Lou Grant Season 4 Episode 13 Strike

Lou Grant season 4 episode 13, titled "Strike," follows the staff of the Los Angeles Tribune as they cover a major strike by union workers in the shipping industry. As tensions rise and violence breaks out on the picket lines, the newspaper faces its own internal conflict when some of its reporters refuse to cross the picket line to cover the story.

The episode begins with the Tribune's editor-in-chief Lou Grant (played by Ed Asner) meeting with union leaders to assure them that the paper is not anti-union and that they will cover the strike fairly. However, some of the paper's reporters choose to side with the striking union workers and refuse to work during the strike, putting the paper's coverage of the event at risk.

Meanwhile, reporter Billie Newman (played by Linda Kelsey) volunteers to cover the strike, but faces hostility and threats from both the striking workers and the police. She becomes determined to uncover the truth behind the violence and corruption she sees on the picket lines, despite the danger to herself and her coworkers.

As the strike drags on, tensions among the staff of the Tribune continue to mount. Reporter Rossi (played by Robert Walden) struggles with his loyalty to the paper and his sympathy for the strikers, while managing editor Charlie Hume (played by Mason Adams) faces pressure from the paper's owner to take a harder line against the unions.

The episode explores the complex ethical and political issues surrounding strikes and the media's coverage of them, as well as the power dynamic between workers, management, and the press. It also depicts the personal toll of the conflict, as the characters' relationships and values are tested by the intense pressure of the situation.

Ultimately, the episode offers a nuanced and thought-provoking examination of a timely and important issue, and highlights the vital role that journalists play in providing a voice for all sides of the debate.