One showrunner who takes the 'runner' part literally

Just in case you happened to miss that memo, the 3 1/2-month WGA strike kinda wreaked some havoc with the 2007-2008 television season. Many series were able to complete only about half of their ordered episodes. One show, Fox's "24," found a full season wiped out, since it would have cost too much to temporarily change the title of the show to "15" -- what with designing a new logo for the official merchandise and all of that. Of course, they could have just explained that Jack Bauer was asleep for the other nine hours (he does sleep at some point, doesn't he?). But I digress.

There is one network show whose executive producer/showrunner refused to allow her program to suffer significant strike-induced damage. That would be "CSI: Miami," whose chief Ann Donahue managed to pull off a feat that feels exhausting even just typing the words on a keyboard. She inspired her troops to produce eight episodes in a scant 50 days, or a turnaround pace of slightly more than one hour-long installment every six days compared to the usual eight.

Donahue turned this nifty trick after "Miami" returned from the strike, making sure the series hit the ground sprinting at full tilt from a standing start.

"Once we got the greenlight," Donahue explains, "we said, 'Why just go 60 miles an hour when you can go 90?' And so, we did."

As a result of the blistering schedule -- which included post-production, too -- the show was able to complete 21 segments before wrapping its sixth season, only three short of its 24-episode order. "And we've scheduled it so we'll make up those three next season so that by Christmas, we'll be completely caught up," Donahue explains. "We're all pretty proud of that."

Yes, everyone connected with "CSI: Miami" surely deserves major kudos for going the extra mile (or eight) to pull this off. Talk about your well-oiled machines. The question that arises here, of course, is a simple one: why? Why push the envelope so hard simply to meet an arbitrary number? And isn't there a of diminishing creative returns when you're in the throes of such a breakneck pace?

"We were determined to get everything back to normal as quickly as we could," Donahue replies. "And beyond that, we wanted our crew to be able to catch up with the time, since the more episodes we did, the more of their lost wages they were able to recover. That was obviously important. And the fact we accomplished it proves we have the best crew in the business, 200 people with an incredible work ethic."

But how did the episodes turn out? "We did some of our best work ever," Donahue believes. "They turned out to be eight of our best. I really believe that. And I know our stars, including David Caruso, felt the same way. And we didn't have to push everybody to work 15-hour and 16-hour days to get it done. We never went more than 12. That's when you really know you've got people who know what they're doing."

And how is Donahue herself holding up?

"Well, you know, I'm kind of tired," she admits. "But nobody should feel sorry for any of us. We have this gift. We get to produce television every day -- and I think pretty damn good television. I get to work with amazing actors and writers, producers and crew who are fearless and tireless."

Comments

[Vixen]

"But nobody should feel sorry for any of us.

Right. After all you get paid loads of money. A little bit of work now and then kills nobody.

[Italiangal]

Best work ever? That's a stretch.
I don't think you will ever fine "CSI Miami" on the Emmy watch list especially with David Caruso leading this show.
I rather watch my petunias grow in the back yard than watch him.
David Caruso and his Botox babes sorry, not stimulating television...

[Cole]

"CSI Miami" is a comedy with bad actors bad scripts and bad editing.
Fact is, everything Caruso is in is simply unwatchable.

[Anonmouse]

Sad to report, the first three comments were all written by the same person. A stalker of one of the stars of CSI:Miami, she goes wherever the show is mentioned and and starts spewing. Good luck in getting rid of her.

[Emily]

To check out the truth about the last comment go to www.dojodabbles.blogspot.com The information on Vixen etc. is there with all the names she uses.

[Gina]

I agree with Italiangal. If CSI Miami is really the best work Donahue ever has done than I have serious doubts about her talents...