The Paley Center Unveils Dates for PaleyFest NY 2025, Reveals Initial Program

The Paley Center for Media has revealed Netflix’s A Man on the Inside as the first program for PaleyFest NY 2025. The fall’s premier festival celebrating creative excellence in media and entertainment will take place November 6 – 16 at The Paley Museum in Midtown Manhattan. The full schedule of programs will be announced on Tuesday, October 14, with Paley Members and Citi cardmembers receiving presale access at that time. 

“We are honored that A Man on the Inside is the first program announced for PaleyFest NY 2025. Since its Netflix premiere in 2024, the series has captivated audiences with its sharp dialogue and acclaimed performances, and we look forward to an evening that will be both insightful and entertaining,” said Diane Lewis, Chief Programming Officer & Executive Vice President, The Paley Center for Media. “We are deeply grateful to our returning sponsor, Citi, and to Netflix for their invaluable support of PaleyFest NY.”

During PaleyFest NY, fans will have the opportunity to see an exclusive screening from Season 2, followed by a conversation with Michael Schur, Ted Danson, and Mary Steenburgen, and additional guests to be announced.

A Man on the Inside stars Ted Danson as Charles, a retired college professor turned private investigator. Created by Michael Schur and based on the documentary The Mole Agent, a 2021 Oscar® nominee for Best Documentary feature, the series premiered on Netflix in 2024 and became an immediate hit with television fans.

In Season 2, eager to take on another big undercover case, Charles Nieuwendyk (Ted Danson) gets his chance when a mysterious blackmailer targets Wheeler College president Jack Berenger (Max Greenfield), who enlists Charles to go undercover as a professor. Who's making these threats? Does it have something to do with the iconoclastic billionaire Brad Vinick (Gary Cole), a Wheeler graduate, and his proposed donation to the school?

Charles finds no shortage of possible suspects, but his attention gets diverted by free-spirited music teacher Mona (Mary Steenburgen), whose zest for life awakens feelings he thought he’d buried after the passing of his wife. Is he ready to open his heart again at this stage in his life? And more importantly, has he fallen for the very criminal he's been sent to unmask? Meanwhile, his daughter Emily (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) is inspired by the changes in her father and uncovers a long-ignored passion, while PI Julie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada) embarks on her own journey of growth as she reconnects with an important figure from her past.

Citi cardmembers and Paley Members receive presale access to tickets starting on Tuesday, October 14. Patron Circle Platinum, Gold, Silver; Patron Circle+; Partner Members; and Citi cardmembers can purchase tickets starting on Tuesday, October 14 and Paley Individual, Family, and Supporting Members can purchase tickets on Thursday, October 16.  The general public will have access to purchase tickets on Friday, October 17.  

Additionally, the Paley Member community receives the exclusive Members-Only benefit of discounts on PaleyFest NY tickets, plus year-round benefits for Paley programs and events. To become a Paley Member, please visit here.  

Since its inception in 2013, PaleyFest NY has acclaimed and impactful shows and stars including Michael Douglas, Seth Meyers, Tracee Ellis Ross, Aaron Sorkin, David Tennant, and the casts and creative teams behind iconic shows such as Blue Bloods, The Daily Show, The Gilded Age, The Handmaid’s Tale, Law & Order: SVU, Black Mirror, The Walking Dead, and countless more.      

PaleyFest NY supports the Paley Center’s many education initiatives including education workshops serving 10,000 youth annually, the PaleyImpact series featuring programs centered on today’s most pressing social issues and the role of media in our society, and the continued preservation of the Paley Archive, featuring more than 160,000 historically significant television and radio programs, as well as television commercials.  

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