Sophomore Season of Acclaimed Series Dives Into the Creative Genius Behind ‘Scandal,’ ‘House of Cards,’ ‘Sons of Anarchy,’‘The Good Wife,’ ‘Pretty Little Liars’ and Comic Book Adaptations
New York – March 28, 2014 – SundanceTV announced today that the second season of its critically acclaimed original series “The Writers’ Room,” hosted by Academy Award®-winning screenwriter (The Descendants), comedian and actor (“Community”) Jim Rash, will premiere Friday, April 18 at 9:00 PM ET/PT. The six-part series will take viewers inside the writers’ rooms of enormously popular television series, including “Scandal,” “House of Cards,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “The Good Wife,” and “Pretty Little Liars”. In addition, “The Walking Dead, Superman and Other Comic Book Adaptations” will explore the increase in graphic novel adaptations for television and feature some of the masterminds behind “The Walking Dead” and “Smallville.” Host Jim Rash will steer the conversation as writers, producers and actors raise the curtain on the creative process behind these beloved series.
“There’s so much tremendous TV today, creators are pushing boundaries and viewers are highly engaged. With ‘The Writers’ Room,’ we are able to provide TV fans with an insider’s perspective on the shows they love,” said Sarah Barnett, President and GM of SundanceTV. “Jim Rash hosts these conversations with insight, expertise and a certain irresistible charm.”
“I’m delighted to have the chance to host ‘The Writers’ Room’ for a second season,” said Rash. “It’s such an honor to sit with writers I’ve admired for years and share with our audience the creative process and how words on a page come to life.”
Episode Order, Airdate and Panelists (in alphabetical order) include:
“Scandal”
Premieres Friday, April 18 at 9:00 PM ET/PT
Jenna Bans (Co-Executive Producer)
Matt Byrne (Story Editor)
Heather Mitchell (Supervising Producer)
Shonda Rhimes (Creator and Showrunner)
Kerry Washington (Cast Member)
Mark Wilding (Executive Producer)
“The Walking Dead, Superman and Other Comic Book Adaptations”
Premieres Friday, April 25 at 9:00 PM ET/PT
Blair Butler (Writer of the comic book Heart, Geek Culture Expert for MSN Nerdcore)
Al Gough and Miles Millar (Creators and Executive Producers, “Smallville”)
Robert Kirkman (Creator and Writer of The Walking Dead comic books and Executive Producer and Writer,
AMC’s “The Walking Dead”)
Michael Schneider (Los Angeles Bureau Chief, TV Guide Magazine)
“House of Cards”
Premieres Friday, May 2 at 9:00 PM ET/PT
Matt Bai (Political Consultant/National Political columnist for Yahoo! News)
Laura Eason (Writer and Story Editor)
John Mankiewicz (Writer and Co-Executive Producer)
Molly Parker (Cast Member)
Beau Willimon (Creator and Showrunner)
“Sons of Anarchy”
Premieres Friday, May 9 at 9:00 PM ET/PT
Mike Daniels (Co-Executive Producer)
Charles Murray (Co-Executive Producer)
Katey Sagal (Cast Member)
Kurt Sutter (Creator and Showrunner)
“The Good Wife”
Premieres Friday, May 16 at 9:00 PM ET/PT
Ted Humphrey (Writer and Executive Producer)
Michelle King (Creator, Executive Producer and Showrunner)
Robert King (Creator, Executive Producer and Showrunner)
Julianna Margulies (Cast Member)
“Pretty Little Liars”
Premieres Friday, May 23 at 9:00 PM ET/PT
Joseph Dougherty (Executive Producer)
Oliver Goldstick (Executive Producer)
I. Marlene King (Executive Producer)
Shay Mitchell (Cast Member)
Sasha Pieterse (Cast Member)
Jim Rash is an Academy Award winning writer, as well as an acclaimed actor and director who has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most gifted and multi-faceted talents. Last year, Rash had the Fox Searchlight film The Way, Way Back, which was released in July, 2013. Joining his writing partner, Nat Faxon, Rash co-wrote, co-directed and starred in the film alongside a notable cast including Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, Amanda Peet and Maya Rudolph.
In 2012, Rash won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Descendants, which he co-wrote alongside Alexander Payne and writing partner Nat Faxon. The film starred George Clooney, Judy Greer and Shailene Woodley. He also received an Independent Spirit Award, Writers Guild of America Award, Satellite Award and National Board of Review Award for his screenplay. In addition, Rash is currently writing with Faxon on an untitled action comedy for Indian Paintbrush featuring Kristen Wiig as well as another project for Alexander Payne’s production company Ad Hominem and Fox Searchlight. Airing currently is season five of NBC’s hit comedy series “Community”, where he plays the cross-dressing educator, Dean Pelton.
“The Writers’ Room” is part of SundanceTV’s impressive slate of offerings including its original series “The Red Road,” starring Jason Momoa, Julianne Nicholson and Martin Henderson. Later this year, the network will unveil “The Honorable Woman” starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and season two of the critically acclaimed “Rectify.” 2013 was a landmark year in which SundanceTV successfully launched a widely acclaimed original scripted slate with “Top of the Lake,” “Rectify” and “The Returned.”
“The Writers’ Room” is produced by Relativity Television with Tom Forman and Aliyah Silverstein serving as Executive Producers; Nicole DeFusco and Jon Grosskopf executive produce for SundanceTV.
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About SundanceTV
SundanceTV is making and celebrating television as distinctive as the best independent films. Working with today’s most remarkable talent, SundanceTV is attracting viewer and critical acclaim for its original scripted and unscripted series. Launched in 1996 and owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., SundanceTV delivers on the spirit of founder Robert Redford’s mission to celebrate creativity.
About AMC Networks Inc.
Dedicated to producing quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC Networks Inc. owns and operates several of the most popular and award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, SundanceTV, WE tv, and IFC Films produce and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also operates AMC/SundanceTV Global, an international programming business, and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, a full-service network programming feed origination and distribution company.
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