ATX TV Festival 2023

It’s been three decades since the legendary situation comedy series Cheers had its final curtain call in the spring of 1993 after 11 seasons, during which the show won an impressive tally of 28 Emmy Awards and six Golden Globes, including one for Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical in 1992. Just in time to commemorate its anniversary, this year’s ATX TV Festival hosted a reunion event that brought together stars Ted Danson, George Wendt and John Ratzenberger, along with screenwriters and producers, brothers Glen and Les Charles, and the highly regarded television director James Burrows, all three of whom co-created the show in the early 1980s after having worked together on a previous successful comedy series, Taxi, which starred Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Tony Danza and Marilu Henner.

Celebrating its 12th year, (fondly referred to by organizers as the 12th season) of their beloved TV camp, the annual ATX TV Festival took place in Austin over the first weekend of June and brought eager fans and various industry figures together, all in the cause of mutual love for the small screen. The festival included engaging panels, networking events and opportunities to watch stand out shows.

Just in time to kick off Pride Month, this year’s ATX TV Festival in its 12th year featured one of the most thought-provoking discussions over the weekend-long events, tackling queer representation on the small screen and the dire need to expand it beyond the commonly repeated narratives. Titled “Queer Stories We Want to See,” the panel welcomed four actors who shared their own experiences and ideas of what Hollywood has to do to better serve and showcase LGBTQIA+ characters and stories, emphasizing that while some work has been done, a lot more still has to change and evolve.