The Best Emojis NOT on Our Keyboards

"Writing does not stop when filming begins," Matt and Ross Duffer, co-creators and co-showrunners, tweeted on May 6. "While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work."

The Duffers went on to confirm in September that pre-production has resumed following the end of the writers' strike, but they won't be able to film until the actors' strike ends.

White Lotus Season 3

The new season of White Lotus was supposed to be on our screens sooner rather than later, but it's been pushed to the next calendar year. "WhiteLotus Season 3, that was going to be ’24 and that’s likely moving into 2025,” said HBO and Max Content Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys, via Deadline.

The Last of Us Season 2

HBO is hoping to begin production on The Last of Us season 2 in 2024, meaning we'll probably see it in 2025.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight

On May 7, author George R. R. Martin published a blog post confirming that the new Game of Thrones spinoff had ceased pre-production, while season two of House of the Dragon has already begun filming.

"The scripts for the eight s2 episodes were all finished months ago, long before the strike began," Martin says. "The writers have done their jobs; the rest is in the hands of the directors, cast and crew… and of course the dragons)."

They hope to begin production in the spring, via Variety, should the SAG-AFTRA strike end.

Spider-Man 4

During the New York City premiere of A Crowded Room, Tom Holland told Variety that a fourth Spider-Man was in its very early stages of development.

“I can say that we have been having meetings. We’ve put the meetings on pause in solidarity with the writers,” he said. “There’s been multiple conversations had, but at this point it’s very, very early stages.”

The WGA strike may have ended, but we still don't know when this movie could begin filming.

Yellowjackets

Co-creator Ashley Lyle confirmed on Twitter that after one day in the writer's room for season three, pre-production has stopped: "It was amazing, and creatively invigorating, and so much fun, and I’m very excited to get back to it as soon as the #WGA gets a fair deal."

The writer's room is able to get back to work, but we'll have to wait for the actors to get the all clear before filming can begin.

Bunk'd

Deadline confirmed on May 7 that production on this Disney Channel comedy stopped, meaning we can expect a delay in the newest season.

Cobra Kai

Co-creator Jon Hurwitz tweeted on May 2 that production on the next season of this Netflix show stopped. "We hate to strike, but if we must, we strike hard," he said at the time. "Pencils down in the Cobra Kai writers room. No writers on set. These aren't fun times, but it's unfortunately necessary."

However, pre-production can now resume on the final season of the show!

The Marvel film was paused because of the WGA strike, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Abbott Elementary

Writing for Abbott Elementary's third season was intended for May 2, the same day the strike began. Writer Brittani Nichols says in an interview with Democracy Now! that the season could be delayed as a whole (and this was before the actors' strike): "That could change the amount of episodes, which people I’m sure will be very upset about. It could change the air date. It could change a lot of different things.”

“I am a writer. I’m in the WGA. I’m also on strike!" creator, executive producer, and star Quinta Brunson tweeted at the time. "I have no real power here other than to join my union in demanding fair compensation for writers!”

Daredevil: Born Again

After disrupting the series' film schedule on May 8, Daredevil: Born Again shut down for the time being on May 10.

Good Trouble

WGA picketers stopped production for Freeform's Good Trouble on May 9. "They got NO shooting done today. We got this done with a small crew of writers who started at 4am, and the cavalry of the Teamsters grips, electricians, crew etc.," @JorgeCoolReyes tweeted.

Since the actors still can't film, we won't be able to see the rest of the season for an indefinite period of time.

The Chi

The Chi stopped production on May 12 after "@IATSE 476 and @Teamsters Local 727 refused to cross the picket line," @ZaydDohrn tweeted.

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School

Filming for Pretty Little Liars: Summer School has been interrupted by the strike.

Daytime Emmy Awards

On May 16th, The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced that the Daytime Emmy Awards would be postponed.

"We look forward to our community gathering together as one to celebrate our Golden Anniversary and all of the talented nominees and honorees at a later date," President & CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement.

The Emmys are now scheduled for January 15, 2024.

The Penguin

The Batman spinoff series, was shut down for the day on May 16. Picketers also came to strike "outside a Harlem cemetery, to defend Gotham from The Penguin," according to a tweet from @warrenleightTV.

Severance

Season two of the series, starring Adam Scott , Britt Lower, and Patricia Arquette has paused production. But that didn't stop the cast from joining the picket line!

Emily in Paris

Filming for the new season of the hit Netflix show has been delayed, via Variety, but they're hoping to resume production on Emily in Paris season 4 in the new year.

Yellowstone

The final episodes of Yellowstone have been delayed to November 2024.

Miranda’s newfound quest for understanding her sexuality (which we totally love, BTW) has led to some abrupt relationships, (truly) unexpected nudity, and (worst of all) the end of her relationship with longtime husband Steve.

Even with the divorce, Miranda’s character could have evolved in so many incredible ways. We would have loved to see her embrace single life and spark an even closer bond with Carrie, or un-retired and become an absolute law-making girlboss, or become a dolphin trainer in Thailand (Are there even dolphins in Thailand?)…just about anything other than her seemingly instantaneous relationship with Carrie’s podcast producer and bicoastal move.

More than anything, though, Miranda’s classic sensibility, quick wit, and iconically dry sarcasm have been replaced by a shell of her former self, whose only personality seems to come from what’s politically accurate to say. The OG SATC characters had chemistry that made us believe that Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha, and Miranda were IRL friends figuring life out in NYC. Now, there is a major disconnect between the old and new versions of the characters – something that the AJLT team needs to figure out, and sooner than later.

Unfortunately, Miranda isn’t the only female character MAX seems to slight. Just look at Khaleesi in Game of Thrones — she went from freeing slaves to setting fire to everyone and everything in the blink of an eye. Or Succession’s Shiv, who made a massive left turn at the end of the series, leaving fans famished for their favorite dysfunctional sibling dynamic. Like real life, female characters should be flawed, but it seems that these iconic women transition from shattering-glass-ceilings to becoming borderline “hysterical,” for no other reason than the writer’s decision. Make it make sense, MAX!

When's the best time to do holiday shopping?

The best time to do holiday shopping really all depends on your personal shopping goals. Do you want to get a jump on items you know will sell out soon? Do you want to save the most money possible? Do you want to focus on handmade, personalized gifts? These factors will undoubtedly influence your holiday shopping schedule.

Shopping early can be advantageous for all of the aforementioned goals. A lot of retailers start promoting their holiday products early on, giving you ample time to snatch up that limited-time lip kit or fancy water bottle you’ve been eyeing way before the holidays.

Plus, some of the best deals for holiday shopping happen ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – in 2023, Experian observed a surge in early spending in October, thanks to early discounts, a trend likely to continue in 2024.

Finally, shopping early can be especially helpful if your plan is to focus on handmade or personalized gifts, giving the artisan you buy from (or yourself, if you’re DIY-ing your gifts) plenty of time to craft the item with love and care.

Gallup reported in 2023 that one in four shoppers start shopping as early as September, a trend likely to continue in 2024 – so you might already be embarking on your shopping spree!

If right now is just still too darn early for you to start holiday shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best times to shop since so many retailers offer their largest discounts of the entire year. Plus, the late November-early December timeline can feel a bit more appropriate for the gifting season opposed to late October-early November, when everyone’s still recovering from Halloween.

The only thing to consider during this time is the shipping timelines for the items you purchase – but most retailers will typically advise their specific shipping schedules, so you don’t risk your goodies arriving late.

Where should I shop for gifts?

You have three main options when it comes to where to shop for holiday gifts: online, in-store, and via our amazing gift guides. Of course, each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Shopping in-store offers a tangible experience: the opportunity to hold specific items in your hands and gauge exactly what they’ll be like when you give them as a gift. The pitfall with shopping in-person is that it typically requires a commute and journeys through potentially very busy malls and shopping strips, which can add to the already-stressful holiday experience.

In-store shopping can be more physically exhausting, but it’s all about preference! Sometimes strolling through the stores that get all dolled up for Christmas is the best part of the season.

Per Google, 65% of those planning to shop for the holidays say they will shop online more. Shopping for gifts online can be super helpful since you can centralize your findings in your browser’s bookmark tab or via virtual cart(s). Plus, shopping online can pose more opportunities for saving some money: lots of retailers typically offer discount codes for online users, especially if you sign up for their digital marketing channels (like email and text) and make a purchase.

Shopping online isn’t just shopping, either. The internet can be a stellar research tool to help you vet whether certain products are worth it, where they can be bought, and when they’ll be available. In fact, Google reported that more than half of U.S. holiday shoppers who went into a store last year say they looked up product reviews online and/or located an item in-store by checking it online.

Last but not least, scrolling gift guides has to be our favorite place to shop for gifts – and not just because we write and publish them.

At their very core, gift guides help streamline the holiday shopping process, alleviating the stress that bubbles up when you’re wondering what the heck to shop for in the first place. Our gift guides are backed by real people, real experiences, and real opinions from our editorial team. We only promote products that we really love and believe in, oftentimes ones we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves.

We have gift guides for just about everyone on your list, with more on the way! Check ‘em out:

• Gifts for Him
• Gifts for Her
• Gifts for Foodies
• DIY + Handmade Gifts
• White Elephant Gifts
• Gift Sets

What are the best kinds of gifts to give?

The best kinds of gifts to give are thoughtful gifts that consider the giftee’s interests, wants, and needs. These gifts can be sentimental, practical, or both simultaneously. What matters most in a gift is that it’ll be meaningful to them past just the holiday season, whether it’s helping them get through daily tasks, reminding them of a memorable trip or event, or giving them small doses of joy.

“Shoppers are increasingly looking for personalized and unique gifts that reflect the recipient's personality and interests,” says Mia Anderson, Owner of ChicSew. “With the rise of online shopping, many consumers are opting for curated gift boxes or experiences that add a special touch.”

Gift boxes, personalized items, books of interest, self-care goodies, and even gift cards can all be thoughtful gifts depending on the recipient. If you have no clue what your giftee is into, it’s not a bad idea to ask them what they want the most!

“My idea of a great gift is something that is in tandem with the recipient's interest and offers something new to the person, be it learning a new skill, enjoying a calming activity, or simply spending quality time with the family,” says Alfred Christ, Sales Manager & Marketer at Robotime. “This season, we encourage shoppers to shift their focus on quality and the memories their gifts will create and not just merely material aspects.”

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, Black Friday lands on November 29.

When is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday is typcally the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, Cyber Monday will land on December 2. Oftentimes, retailers and brands extend their online offers through the week (coined Cyber Week) after the event. Salesforce reported that 67% of shoppers in 2024 plan on shopping during Cyber Week!