Fresh off a night celebrating films, The Paley Center for Media’s annual television festival, PaleyFest will grace The Dolby Theater for two weeks bringing in actors from beloved shows to the stage to screen their projects have a panel style discussion with press and fans a like.
Opening March 6, it starts big with the Golden Globe and Emmy winning Showtime series, “Homeland”. Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin will take the stage with Executive Producers Alex Gansa and Director Lesli Linka Glatter to discuss burning questions about the fifth season of the critically acclaimed government war drama.
After a “Salute to Comedy Central”, tipping hats to the comedy duos that highlight “Broad City” and “Key and Peele.” The following day, CBS’s “The Good Wife”, HBO’s “Girls”, and ABC’s “Scandal” will dominate the panel scene. Each show holds their own in the ratings and among critics, who can’t help but praise each show for their ferocity and tenacity. Golden Globe winning actresses Julianna Margulies, Lena Dunham and Kerry Washington lead theses casts as real bad-ass women.
With Robert and Michelle King on hand, the secret to the longevity of “The Good Wife” might be revealed. Judd Apatow brings together his gaggle of “Girls” to the stage to discuss the current fourth season of the HBO young adult favorite. “Scandal” fan Jimmy Kimmel moderates the panel for the “Thank Goodness It’s Thursday” Washington drama staple. Olivia Pope and Associates, the fictional White House administration and maybe a few spies, take the stage to answer the countless burning questions that plague the actors on social media daily.
For those into supernatural and science fiction, panels on MTV’s “Teen Wolf”, STARZ’s “Outlander” and FX’s “American Horror Story: Freak Show” may be right up the fantasy horror fan’s alley. It’ll be interesting since each of these shows, though they technically fall under the same genre, are very unique in their production and audiences.
“Teen Wolf”, a reboot series of the 1980’s cult classic films, takes on a modern twist mixing high school teens with monsters the likes of werewolves, banshees and druids. Heartthrobs Dylan O’Brien and Tyler Posey will have fangirls swooning in their seats while executive producer Jeff Davis lays out plans and answers questions on the popular teen program. “Outlander”, based off the popular Diana Gabaldon novels, seeks to cement its place as a time and space period drama with enough sex to shame any other programming on the panel list. Gabaldon will be in attendance so fans can pick her brain on the novel to screen adaptation.
On the closing night of PaleyFest, “American Horror Story: Freak Show” will give a star studded panel with Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Michael Chiklis and Emma Roberts. Hopefully the legend Jessica Lange graces the panel with her presence to discuss Elsa’s motives and future.
Fans can check in with the ever popular “Modern Family” cast to check in with their upcoming hijinks for the season. A show as popular and consistent as this has some secrets and they lie in the seamlessly picked cast and genius writers and producers.
It’s also time to say goodbye to the show audiences can only describe of having a love/hate relationship with, “Glee”. Having wrapped up shooting this week, fans can finally attempt to settle their mixed emotions with the teen musical. Lea Michele’s thoughts on the end of the show are highly anticipated.
The CW brings two newcomers “Jane the Virgin” and “The Flash” as well as fan favorite “Arrow” to the Dolby stage. Golden Globe winner Gina Rodriguez should be interesting in one of her first big panels discussing what it’s like to take a very well established and beloved Venezuelan telenovela “Jana la Virgen” and transform it into an American adaption.
“The Flash” and “Arrow” appropriately share a panel, which isn’t new considering the shows more often than not crossover and reference each other, which is a refreshing concept not often seen in television. Stephen Amell and Grant Gustin are sure to make fans laugh and give insight into the famed DC comic book characters.
PaleyFest is really bringing the power this year with shows that are not only popular but deserving of recognition. It’s one that true TV and pop culture fans will definitely not want to miss. Each year the event is growing larger and larger with the demand higher than ever.This year’s event is at the top of its game with more and more stars signing to appear everyday. William S. Paley founder of CBS, whom the center is named after, would be proud of the event that has become the pop culture phenomenon of PaleyFest.
Tickets for PaleyFest-Los Angeles are still available at http://media.paleycenter.org/paleyfest-la-2015
