We live in a golden age of television. And if you’re anything like the folks at the ATX Television Festival, you’re psyched about it! The only hard part is finding enough time to watch all the great content being released. But if you’re having a difficult time deciding what to check out, let us help. Here are five pilots you’ll want to see at this year’s festival.
1. “Euphoria”
This is one of the latest from HBO (we know, we know: It’s not television. It’s HBO). Based on an Israeli series with the same name, “Euphoria” tells the story of a group of teens dealing with sex, social media, drugs, friendship, trauma and more. It’s done in partnership with A24, and Drake is one of the show’s producers. If that doesn’t get you hype enough, it also stars Zendaya.
“Euphoria” will premiere on the festival’s opening night (Thursday, June 6) at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre.
2. “Grand Hotel”
Another show based on (and sharing the name of) a foreign series, “Grand Hotel” is a drama based in Miami Beach. It follows the owner of the hotel in question (played by Demián Bichir), his second wife, their adult children and the hotel staff. Eva Longoria is an executive producer on it, and makes an onscreen appearance. This show is sure to be provocative, and we can’t wait.
“Grand Hotel” will screen on the festival’s opening day (Thursday, June 6) at 12:30 p.m. at the Alamo Ritz 2.
3. “Prodigal Son”
This Fox drama takes a different angle on the ubiquitous crime show. The main character (played by Tom Payne of “The Walking Dead”) is the son of a notorious serial killer. But now he’s a criminal psychologist who knows just how these murderers think. It’s also executive produced by television greats Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. Don’t miss out on the intrigue!
“Prodigal Son” will be showing on the festival’s opening day (Thursday, June 6) at 12 p.m. at the Alamo Ritz 1.
4. “David Makes Man”
Set in South Florida, this one-hour lyrical drama is from playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney, whose own life inspired parts of the story. It’s about a 14-year-old prodigy who is in poverty and dealing with trauma from a number of different sources, including the death of his best friend. This may be a tough watch, but it’s no less worth it.
“David Makes Man” premieres on Friday, June 7, at 2 p.m. at the Alamo Ritz 1.
5. “Undone”
A new original series from Amazon, “Undone” was created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg and Kate Purdy (both known for their work on “Bojack Horseman”). The new series follows a young woman as she tries to solve the mystery of her past — and of her father’s death. The most interesting thing about this one, though, is the visuals: A variety of mediums are used, including oil paint on canvas and rotoscope animation.
“Undone” screens on Saturday, June 8, at 12:15 p.m. at the Alamo Ritz 2.
What are you looking forward to at the 2019 ATX Television Festival? Let us know in the comments, or hit us up on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Jackie has called Austin home since choosing to attend the University of Texas, where she graduated with a degree in multimedia journalism. She loves spending time with her dogs, writing about pop culture in all its forms and spending time with friends – eating, drinking and doing trivia.