends meet. This is how this week’s episode goes:

1. Mailbag

Ahead of next week’s series finale, Dan offers an elevator pitch (and plea!) to watch Reservation dogs while also discussing the possible post-strike contraction for the TV industry.

2. Strike Zone: the latest updates

The WGA and Hollywood studios and streamers that make up the AMPTP are back at the negotiating table this week and there is progress to report!

3. Strike Zone: Daytime updates

Remember last week we talked about how daytime syndicated shows were coming back on the air? Throw that out the window! Plus Dancing with the stars could be the next show plotting its return only to have to change course.

4. Strike Zone: Within the Entertainment Community Fund

We’ve been reporting for months about the impact of the twin strikes in Hollywood on media giants like Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery. This week we are going to focus on the workers affected by the mass shutdown of production work. Employees on strike and those not part of the WGA or SAG-AFTRA are living in cars and losing their homes as many of the industry’s top showrunners rally to support the Entertainment Community Fund. Joining us this week is Barbara Davis, the ECF’s chief operating officer, who has been with the organization since 1984. Davis explains how much money the fund has distributed to workers in need. During the corona shutdown, the ECF distributed more than $30 million in resources. As the WGA strike approaches its 22nd week and 150th day, the fund estimates this amount at $20 million. “We see a lot of people who have lost their homes,” Davis said. “More and more people are living in their cars. … There are a lot of concerns about the inability to pay for basic needs.” Click here to donate.

5. Critics Corner

As usual, we’ll end with Dan’s thoughts on this week’s new and returning series. In this episode he discusses Max’s Young lovePeacock The Continentalthe final season of Netflix Sex education and Fox’s Krapopolis.

Hear it all now TV top 5. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. (Reviews welcome!) You can also email us with any topics or Mailbag Questions you’d like to cover in future episodes at TVsTop5@THR.com.