News / TV

Tribeca TV Festival 2019 will celebrate “Friends” and spotlight new series, too

The Tribeca TV Festival, Sept. 12-15, 2019, will mark its year three with
a 25th anniversary celebration of Friends, with two episodes curated by executive producers Marta KaufmanDavid Crane, and Kevin Bright, who will participate in a post-screening conversation.

Other highlights include the series finale of Amazon Prime Video’s groundbreaking Transparent; Tribeca Talks conversations with Hasan Minhaj and James Spader; and the second-season premiere of ABC’s comedy Bless This Mess, from Lake Bell and Dax Shepard.

More comedy highlights:

Bless This Mess (ABC) Season 2 World Premiere (Sept. 14, 8 p.m.)
After making the move from big city New York to rural Nebraska, newlyweds Rio (Lake Bell) and Mike (Dax Shepard) are getting accustomed to their new life as farmers. From neighborly feuds to a house full of chickens, Rio and Mike’s marriage and sanity are put to the test as they try to make the most out of their new life on the farm. Co-created by Liz Meriwether (New Girl), get an advance look at the hilarious Season 2 premiere, directed by co-star and co-creator Lake Bell. After the Screening: a conversation with co-creator and star Lake Bell, and co-stars Dax Shepard and Pam Grier.

First Wives Club (BET+) Special Screening (Sept. 12, 9 p.m.)
From Tracy Oliver, the co-writer of Girls Trip, comes a modern television remake of the classic 1996 revenge comedy First Wives Club. After neglecting their friendship, best friends Ari (Ryan Michelle Bathe), Hazel (Jill Scott) and Bree (Michelle Buteau) reunite to help each other through rough patches in their lives. Together, they navigate music superstar Hazel’s tabloid-ridden divorce, campaign manager Ari’s unsatisfying marriage to her political candidate husband, and orthopedic surgeon Bree’s cheating husband. Tired of always being the ones to make sacrifices in their lives, Ari, Hazel and Bree vow to prioritize their friendship and, along the way, the women learn that as long as they have each other, there’s nothing they can’t do. After the Screening: a conversation with creator and executive producer Tracy Oliver and star Michelle Buteau 

Room 104 (HBO) Season 3 World Premiere (Sept. 12, 8 p.m.). Created by Mark and Jay Duplass (HBO’s Animals and Togetherness), the late-night half-hour anthology series Room 104 returns with 12 new episodes, telling unique and unexpected tales of the characters who pass through an unassuming room of a typical American chain motel. While the room stays the same, every episode of the series features a different story, with the tone, plot, characters, and even the time period, changing with each installment. Filled with plenty of twists and surprises, Season 3 offers a new discovery from one episode to the next, telling tales of everyday people striving for connection and meaning inside a single room. After the Screening: a conversation with executive producers Mark Duplass and Sydney Fleischmann

CLOSING NIGHT EVENT
Transparent (Amazon Prime Video) Series Finale (Sept. 15, 6 p.m.) The Transparent “Musicale Finale” takes the beloved Emmy® and Golden Globe® award-winning series to new heights as a dazzling movie fantasia inspired by classic musicals that shaped our culture. When the Pfeffermans face a life-changing loss, they begin a journey hilarious and melancholy, brazen and bold. As they take on this new transition and confront their grief—with all of their extended family members by their side—they come together to celebrate connection, joy, and transformation.After the Screening: a conversation with executive producers Jill Soloway and Faith Soloway, and additional cast

25th Anniversary Celebration of Friends: A Conversation with the Series Executive Producers: David Crane, Marta Kauffman and Kevin Bright (Sept. 13, 6 p.m.) On Sept. 22, 1994, Friends debuted to more than 20 million viewers, and a close-knit group of 20-somethings nestled inside a New York City coffee shop entered the television airwaves. Produced by Warner Bros. Television for 10 acclaimed seasons, Friends upended the cultural landscape and created an indelible impact on American society through its iconic characters. But what resonated then — and continues today with a whole new generation of viewers — is the infectious chemistry and connection between Ross, Rachel, Joey, Monica, Chandler and Phoebe, and their honest depiction of friendship. To celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary, Tribeca TV is presenting Friends for the very first time in 4K digital restoration with two curated episodes — The One with the Embryos and The One Where Everybody Finds Out — hand-selected by the show’s creators and executive producers. This will kick off what will be a nationwide celebration of the series, with a theatrical release of producer-curated episodes throughout the United States. Following the Tribeca screenings, Friends executive producers, David Crane, Marta Kauffman, and Kevin Bright will come together to reflect on the series’ immeasurable legacy and pay tribute to the Friends who will always be there for us.

Tribeca Talks: A Conversation with Hasan Minhaj (Sept. 15, 4 p.m.)
Acclaimed comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor and television host Hasan Minhaj will be in conversation to discuss his burgeoning career as one of the most incisive and poignant voices in television. Hasan rose to prominence in 2014 when he joined The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as a correspondent, where he was Stewart’s last hire, and continued on in that role after Trevor Noah took over as host the following year. Minhaj was the featured speaker at the 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner where his whip-smart commentary and political savvy garnered widespread attention. Minhaj went on to earn rave reviews and a 2018 Peabody Award for his one-hour Netflix comedy special Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King. Currently, Minhaj is the host and creator of the weekly Peabody Award-winning comedy show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, which explores the modern cultural and political landscape with depth and sincerity through his unique comedic voice. In 2019, Minhaj was listed amongTIME’s 100 most influential people in the world. Tribeca is proud to host the accomplished, sharp-witted Hasan Minhaj as he illuminates his creative process and journey from stand-up comedy to television and beyond.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

View all posts by Sean L. McCarthy →