Disney+ adds a new streaming series, Just Beyond, for October’s spooky, fun-filled programming. The series is based upon the mind of R.L. Stine and the like-named graphic novels. A mysterious, creepy, kitschy, horror anthology of shows best viewed by tweens, teens, and their parents. Each episode has a Twilight Zone feel to it.

On the eve of the streaming debut of Just Beyond, creator Seth Grahame-Smith introduced his series for its world premiere at Disney+’s Hallowstream at the special drive-in screening event in Culver City last Tuesday. The crisp, cool fall air along with Disney’s detailed, decorated drive through entry experience helped to frame the night for Just Beyond’s spooky, horror series' debut. The debut premiered three episodes with many of Just Beyond’s cast and crew in attendance.

On the last day of the ATX TV Festival, there was a panel for the upcoming Syfy series, Surreal Estate, of which the first two episodes were made available to festival attendees. The panel, which was moderated by Jeannine Amber, featured stars Tim Rozon, who plays Luke Roman, and Sarah Levy, who plays Susan Ireland. 

On the series, Rozon and Levy play real estate specialists that sell the houses no one else wants to, because they are haunted or have some kind of supernatural energy. Each house has its own individual issues that they have to deal with. Having worked with each other in the past on Schitt’s Creek, they knew right away that they wanted to work with each other again on the series.

One of the shows highlighted for day eight of the ATX TV Festival was The Good Fight. Paramount+ provided an early screening of the season five premiere of the series, which returns June 24th. Following the episode there was a panel Q&A with the creatives and cast.

The panel, which was moderated by NPR’s Eric Deggans, included showrunners Robert and Michelle King, stars Christine Baranski, Audra McDonald, Charmaine Bingwa, and Mandy Patinkin.

The Kings started off by talking about Memo 618, which was named after their daughter’s birthday. They also explained about how they decided to do a stand alone story in the first episode, because they wanted to tell what the characters lived through in the last year and what it was like for them. They also used the episode to wrap up the stories for the characters of Adrian and Lucca and give them proper goodbyes, because they didn’t get to do that last season, because they were shut down because of COVID.

Tonight, as part of the ATX Television Festival, Shudder presented the panel “Horror Anthologies,” exploring modern series and why they are accepted by todays’ viewers. Panelists included Greg Nicotero, the showrunner/writer/executive producer/director of Creepshow, which will be going into its third season soon, Chloe Okuno, director of V/H/S 94, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, writers of Horror Noir, and Adam MacDonald, director of Slasher: Flesh & Blood. The panel was moderated by Damian Holbrook.

Panelists compared their influences in the horror genre and some of their favorites as well as why horror works so well in anthology format. Nicotero also gave his view on the reinvigorated genre of zombies.

On the second day of the ATX TV Festival, AMC+ presented a first look panel for its upcoming adult stop-motion animated series, Ultra City Smiths. The panel was moderated by Emily Aslanian from TV Guide magazine. The panelists included creator Steve Conrad, co-director David Brooks, and stars Jimmi Simpson, Hana Mae Lee, Luis Guzmán, and Chris Conrad.

The creator talked about wanting to work in animation but wanting to create something unique that didn’t look like anything else. He saw his friend Jeff Deidre’s art of taking baby dolls from yard sales and making them into adults, and he liked how it that aspect showed the infantile and childish side that exists in adults.

The series looks a lot like 1970s/early 1980s New York City. Crime is rampant and the police are corrupt; it’s a dangerous and hard town.

The programming schedule for day two of the ATX Festival has been released, so be sure to check it out. Panels today include those for series Hacks, Housebroken, David Makes Man, and Ultra City Smiths, as well as conversations, including one hosted by Ziwe. Be sure to also check out the VOD programming available to attendees, which includes shows to watch before the panels, interviews, and more. A lot of the series episodes are available via VOD to watch before the panels for you to binge watch! Day two releases include We Are Lady Parts, an interview with Lauren Oliver & Olivia Welch for Panic, Flashbacks from Friday Night Lights, and Home Before Dark. While we will only be covering certain panels here at SciFi Vision, we will be bringing you a few roundups and hopefully some interviews, such as for Kevin Can F*** Himself. Be sure to check out the full schedule for today's ATX programming below.

This year the annual ATX Television Festival is being held virtually so SciFi Vision is able to attend part of the event. The festival this year is spread across ten days, with evening programming during the week and day-long programming on the weekend. Unlike last year’s free three-day festival with panels available on YouTube, this year’s content is only available to paid attendees and press.

Today marked the first day of the festival and there were a few events to start it off.

First up was The Daily, which will air everyway, where festival co-founders Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gibson previewed how the festival would be running this year. They were also joined by directors of the festival, Jennifer Morgan and Laura Kincaid. Most of the panels and such is pre-taped, but there will also be live things to come, including surprise “pop-up” events.

ATX -- INSIDE THE WRITERS ROOM: BLINDSPOTTING
Saturday, June 19 at 1:30pm (CDT)
Starz, 45 min.

Panelists: RAFAEL CASAL (Creator/Executive Producer/Writer), DAVEED DIGGS (Creator/Executive Producer/Writer), ALANNA BROWN (Writer), NIJLA MUMIN (Writer), PRISCILA GARCIA-JACQUIER (Writer), BENJAMIN TURNER (Writer)
Moderator: ASHLEY RAY HARRIS, "TV, I Say" Podcast

Starz joins this year’s line-up with a look inside the writers’ room of their new summer series, “Blindspotting,” the television series inspired by the 2018 feature film from writers/producers/stars Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs. The half-hour dramedy centers on Ashley, played by Emmy® nominee Jasmine Cephas Jones, who was nipping at the heels of a middle-class life in Oakland until Miles (Rafael Casal), her partner of 12 years and father of their son, is suddenly incarcerated, leaving her to navigate a chaotic and humorous existential crisis when she’s forced to move in with Miles’ mother Rainey (Helen Hunt) and half-sister Trish (Jaylen Barron). We'll enjoy a conversation about adapting the concept from film to TV, expanding Ashley and Miles’ world, and the unique musicality of the series, and get an early look at Episode 2 of the series. “Blindspotting” premieres June 13 on Starz.

Monday SciFi Vision was invited to attend a virtual press day for Hulu’s Crossing Swords.

Crossing Swords, created by John “Harv” Harvatine IV and Tom Root, recently premiered on Hulu. The stop-motion adult animated series, which features wooden peg people, follows Patrick (voiced by Nicholas Hoult), a bullied and kind peasant who’s dream is to be a squire for the king (Luke Evans). He’s ecstatic when he lands the job, but his family is not impressed. Patrick soon finds out that nothing is as he expected. The kingdom is full of crooks and cheats. Even the royal family is wicked. The king and queen (Alanna Ubach) are adulterers, and the princess (Maya Erskine) is an entitled brat.

Can Patrick save the kingdom from murder, mayhem, and debauchery?

Locke and Key Press Day - 2/05/20
Presentation - Part Four
Carlton Cuse, Meredith Averill, Joe Hill, and Gabriel Rodriguez

Last Month, Netflix invited SciFi Vision to the Locke and Key Press Day at their Los Angeles Headquarters. Locke and Key Executive Producers and Showrunners, Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill, Writer, Joe Hill, and Artist, Gabriel Rodriguez were in attendance. Locke and Key is available to stream now on Netflix. 

In this last piece of the presentation, they discuss such topics as collaborating in the writers room, feedback from fans, and more about how they had time to do things in the television series that they couldn't in the comic. They also talk about their feelings about what could possibly be to come beyond season one.

Below are the last set of videos from the press presentation, as well as the transcript from one question that we did not have on video. The rest of the previously published videos are still available and linked at the bottom of the page.