Jason Katims (born November 30, 1960) is an American television writer, producer, and playwright. He is best known as the creator of several television series, including Relativity (1996), Roswell (1999–2002), Friday Night Lights (2006–2011), Parenthood (2010–2015), About a Boy (2014–2015) and Rise (2018). Jason Katims was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, and raised first in Crown Heights and later in Midwood. His father was an actor and a salesman; his mother, an English and philosophy major, "did some teachings". His parents were "very politically active, very left-leaning." He has an older brother and sister.

Before studying theater at Queens College in Queens, New York City, he graduated from Edward R. Murrow High School. He married his high school sweetheart; they have two children, Phoebe and Sawyer Katims.