ATX TV Festival is already giving me a reason to start thinking about Austin again.
The festival has unveiled its first programming for Season 16, taking place June 3-6, 2027, and there is a lot packed into this initial announcement. The 2027 festival will embrace a “Sweet 16” theme, celebrating 16-year anniversaries alongside coming-of-age and young adult storytelling. But there was one announcement in particular that immediately got my attention: “Revenge” is heading to ATX for a 16th anniversary reunion.
Creator and executive producer Mike Kelley will reunite with Emily VanCamp, Josh Bowman, Henry Czerny, Ashley Madekwe, Gabriel Mann, Connor Paolo and Nick Wechsler for a look back at the ABC drama that introduced viewers to Emily Thorne, the Graysons and one very dangerous red Sharpie. Additional panelists are expected to be announced later.
For me, this announcement feels particularly special. My history with “Revenge” goes all the way back to the show’s original run, including an interview with Gabriel Mann in 2011. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to reconnect with several members of the cast at Televerse, speaking with Connor Paolo, Nick Wechsler, Gabriel Mann, Henry Czerny and Emily VanCamp as they reflected on the series and its lasting impact.
And, of course, “Revenge” has now become part of my podcasting life in an entirely new way with “Revisit the Hamptons: A Revenge Rewatch Podcast,” where I am going back to the beginning and revisiting the series episode by episode.
“How stoked am I for a Sweet 16 ATX TV Revenge party? Infinity x Infinity!” Kelley said in the announcement, adding that he remains amazed by how fiercely fans continue to embrace the show and its “diabolically messy characters” years later.
The “Revenge” reunion isn’t the only major retrospective already scheduled for Season 16. ATX TV Festival will also commemorate the 30th anniversary of HBO’s groundbreaking prison drama “Oz.” Creator Tom Fontana will be joined by Rita Moreno, Lee Tergesen and Dean Winters, with additional participants still to come.
“Oz” holds an important place in television history as HBO’s first hour-long dramatic series, helping pave the way for the prestige television era that followed. I had the opportunity to speak with Fontana at ATX TV Festival in 2026, so seeing him return to Austin for a celebration of the series that helped change television feels especially fitting.
Another HBO landmark will receive the retrospective treatment with “Band of Brothers: 25 Year Legacy.” The festival will revisit the acclaimed 10-part limited series and examine its performances, technical craftsmanship and storytelling more than 25 years after its September 2001 premiere. Panelists for the conversation will be announced at a later date.
ATX is also bringing back one of its signature festival traditions with a live script reading of “Freaks and Geeks.” A special one-time cast will perform a live reading from the beloved Paul Feig-created series, followed by a discussion about the show’s enduring influence, the evolution of television formats and the continued importance of stories centered on teenagers and young adults. Participants will be announced in the months ahead.
Casting director Allison Jones will also make her first appearance as an ATX TV Festival panelist for a career retrospective. Jones’ extraordinary body of work includes “Freaks and Geeks,” “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” “Arrested Development,” “Veep,” “The Good Place,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and the Emmy-winning “Widow’s Bay.” The conversation will explore her approach to discovering talent, assembling ensembles, developing chemistry among performers and the creative and technical sides of casting.
Season 16 will also mark the return of the Indie TV Pilot Competition for its second year. The competition provides independently produced pilots without worldwide distribution an opportunity to screen at the festival and compete for honors in scripted and unscripted categories.
Macaroni Art Productions, founded by Rick Gomez and Steve Zahn, joins the competition this year as a strategic partner and advisor while also expanding its involvement with ATX’s growing Indie TV programming track.
The competition has a particularly fun connection to this year’s “Revenge” reunion. The 2026 Best Indie TV Pilot – Scripted winner was “Savage,” written by Connor Paolo and directed by Josh Bowman, with Nicholas Logan, Brittany Fallow and Bridget Regan serving as producers. Anthony L. Williams’ “It’s Not You, It’s Me: Chicago” won Best Indie TV Pilot – Unscripted.
Submissions are now open for the 2027 Indie TV Pilot Competition as well as ATX TV’s annual Pitch Competition & Mentorship Program.
This is only the first programming announcement for Season 16, which makes this lineup even more impressive. There are months of announcements still ahead before everyone descends on Austin next June.
Allow me to end this by saying these sage words… WE ARE SO BACK!
