After a stellar first day of ATX TV Festival, we hoped day two would not disappoint. And it most definitely did not! From a surprise appearance with James Van Der Beek to a sneak of the King of the Hill revival, here are the best moments from ATX TV Festival day two.
Day 2 at ATX TV Festival
We kicked things off with the cast and creator of Upload. Showrunner Greg Daniels joined Kevin Bigley and Zainab Johnson for a funny and thought-provoking panel that gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show.
One of the best parts: Greg shared the moment that sparked the entire concept. Years ago, his son asked if he could have real money to buy something in a virtual world. That question set off a chain reaction in Greg’s mind. What would it mean to upload your consciousness? How would love and money work in a digital afterlife? That spark eventually became the Amazon Prime series Upload.
Nest up came the real heart moment of the day.
Kevin Williamson Reflecting on Everything
The mastermind behind Dawson’s Creek, Scream and The Vampire Diaries gave a full retrospective of his career. He talked about his early writing, the rise of teen dramas and the emotional layers behind the scares in his horror work. It was very powerful.
The highlight of that panel was the surprise appearance by Austin area resident James Van Der Beek. It was his first big public appearance since dealing with serious health issues. He looks great! He was all smiles and radiated warmth as he told stories that brought us right back to the creek. One of the best was when he talked about auditioning for the role of Dawson. He thought he didn’t stand a chance and he almost skipped the audition due to his age. But his roommate encouraged him to go and the rest is history. Watch him tell the story here.
King of the Hill Returns
The big draw of the night was a first look at the King of the Hill revival. Fans came from near and far to celebrate Hank, Bobb, and all of the gang. Voice cast members Pamela Adlon, Lauren Tom and Toby Huss joined co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels on stage. Everyone got to celebrate together afterwards with, what else, a big Texas BBQ.
Get more details on the ATX Television Festival here.
