On the Air

The Write Stuff

Should writers and actors hit the picket line this summer, fans of That '70s Show, Law & Order, and Special Victims Unit can rest easy: All three shows are working overtime to provide some original episodes for the fall. Only a few other shows -- JAG and Touched by an Angel, among them -- are churning out additional segments so fans won't be forced to watch reruns if production is halted. More series might have been willing to work extra hours, had there not been worries of hitting a creative rut. ''Twenty-two to twenty-four episodes of a sitcom or drama is incredibly taxing, so you're asking drained people to come up with fresh ideas,'' says one Big Four exec. In addition, many scribes have taken the advice of Writers Guild president John Wells, who has discouraged members from helping the nets by penning surplus episodes. Not so with Uberproducer Dick Wolf: He's sympathetic to the Guild's demands for a more proportionate share of foreign, cable, video, and DVD revenues, but feels a sense of responsibility to NBC. The net not only locked up Wolf's Law and SVU for more seasons, but it also ordered 13 eps of his latest Law spin-off, Criminal Intent, for fall. Adds Wolf, ''I have a moral responsibility to my producers, crew, and support staff -- many of whom have been with me for more than a decade -- to lessen the financial impact on them in the event of a work stoppage.''

'Oz' 'N Effect

Fox's ambitious plan to contemporize The Wizard of Oz is getting farther down the yellow brick road of development, with 'N Sync's Justin Timberlake in talks to play the Scarecrow. Directed by Randal Kleiser (Grease), The O.Z. tells the tale of a successful hip-hop music producer in L.A. named Dorothy who finds herself in a strange land after a massive earthquake. Kenneth ''Babyface'' Edmonds is exec-producing the musical, which wouldn't begin production until August if Timberlake signs on. A Fox spokesman wouldn't comment. Meanwhile, the net is busy rounding out the rest of the cast for The O.Z. Sources say John Leguizamo is being considered for the role of the Wicked Warlock (instead of the Wicked Witch), and Broadway tap dancer Savion Glover may also make an appearance. Other stars previously reported to have agreed to make the trip over the rainbow are Busta Rhymes as the Cowardly Lion and Little Richard as the Wiz. This isn't the only retelling of Oz in store for network television: Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (see story on page 22) plan to make a small-screen version of Broadway's The Wiz for ABC.

'Say' It Isn't So

Viewers may love Will & Grace, but that hasn't made more television actors willing to play gay roles. Case in point: Producers struggled for months to find a forty-something to star as a single gay foster father in Say Uncle, a CBS sitcom in development for fall, about a man who takes in his niece and nephew after his sister's death. Sources say openly gay actor Rupert Everett responded to the script but passed, while others said no because of Uncle's potentially controversial premise. ''There were actors sending [messages] like, 'I won't play a gay person with children,''' says exec producer Jeffrey Richman (Frasier). Gregory Harrison and David Hasselhoff were among those who ultimately auditioned, though it was thirtysomething's Ken Olin who nabbed the role. Buzz is already strong for the project, seen by CBS as a family show. Says GLAAD rep Scott Seomin, ''This is the best gay-themed sitcom I've read since the pilot of Will & Grace.''

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