Why did HBO suspend David Simon’s deal? Could the creator of ‘The Wire’ return to the network?

HBO has suspended their contract with writer David Simon after Writers Guild of America went on strike last week. Simon, most known for creating the crime drama series The Wire has worked for the channel for 25 years.

He has joined the ranks of a number of writers/producers/showrunners whose contracts have been suspended because of the WGA strike.

Writers receiving letters of suspension

The letters sent to the workers on strike informed them that the compensation they receive under their contracts were suspended effective May 2, when the WGA work stoppage began. The guild went on strike after their deal with the studios expired, and the two parties failed to agree on a new contract.

The WGA is pushing for higher minimum compensation as their pay has gone down over the past years while the earnings of networks continue to grow.

This story explains the why’s and wherefore’s of the strike in detail, and how it affects TV shows and movies.

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Could the creator of ‘The Wire’ return to the network?

Like other writers and producers, Simon’s contract was only suspended, and not terminated. This implies that he could possibly still return to work for HBO if the issues between the networks and the writers are eventually ironed out.

Aside from The Wire, Simon worked on HBO programs such as We Own This City and Show Me a Hero. He has also created other acclaimed television series such as Treme and The Deuce. The journalist has won numerous awards for his work, including the MacArthur Fellowship (also known as the ‘genius grant’) and the Peabody Award.

The 63-year-old has written several books, including Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, which was the basis for the TV series Homicide: Life on the Street.