ATX Festival 2016 to Feature FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Reunion, THE O.C. Writers Panel, and More

ATX Television Festival has announced new panels and programming for this year's festival, which returns for a fifth year June 9-12, in Austin, Texas. Highlights include a FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS tailgate reunion, a meeting of THE O.C. writers, plus screenings of CASUAL, unREAL, and YOUNGER. Check out the full listings below!

A Writers Room Reunion for "The O.C." will take place, featuring creator Josh Schwartz, along with writers Stephanie Savage ("The Astronaut Wives Club") and Leila Gerstein ("Hart of Dixie"). Additional panelists will be announced at a later date. ATX will also host a script reading of the pilot episode of the series, similar to last year's unforgettable "Dawson's Creek" reading, featuring a TBD cast.

ATX will host series panels and screenings with Hulu's Golden Globe® nominated comedy "Casual," Lifetime's critically-acclaimed drama "UnREAL," and TV Land's "Younger," which returns to the festival for a second year. Panelists will be announced at a later date.

Celebrating five years since the series ended, and the 10-year anniversary of its premiere, ATX will host a special "Friday Night Lights" High School Reunion, in association with Texas Monthly. On Friday, June 10th, cast, crew and fans will reunite on Panther Field where it all took place, with a traditional "Friday Night Lights" pep rally, live music, tailgating activities, Texas "eats," photo opportunities, surprise cast appearances, and a special screening of a fan-favorite episode.

ATX Advisory Board member Beau Willimon ("House of Cards") will moderate a conversation with David Simon, creator of "The Wire" and the new HBO series "The Deuce," and Tom Fontana, creator of "Oz," as they discuss their professional relationship, how they came to work together on "Homicide: Life on the Street," and highlights from their individual series and careers.

Showrunners Kurt Sutter ("Sons of Anarchy") and Jennie Snyder Urman ("Jane the Virgin") will join this year's festival as first time panelists. Sutter will be part of the previously announced writers room reunion for "The Shield," among other panels, and Urman will discuss her buzzed-about series, which has garnered both critical acclaim and awards recognition.

These panels join previously announced programming for ATX's 2016 festival, including a special "Everybody Loves Raymond" 20-year reunion with cast and producers; "The Shield" Writers Room Reunion with creator Shawn Ryan and the show's writers; a script reading of the never-picked-up pilot "Big," with creators Kevin Biegel and Mike Royce and surprise cast; and panelists Betsy Beers, Hart Hanson and Krista Vernoff. Norman Lear will also receive this year's ATX Award for Television Excellence.

For the latest developments, tickets and badges visit the ATX Television Festival official site www.atxfestival.com and follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

For co-promotion, please link to @ATXFestival #ATXTVs5 on Twitter.

About ATX Television Festival
ATX's focus is the celebration of the television medium - looking back at its history, where it is now, and where it is headed. Our weekend consists of events in which attendees can interact with actors, writers, directors, creators, showrunners, music supervisors, casting directors and studio executives involved in all stages of bringing their favorite shows to the small screen. We have all the functionality of a traditional film festival - spotlighting classic shows, never-aired pilots, cancelled too soon series, cult favorites, current hits and premieres of new series. In addition, we feature episode screenings with Q&A's with the cast and creators, panels focused on industry related topics, and parties, live music, meet-ups, social media events and "super secret happy hours." ATX's goal is to serve both the community and industry professionals equally, by giving them the opportunity to discuss and celebrate all aspects of TV.

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