Ahead of ATX TV Festival Season 12, which will take place in June 2023, the festival organizers just announced that it will present its annual “Achievement in Television eXcellence” Award to director, producer, creator, and author James Burrows, who is best known as the co-creator/director of “Cheers.”
Holding 11 Emmy Awards and Burrow directing more than 1,000 episodes of television, including iconic sitcoms like “Taxi,” “Friends,” “Frasier,” “Will & Grace,” and many more, “Cheers” is considered to be one of the longest running programs in television history.
First presented in 2014, the “Achievement in Television eXcellence” Award seeks to recognize individuals whose career reflects the very best of television, through work that is thought-provoking, genuine, expansive, and entertaining. As the festival’s 2023 recipient, Burrows joins previous honorees Henry Winkler, James L. Brooks, Norman Lear, Marcy Carsey, Phylicia Rashad, Michael J. Fox, and Directors Guild of America President Lesli Linka Glatter.
“James Burrows’ imprint on TV as a medium is unparalleled, and his impact on so many TV fans’ lives – including our own – cannot be overstated. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate his indelible career and the joy his work continues to bring to the industry and viewers alike.”
Jennifer Morgan, Director of Programming at ATX TV Festival
In addition to the award presentation, Burrows will join co-creators and longtime collaborators Les and Glen Charles for a celebration of the 30 year anniversary of the finale of their seminal series, “Cheers.” The retrospective conversation will reflect on the series’ decade-long run, its definitive place in TV history, and provide an insider look into the beloved show.
ATX TV Festival will also be hosting a conversation with the creative team behind SHOWTIME’s political thriller, “Homeland,” which aired its series finale in April 2020. Over its eight-season run, “Homeland” won five Golden Globes, eight Emmys, the 2011 Peabody Award, two WGA awards for Best New Series and Episodic Drama, and two DGA Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series. Collectively, the series had more than 60 wins and over 175 nominations.
Its creators and executive producers Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon (“24”), and director and executive producer Lesli Linka Glatter (“Love and Death”) will reunite and give an inside look at the scope of Homeland’s inception and international production, which filmed in 10 locations across seven countries.
ATX TV Festival, which takes place every June, brings fans and the industry together to celebrate television by diving deep into its history, while hosting premiere screenings that are followed by Q&As, panel conversations, and of course, the after parties spanning across live music, happy hours, hosted receptions, and more.
Season 12 of ATX TV Festivals runs from June 1-4, 2023.
