Deadline’s Contenders Television launches the small-screen awards season in a big way beginning Saturday morning with a weekend-long in-person extravaganza that will see the stars and creatives from 48 buzzworthy series take the stage at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles.
We trust that you, like us, have just about had it with anything Zoom-related so we are giddy to be able to host so many great shows live and in front of you. Still, just in case, we are offering a virtual version of the festivities that will feature almost 150 panelists discussing their crafts as Emmy season looms.
Click here to register and watch the livestream.
As always, either in-person or online you can follow along for the full weekend on Deadline’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels via #DeadlineContenders.
How lucky are we, anyway? The pandemic may have had a profound impact on the way TV was made in 2021 but there was still no shortage of shows that entertained and enlightened us. Everywhere we looked — from NBC and National Geographic to HBO and Paramount+ — there were new shows that served as a blissful reminder that you don’t have to remake old greats to create new ones. But that doesn’t mean we’ve declared a fatwa on reboots: major props to Morgan Cooper, whose mock trailer that reimagined the ‘90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air led to the creation of the drama Bel-Air on Peacock. We’re especially happy to welcome star Jabari Banks to our stage this weekend; he’s the extraordinary talent who took over Will Smith’s very big shoes in this must-see remake.
Are you shipping Rip and Beth on Yellowstone? We’ve got you covered; Luke Grimes (Kayce Dutton) and Jefferson White (Jimmy Hurdstrom) will be on our stage Saturday. And if you can’t get enough of the Taylor Sheridan-verse, the impressive cast of the Yellowstone prequel 1883 — Tim McGraw (James Dutton), Faith Hill (Margaret Dutton), Isabel May (Elsa Dutton), LaMonica Garrett (Thomas) and Sam Elliott (Shea Brennan) — will be here, too.
It’s been a promising year for comedies on broadcast TV: both ABC and CBS demonstrated they can still deliver the laughs with new sitcoms Abbott Elementary and Ghosts. Both shows are joining us, and we couldn’t be happier for their success. And in case you like your small screen entertainment disturbing and unpredictable, we’ve got multiple panels that showcase the best of the freakiest from 2021: Yellowjackets on Showtime, Dr. Death on Peacock, The Hot Zone: Anthrax on Nat Geo, Severance on Apple TV and The White Lotus on HBO. (We know what you’re thinking: but wasn’t that a comedy? Let us remind you of the excrement-in-the-suitcase scene and ask if you’re not still chilled to the bone.)
Parting is always sweet sorrow, so we made sure to pay tribute to the greats who are leaving us this year. Pamela Adlon will share some parting words about her grand old time on FX’s Better Things, Jason Bateman and Laura Linney will address the fourth and final season of Ozark, and Bob Odenkirk and team will share some last words about the end of Better Call Saul.
Most important, we are here to champion the disruptors — those shows that create stars and tell fresh stories that keep us glued to the screen. Are you preparing that Emmy speech, Pachinko? We’ll ask executive producers Soo Hugh, Theresa Kang and Michael Ellenberg, along with actor Jin Ha, how it feels to be on the best new show of 2022. And speaking of award-worthy talent, Viola Davis will be here to talk about tackling her most important character to date — Michelle Obama — in Showtime’s anticipated limited series The First Lady.
No one knows more than we do how time-consuming it is to get through all of the great shows on TV these days. Who has time to walk the dog or read a book? Pam & Tommy is on, for Pete’s sake! That’s why since our first Contenders panel, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to curate the best of the lot for our Contenders series, so you still have time to take that stroll with Butch. And really, no thank you is needed. It’s our privilege.
Deadline Contenders Television is sponsored by: Apple TV+, Eyepetizer, Final Draft, Los Siete Misterios, and Michter’s. Partners include: Desalto, Film AlUla, Four Seasons Resort Maui, Jason Mizrahi Design, ModMD, The American Pavilion, and Tidelli.
Here’s the full schedule of shows and panelists for both days, with start times (all times PT):
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SATURDAY
8 a.m. – Livestream begins
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
8:10-8:28 a.m. – Outer Range
Josh Brolin (EP/Actor)
Imogen Poots (Actor)
Tom Pelphrey (Actor)
Tamara Podemski (Actor)
Lili Taylor (Actor)
8:29-8:49 a.m. – With Love
Gloria Calderón Kellett (Creator/Writer/EP/Actor)
Emeraude Toubia (Actor)
Mark Indelicato (Actor)
Isis King (Actor)
Rome Flynn (Actor)
SONY TELEVISION
8:52-9:07 a.m. – Cobra Kai
Jon Hurwitz (EP)
Ralph Macchio (EP/Actor)
Hayden Schlossberg (EP)
APPLE TV+
9:10-9:25 a.m. – WeCrashed
Jared Leto (EP/Actor)
Lee Eisenberg (EP)
Drew Crevello (EP)
9:26-9:41 a.m. – Severance
Ben Stiller (Director/EP)
Adam Scott (Actor)
Patricia Arquette (Actor)
Britt Lower (Actor)
FOX TELEVISION
9:44-9:59 a.m. – Welcome to Flatch/The Cleaning Lady
Seann William Scott (Actor)
Holmes (Actor)
Élodie Yung (Actor)
Miranda Kwok (EP/Writer)
PARAMOUNT+
10:02-10:17 a.m. – The Offer
Nikki Toscano (Showrunner/EP/Writer)
Miles Teller (EP/Actor)
Giovanni Ribisi (Actor)
DISNEY TELEVISION STUDIOS
10:20-10:35 a.m. – The Wonder Years
Saladin K. Patterson (EP/Showrunner)
EJ Williams (Actor)
Dulé Hill (Actor)
Saycon Sengbloh (Actor)
NETFLIX
10:38-10:53 a.m. – Ozark
Chris Mundy (Showrunner/Writer/EP)
Jason Bateman (EP/Director/Actor)
Laura Linney (Co-EP/Director/Actor)
10:54-11:09 a.m. – Russian Doll
Natasha Lyonne (Co-Creator/Showrunner/EP/Director/Writer/Actor)
Amy Poehler (Co-Creator/EP)
11:10-11:25 a.m. – Squid Game
Hwang Dong-hyuk (Creator/EP/Director/Writer)
Park Hae-soo (Actor)
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – LUNCH
CBS STUDIOS
12:41-12:56 p.m. – Ghosts
Joe Port (Co-Showrunner/Writer/EP)
Rose McIver (Actor)
Utkarsh Ambudkar (Actor)
Brandon Scott Jones (Actor)
HBO MAX
1:15-1:30 p.m. – The Survivor
Barry Levinson (Director/Producer)
Ben Foster (Actor)
AMC NETWORKS
1:33-1:48 p.m. – Better Call Saul
Peter Gould (Showrunner/Co-Creator/EP)
Bob Odenkirk (Producer/Actor)
Giancarlo Esposito (Actor)
Rhea Seehorn (Actor)
Jonathan Banks (Actor)
SHOWTIME
1:51-2:06 p.m. – Yellowjackets
Ashley Lyle (Co-Creator/Showrunner/Writer)
Karyn Kusama (Director/EP)
Melanie Lynskey (Actor)
Tawney Cypress (Actor)
PEACOCK
2:09-2:24 p.m. – The Amber Ruffin Show
Amber Ruffin (Host/Writer/EP)
FX
2:30-2:48 p.m. – Mayans M.C.
Elgin James (Co-Creator/EP/Showrunner/Director/Writer)
JD Pardo (Producer/Actor)
Clayton Cardenas (Actor)
Sarah Bolger (Actor)
Carla Baratta (Actor)
2:49-3:05 p.m. – Snowfall
Damson Idris (Producer/Actor)
PARAMOUNT NETWORK
3:07-3:22 p.m. – Yellowstone
Luke Grimes (Actor)
Jefferson White (Actor)
HULU
3:25-3:40 p.m. – Dopesick
Danny Strong (EP/Writer/Director)
Michael Keaton (EP/Actor)
Kaitlyn Dever (Actor)
3:41-4:01 p.m. – Only Murders in the Building
Selena Gomez (EP/Actor)
Martin Short (EP/Actor)
John Hoffman (EP/Writer)
Steve Martin (Writer/Actor)
4:11-5:11 p.m. – Cocktail Reception
—
SUNDAY
8 a.m. – Livestream begins
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
8:10-8:30 a.m. – Harlem
Tracy Oliver (Creator/EP/Writer)
Meagan Good (Actor)
Jerrie Johnson (Actor)
Shoniqua Shandai (Actor)
Grace Byers (Actor)
8:31-8:51 a.m. – As We See It
Jason Katims (Showrunner/Writer/EP)
Rick Glassman (Actor)
Sue Ann Pien (Actor)
Albert Rutecki (Actor)
Sosie Bacon (Actor)
NBC
8:54-9:09 a.m. – Late Night with Seth Meyers
Seth Meyers (Host/Writer)
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
9:12-9:27 a.m. – The Hot Zone: Anthrax
Tony Goldwyn (Actor)
Daniel Dae Kim (Actor)
FX
9:30-9:45 a.m. – Better Things
Pamela Adlon (Creator/Writer/Director/EP/Actor)
9:46-10:01 a.m. – Dave
Dave Burd (Co-Creator/EP/Writer/Actor)
Jeff Schaffer (Co-Creator/EP)
GaTa (Consultant/Actor)
HBO MAX
10:07-10:22 a.m. – The White Lotus
Murray Bartlett (Actor)
Connie Britton (Actor)
Alexandra Daddario (Actor)
Sydney Sweeney (Actor)
10:23-10:38 a.m. – Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
Max Borenstein (Showrunner/EP/Writer)
John C. Reilly (Actor)
Quincy Isaiah (Actor)
10:39-10:54 a.m. – The Sex Lives of College Girls
Mindy Kaling (Creator/Writer/EP)
Justin Noble (Creator/Showrunner/Writer/EP)
NETFLIX
10:57-11:12 a.m. – Stranger Things
Matt Duffer (Creator/EP/Director/Writer)
Ross Duffer (Creator/EP/Director/Writer)
Winona Ryder (Actor)
STARZ
11:15-11:30 a.m. – Shining Vale
Jeff Astrof (Co-Creator/Showrunner)
Courteney Cox (Producer/Actor)
Greg Kinnear (Actor)
Mira Sorvino (Actor)
11:31-11:46 a.m. – Blindspotting
Rafael Casal (Co-Creator/Showrunner/Writer/Director/Actor)
Jasmine Cephas Jones (Actor)
Daveed Diggs (Co-Creator/EP/Writer)
Helen Hunt (Actor)
WARNER BROS TV
11:49 a.m.-12:04 p.m. – DMZ
Ernest Dickerson (Director/EP)
Rosario Dawson (Actor)
PARAMOUNT+
12:07-12:25 p.m. – 1883
Tim McGraw (Actor)
Faith Hill (Actor)
Isabel May (Actor)
LaMonica Garrett (Actor)
Sam Elliott (Actor)
12:30-1:30 p.m. – LUNCH
CBS STUDIOS
1:41-1:56 p.m. – Star Trek: Picard
Patrick Stewart (EP/Actor)
APPLE TV+
1:59-2:14 p.m. – Pachinko
Soo Hugh (EP)
Theresa Kang (EP)
Michael Ellenberg (EP)
Jin Ha (Actor)
2:15-2:30 p.m. – Truth Be Told
Octavia Spencer (EP/Actor)
Ron Cephas Jones (Actor)
PEACOCK
2:33-2:48 p.m. – Bel Air
Morgan Cooper (Director/Co-Writer/EP)
Rasheed Newson (Co-Showrunner/Writer/EP)
Jabari Banks (Actor)
Cassandra Freeman (Actor)
SONY TELEVISION
2:51-3:06 p.m. – The Afterparty
Chris Miller (EP)
Phil Lord (EP)
Tiffany Haddish (Actor)
Sam Richardson (Actor)
UCP/PEACOCK
3:12-3:27 p.m. – Dr. Death
Patrick Macmanus (Showrunner/EP)
Maggie Kiley (Director/EP)
Joshua Jackson (Actor)
Christian Slater (Actor)
ABC
3:30-3:45 p.m. – Women of the Movement
Marissa Jo Cerar (Creator/Showrunner/EP/Writer)
Adrienne Warren (Actor)
SHOWTIME
3:48-4:03 p.m. – The First Lady
Cathy Schulman (Showrunner/EP)
Susanne Bier (Director/EP)
Viola Davis (Actor)
APPLE TV+
4:06-4:21 p.m. – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey
Walter Mosley (Creator/Writer)
Samuel L. Jackson (Actor)
DISNEY TELEVISION STUDIOS
4:24-4:39 p.m. – Abbott Elementary
Quinta Brunson (Creator/Writer/EP/Actor)
Randall Einhorn (EP/Director)
Justin Halpern (EP/Writer)
Patrick Schumacker (EP/Writer)
HULU
4:42-4:57 p.m. – Pam & Tommy
Seth Rogen (EP/Actor)
Lily James (Actor)
Sebastian Stan (Actor)
4:58-5:13 p.m. – The Dropout
Liz Meriwether (Creator/EP)
Amanda Seyfried (Producer/Actor)
Naveen Andrews (Actor)
5:13-6:25 p.m. – Cocktail Reception