For a writers strike, there's certainly a lot to read. While people caught in the middle of this might be busying themselves with Guitar Hero, most people just want to know when The Office will come back on. And updates on the donut status on the picket line is a poor excuse for actual entertainment. Our breakdown on the strike must-reads after the jump.

Deadline Hollywood
The blog version of Nikke Finke's LA Weekly column is required reading for people whose livelihoods, not just lives, are getting screwed by the strike. "We're getting excellent reports from this one blog that seems to be the go-to source for the strike: deadlinehollywooddaily.com," says an insider at a late night show. "Literally everyone is reading it." Perhaps because Nikki is basically running a 24/7 newsfeed?

Long-term outlook: Bleak. Tension is at an all time high, as both parties feel duped by recent back channel negotiations. Finke tells us, "Really smart people have told me that, if this walkout doesn't settle in the next few weeks, say, by December 15th, then there may not be an incentive for the moguls to settle it until June when SAG's contract comes due."

Best Comment: "Ignore the comments of Norm A. Rae, the twelve-year-old with acne who writes into sites all over the web and makes what he thinks are pithy comments. The fact he’s wasting time like this indicates he’s not now, nor with a shitty attitude like his ever will, get laid and he’s just plain angry."

Actual level of interest for someone who doesn't work in Hollywood: Constant updates about celebrities visiting the picket line leave something to be desired. The blog isn't dry, but she does drop more names than Inside Baseball.

Variety
Some writers have accused Variety of having a pro-studio bias. The magazine's editor, Peter Part, worked at a senior level at Paramount and MGM/United Artists. One commenter on United Hollywood wrote, “[Variety reporter Dave] McNary’s reportage reminds me of the work of Judith Miller in the run-up to the Iraq war.” Zing.

Long-term outlook: The lead story on Variety's web page is that the strike could go into 2008.

Best Comment: "All the agents and managers getting fired and having to do business development at McDonalds must be loving this. How you like them studio mofos now? Almost makes Ari Gold's Coffee Bean startup office look glam. Support the writers. Don't F them and Hollywood will continue to lay golden eggs for another thousand years."

Actual level of interest for someone who doesn't work in Hollywood: Variety is one of those trades everyone sounds smart quoting but nobody enjoys reading. At least not on this coast. Think long quotes from people you've never heard of (but may have, at one time, fired you), acronyms, and information drawn from union pamphlets.

LAT Show Tracker
The L.A. Times's blog devoted to which shows are still on.

Long-term outlook: TV shows are dropping like flies.

Best Comment: "With the generally unimpressive state of mainstream television I am surprised as much of the outside world is that the studios or anti-writer's union crowd can't find eager and competent replacements."

Actual level of interest for someone who doesn't work in Hollywood: A must-read for people who don't know what to do with their free time without TV.

Defamer
Hollywood gossip blog.

Long-term outlook: It's logo for the strike is a mushroom bomb.

Best comment: "Well, I'll miss Dexter. But Spiderman 12 and Transformers 19 and Lost and Heroes, no I won't."

Actual level of interest for someone who doesn't work in Hollywood: Let's keep it real: strikes are boring, loud and slow moving. Defamer keeps the "donut watch" posts to a minimum and includes vital updates like: "Dear Roommate, I don't give a f*ck if you're on strike or not, you're not bringing your 'movement' into our apartment. Start cleaning this place up!! You should have plenty of time now."