IndieWire Celebrates ‘Abbott Elementary,’ ‘Jim Henson Idea Man,’ ‘Reservation Dogs’ and More at Vidiots Screening Series

Presented in partnership with Disney, IndieWire’s “Pass the Remote” FYC series dissected the work of artists and craftspeople throughout the industry with screenings of their work at the Vidiots Foundation in Los Angeles’s Eagle Rock neighborhood. This is IndieWire’s first TV screening and panel series, and each event featured in-person discussions with TV’s behind-the-scenes players moderated by IndieWire editors and others.

“We’re excited to offer evenings of great TV and the first-person experiences of its creators,” said IndieWire senior VP and editor in chief Dana Harris-Bridson in a statement launching the series. “Partnering with Vidiots, one of our favorite screening locations, makes this a true IndieWire event.”

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“We’re thrilled to launch this new series with FX, Disney, Hulu, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Nat Geo, and ABC and celebrate such a wide range of excellence in TV,” said IndieWire Senior VP & Publisher James Israel.

“Pass the Remote” kicked off with a casting directors panel that featured Tiffany Little Canfield (“Only Murders in the Building”), Wendy O’Brien (“Abbott Elementary”), Kim Williams (“Genius: MLK/X”), and Sarah Halley Finn (“Echo,” “Loki,” and “Ahsoka”).

The next panel featured Disney Storytellers who specialize in drama, including Michael Dinner (“Justified: City Primeval”), Erica Lipez (“We Were the Lucky Ones”), Jeff Stetson (“Genius: MLK/X”) and Samir Mehta (“Under the Bridge.”). This was followed by another panel comprised of Disney Storytellers who work in comedy, including Ben Smith (“Only Murders in the Building”), Ron Weiner (“Life & Beth”), Zach Dunn (“What We Do in the Shadows”), Tazbah Chavez (“Reservation Dogs”) and Jenn D’Angelo (writer of the Hulu original film “Quiz Lady”). 

Singling out the work of “Abbott Elementary” creator and star Quinta Brunson, as well as executive producers Patrick Schumacker, Justin Halpern, and Brian Rubenstein, IndieWire screened an episode from Season 3 followed by a talkback with the creative forces behind the show.

The bio-doc “Jim Henson Idea Man” also received the IndieWire spotlight, with a screening of the film and a panel afterwards featuring director Ron Howard, producer Margaret Bodde, composer David Fleming, and editor and executive producer Paul Crowder.

IndieWire’s “Pass the Remote” series wrapped up with a screening from the last season of “Reservation Dogs” and a panel that included creator Sterlin Harjo and stars Devery Jacobs, Lane Factor, Paulina Alexis, and Kaniehtiio Horn.

Here’s where all the programs covered are streaming:

• “Only Murders in the Building,” “Justified: City Primeval,” “Life & Beth,” “Under the Bridge,” “We Were the Lucky Ones,” “Reservation Dogs,” “What We Do in the Shadows,” “Quiz Lady” — Hulu

• “Abbott Elementary” — Hulu, ABC, and Max 

• “Genius: MLK/X,” “Echo,” “Loki,” “Ashoka,” “Jim Henson Idea Man” — Disney+

While the “Pass the TV” series is now finished, let’s continue to celebrate these artists and keep an eye out for their names once the Emmys race heats up. Keep reading for photos from the six events.

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