The TV Campfire

From story editor, to comedy executive, to production mogul, Marcy Carsey has spent more than 35 years shaping the television sitcom, and by extension the television industry. As co-founder of The Carsey-Werner Company, she has produced nearly 2,000 episodes of TV’s most iconic comedies over three decades (including Roseanne , The Cosby Show, A Different World, That 70’s Show , 3rd Rock from the S...

Last fall, in the midst of pop culture’s ongoing obsession with all things “true crime,” Netflix’s American Vandal arrived just in time to set social media ablaze with one tantalizing question: Who drew the dicks? Like amateur documentarians Peter and Sam, viewers found themselves enamored not only by the show’s central mystery (uncovering the perpetrator of a costly, phallic prank), but the preci...

What does it take to build a creative and influential empire? Blown Deadline Productions has been a pivotal component of changing the TV landscape for the last 20 years. Unafraid to make the personal political, producing partners David Simon and Nina K. Noble have incorporated TV’s most diverse casts as its content dares to expose this country’s institutional dysfunction from Baltimore to New Orle...

What is ATX Television Festival? Hear from our alums, in their own words, what makes "TV Camp for Grown Ups" a one of a kind experience -- and what TV means to them -- in this special S'More from ATX Season 7. Featuring: James Lafferty, Nick Wechsler, Jason George, Melanie Scrofano, Katherine Barrell, Phil Rosenthal, Will Catlett, Nicholas D'Agosto, Jessica Rhoades, Marcy Carsey, Bob Odenkirk ATX...

As society has changed, so has the role of storytelling on TV. In the current political climate, what is the obligation of series creators and writers to showcase divisive social issues, diverse cultures and ethnicities, and opposing opinions on an array of ‘hot topics’? These creators have already excelled at including storylines that have expanded awareness on these issues, and they now discuss...

Felicity fans, TV Campers, and smoothaise enthusiasts: this week’s bonus ep is for you! In a special S’More crossover with An Actor, a Comedian, and a Musician Into a Bar , ATX alum Greg Grunberg (and friends Kirk Fox + Nick Marzock) swap stories with Emmy-winning comedy writer/director/producer Jay Kogen ( The Simpsons ). If you like our pod - give it a listen! To hear the full ep (and future epi...

For LGBTQIA viewers, TV has long been a medium of binaries -- gay or straight; male or female; cisgender or transgender -- but the past few years have seen a swell of characters who aren’t so easily defined. From teen soaps, to cable dramedies, the spectrum of visibility has grown to include bisexual+ and non-binary characters who are more in tune with the viewers they represent, and less the prod...

In recent months, immigration storylines have become central plots for a number of TV shows. These writers and producers, along with a representative from the ACLU, discuss the importance and power of story, how they work together to ensure authentic representations of current issues, the impact it has on viewer’s opinions on immigrants, Dreamers, refugees, and deportation, as well as the actions...

In the 45 years since Norman Lear faced off with standards & practices over Maude's “dilemma” (a first for the small screen), creatives have been fighting to de-stigmatize the female body and by extension, the right to choose by including birth control and abortion as more than just a "special episode." Primetime and Cable have seen major characters faced with a decision about sex and pregnanc...

We often ask ourselves, would Friends or Seinfeld, shows that follow 4-6 white, heterosexual characters, be made in 2018? Every year executives strive to expand representation both in front of and behind the camera in order to include a wider range of races, religions, sexualities, and cultures, but there is always more progress to be made. Listen in as these key decision makers discuss why these...

This past and current season of TV has seen multiple series capture what life is like while serving in the military. The creators/showrunners of these series work closely with military consultants, including hiring veterans on their crews and writing staffs, to ensure accuracy. Listen in as these writers and consultants discuss their working partnerships, the objectives they are trying to portray...

ATX Correspondent Emily Moss Wilson sits down with The Affair creator Sarah Treem, producer Jessica Rhoades, and lead actress Maura Tierney in this exclusive bonus ep, recorded live in the Hulu Lounge at ATX Season 7! Listen in for an insider look at the show's origin, and what lies ahead for your favorites in Season 4. To hear the full Q&A from our ATX Season 7 screening, head over to Variety...

Flawed characters can often blur the line between endearing and infuriating. How many times have you wanted to yell at your TV about a choice one of your favorite characters is currently (or continuously) making? Or cheered when they overcame personal battle? This discussion dives into the delicate balance of creating and portraying character imperfections that are realistic while also leading the...

Dear Sally: Can you believe it’s been 20 years? ATX, Entertainment Weekly, and Hulu present a special reunion celebrating 20 years since the premiere of the college-angst classic Felicity , from creators JJ Abrams and Matt Reeves. Listen in as cast and creatives revisit the series that launched a generation of college grads, from the hair, to the loft, to the 4 season love triangle, and even some...

He may be best known as one of Scorsese’s Goodfellas, but Ray Liotta’s small screen career looms just as large as his big screen personas. From soap operas, to the The Simpsons , to an Emmy-winning stint on ER , Liotta’s ability to transition from guest star to leading man has made him one of television’s most versatile performers -- and earned him a lifetime’s worth of stories & industry expe...

From the opening moments of CBS’ prestige courtroom procedural The Good Wife, it was clear that Robert & Michelle King had arrived on network TV ready to jolt viewers awake with razor-sharp dissections of political, judicial, and media institutions. For seven 22-episode seasons, the series’ acclaimed writing, production, and performances pushed the boundaries of broadcast expectations, and the...

It’s our first MINI-EPISODE with bonus content live from Podcast HQ in the Hulu Lounge at ATX Season 7! Mix 94.7's Sara Osburn met up with Somebody Feed Phil 's resident foodie & host Phil Rosenthal for a short & sweet chat about where to eat in Austin, what he's watching, and the communal spirit at the heart of his food/travel philosophy. To hear the FULL Somebody Feed Phil Q&A from A...

With Peak TV infinitely expanding the options for networks and platforms, the ""backend"" of television is shifting more than ever towards the importance of ""content ownership."" Historically, there have been major independent studios (Sony, Warner Brothers), and network-based studios (20th Century Fox, ABC Studios), but now there are emerging studios acting as a hybrid between traditional studio...

The writer’s room is known for being a sacred space that strives for creative freedom, protecting those inside its walls with a sense of safety and respect. Yet, it is also a place where different levels of superiority can make this type of vulnerability difficult to navigate. Listen in for a glimpse into the power dynamics that take place within the walls of a TV writers room, the struggles that...

From the moment we first met Philip and Elizabeth Jennings six years ago, we have gone through countless twists and turns, numerous marriage ups and downs, a few tortures (remember that scene with Claudia? “Show them your face!”), and more wigs than we can count. Now that the final mission has come and gone, The Americans' cast and creators come together one last time to debrief on how the groundb...

This Moment in entertainment has brought to light an undeniable abundance of wrongs. From sexual harassment to misogyny, sexism and racism to lack of inclusion, it is all wrapped up in a single word: Power. The TV industry has been host to a litany of these issues, showcasing what happens when power is imbalanced, and the repercussions that follow when it goes unchecked. So who has the Power? How...

CBS’ 1996 procedural dramedy Nash Bridges, starring Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as San Francisco’s finest (and often dysfunctional) buddy-cop detectives, was not only a ratings and critical success -- but also boasted a powerhouse room of writers that would go on to create, write, and show-run some of TV’s most influential series. Listen in on this conversation with prolific creator Carlton Cuse...

Great television comes from great characters, and as proven by both Breaking Bad ‘s Walter White and Better Call Saul ‘s Saul Goodman (aka Slippin’ Jimmy), Vince Gilligan is nothing short of a genius when it comes to creating the unlikely hero. Coupled with an acute sense of tone and timing, it’s no wonder that the rise and demise of these characters lend themselves to some of television’s greates...

Real world politics continues to be a relentless barrage on our Twitter feeds and real lives, filling the role of ‘reality is stranger than fiction.’ In this era, TV’s imaginary political landscape struggles to feel escapist. Creatives can’t help but incorporate true political upheaval into their fictional worlds and characters. But how is this changing the way we are informed and entertained? Epi...

Ever wonder how your favorite series was first pitched in the room? You’d be surprised how many tv darlings started with a few scribbled lines on a napkin. We delve into the moment of inspiration, the bizarre pitch traditions, and go way behind the scenes of Friends and Grace and Frankie. Listen to the origin stories, learn how a pitch transforms into a show, and a surprising look at a creative co...