Production is gradually coming back to life in Los Angeles, following a halt imposed last week by the ravaging wildfires that swept through the region. The CBS lineup, including "NCIS," "NCIS: Origins," "Poppa's House," and "The Neighborhood," is poised to resume filming on Monday, marking a cautious return to normalcy. According to a source closely familiar with the arrangements, all four series will be shot within enclosed sound stages, with health and safety experts diligently monitoring throughout the day to ensure compliance with safety protocols. Cast and crew members affected by the fires or unable to safely commute to the sets will still receive their usual paychecks, a gesture that underscores the industry's commitment to its workforce.
Similarly, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" is gearing up to resume taping this week, after a forced hiatus due to the infernos. Conversely, CBS's late-night show "After Midnight" will maintain its production pause on Monday and Tuesday. It remains uncertain how many other programs that halted operations last week will follow suit in resuming filming in the days ahead. Productions such as NBCUniversal's "Hacks," "Suits: LA," "Ted," and "Loot," along with Amazon's "Fallout" Season 2, were among those significantly impacted.
This latest setback for physical production in LA adds to the string of challenges the industry has faced in recent years, including COVID-induced lockdowns, writers' and actors' strikes, and the bursting of the streaming bubble, all contributing to a decline in the total number of productions.
Since last week, a plethora of fires have erupted across Los Angeles, fueled by extremely arid conditions and powerful Santa Ana winds that facilitated rapid fire spread, prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents. As of this writing, the Palisades fire has scorched over 23,000 acres, while the Eaton fire has devoured more than 14,000 acres. Forecasters predict more intense winds to hit Los Angeles and Ventura counties later this week, potentially sparking new blazes and complicating firefighters' efforts to quell the ongoing crises.
