Don't Touch That Dial
ATX Television Fest is back for round three
By Monica Riese, 12:01PM, Fri. Mar. 28, 2014
After two successful summers, the ATX Television Fest appears poised to go for the hat trick in 2014.
We've already announced a good chunk of the guests and series to be featured in this summer's fest – including the first-ever Everwood reunion, Amy Sherman Palladino (Gilmore Girls, Bunheads), Kyle Killen (Mind Games, Lone Star), and more – but the team is back with another big announcement today.
Orphan Black co-creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett are bringing a new episode from the BBC America series' second season. Rectify executive producer Mark Johnson and star Abigail Spencer are now on board to attend. Plus, Ray Romano and Mike Royce will talk about Men of a Certain Age, while hometown favorite Friday Night Lights gets its usual boost. Truly, ATX Fest co-founders Emily Gipson and Caitlin McFarland deserve recognition for their increasingly impressive slate.
"Each year we strive to surpass [the] previous year's expectations in terms of showcasing programming from fan-favorite and premiere series," they said in a press release. "This year we are excited to add new networks like SundanceTV and BBC America, as well as continuing our partnership with Netflix, to appeal to a wide variety of audiences."
And speaking of appealing to a wide audience and deserving recognition, consider Henry Winkler's career, spanning from The Mary Tyler Moore Show through Happy Days, MacGyver, and more. He's also guest-starred in everything from Arrested Development and Parks & Recreation to Royal Pains and The Practice. For these and his many other contributions to television, Winkler is being recognized with the festival's inaugural Achievement in Television Excellence award.
Here's the complete list of just-added talent:
• Graeme Manson, creator: Orphan Black
• John Fawcett, creator: Orphan Black
• Ray Romano, actor: Parenthood, Men of a Certain Age
• Mike Royce, creator: Men of a Certain Age
• Derek Phillips, actor: Friday Night Lights
• Stacey Oristano, actor: Friday Night Lights, Bunheads
• Louanne Stephens, actor: Friday Night Lights
• Dana Wheeler Nicholson, actor: Friday Night Lights
• Abigail Spencer, actor: Rectify
• Mark Johnson, executive producer: Rectify
• Noah Hawley, writer/producer: Fargo, My Generation
• Christine Taylor, actor: Hey Dude
• Andy Daly, actor: Review
• Jeffrey Blitz, director/writer/producer: Review
• Dana Stevens, creator/executive producer/writer: Reckless
• Anna Wood, actor: Reckless
• Cam Gigandet, actor: Reckless
Badges are available now for $175; catch them before prices jump to $225. Stay tuned for more updates about the festival as they become available.
The 2014 ATX Television Festival runs June 5-8, 2014.
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ATX Television Festival, Caitlin McFarland, Emily Gipson, Henry Winkler, television, ATX TV Fest 2014