The first episode of The Venture Bros. began a long-running series that reflects the irreverent and inventive content of Adult Swim's early years.By Take Us to the Pilot

Welcome to the world of tomorrow! We're discussing the first episode of Futurama which presented a distant future with robots, aliens, and flying cars bustling around New New York.By Take Us to the Pilot

The pilot of Family Guy introduced the animation style of Seth MacFarlane to primetime television, most notably his use of cutaway gags and pop culture references.By Take Us to the Pilot

A stop motion video that went viral in the 90s led to the making of the South Park pilot, beginning yet another long-running animated TV comedy that continues to resonate through the decades.By Take Us to the Pilot

We're going down to Texas to discuss the pilot of King of the Hill which cemented the success of Mike Judge as a comedic storyteller, I tell you what.By Take Us to the Pilot

We're kicking off a summer of animated sitcoms by discussing the pilot of The Simpsons! Although not originally intended to be the series premiere, the season one Christmas episode began the longest-running comedy in TV history.By Take Us to the Pilot

We're wrapping up our medical show pilot series with the premiere of The Good Doctor which invited viewers to see the world through the eyes of its autistic main character.By Take Us to the Pilot

The pilot of The Mindy Project kickstarted Mindy Kaling's rise to a lead writer and TV producer, building off of her success in The Office to establish her own brand of comedy.By Take Us to the Pilot

Nurse Jackie's first episode injected an antihero into the medical genre and saw the return of Edie Falco to premium network television.By Take Us to the Pilot

Grey's Anatomy has been a top-rated show and cultural touchstone since premiering in 2005, resulting in its stars and creator Shonda Rhimes becoming household names.By Take Us to the Pilot

In the pilot episode of House M.D., viewers quickly get to know the titular doctor for his dry delivery, quick wit, and methodical approach to medicine.By Take Us to the Pilot

The FX original Nip/Tuck got off to a fast start with its graphic depiction of plastic surgery and a dense, crime-driven plot.By Take Us to the Pilot

The pilot of Scrubs introduced a style of humor new to the medical genre, balancing heartfelt stories with slapstick comedy and surreal daydreams.By Take Us to the Pilot

In the mid-90s, the definitive hospital drama ER rushed onto primetime television with a barrage of life-or-death situations and a memorable ensemble cast.By Take Us to the Pilot

Like its namesake hospital, the 80s drama St. Elsewhere was modest and full of talent. The pilot episode introduced an ensemble cast and an intricate story structure that laid the foundation for the medical genre as we know it today.By Take Us to the Pilot

We've got some new prescriptions for TV pilots, all belonging to the medical genre! To kick things off, we're going back to the 70's for the premiere of M*A*S*H which expanded the potential of television storytelling throughout its eleven-season run.By Take Us to the Pilot

For the final HBO pilot we're discussing (for now), we're returning to New York City for the first episode of Girls which captured the millennial experience of young adulthood in the 2010s.By Take Us to the Pilot

When you play the game of TV pilots, you're either greenlit or you get canceled. There is no middle ground. In 2011, HBO premiered Game of Thrones which reigned as the biggest television event of its time.By Take Us to the Pilot

The strength of HBO's programming drew Martin Scorcese to direct the first episode of Boardwalk Empire, one of the most expensive but also award-winning pilots in TV history.By Take Us to the Pilot

The pilot of Eastbound & Down began a partnership with HBO that allowed Danny McBride to showcase and evolve his crass style of comedic storytelling.By Take Us to the Pilot

Continuing our series on HBO pilots, we come to the domestic drama Big Love which examines the complexities of a polygamist family torn between religious fundamentalism and modern suburbia.By Take Us to the Pilot

The pilot of Entourage began a light-hearted comedy series about a young movie star and his group of friends navigating Hollywood and pulling off all sorts of crazy antics.By Take Us to the Pilot

The next HBO pilot in our lineup is Deadwood, an epic Western focused on forming order out of chaos. Despite having just a three-season run, the series earned critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase.By Take Us to the Pilot

This week we're discussing the pilot of The Wire, an ensemble crime drama lauded for its realistic portrayal of the institutions that shape life in urban America. Although the series didn't receive high ratings or major awards, it is now regarded as one of the best TV shows of all time.By Take Us to the Pilot

The pilot of Six Feet Under began yet another critically acclaimed series for HBO, earning praise for tackling the subject of death with skillful writing and thoughtful direction.By Take Us to the Pilot

The final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm draws near, so let's go all the way back to the very first episode to remember how the show began. Airing a little over two years after the Seinfeld finale, the Curb premiere reintroduced viewers to Larry David's brand of comedic storytelling and we have to say that it's pretty, pretty, pretty good.…

The pilot episode of The Sopranos introduced viewers to Tony Soprano, one of the most iconic TV characters ever. Twenty-five years since its premiere, the New Jersey-based crime drama remains influential for its award-winning acting, writing, and directing.By Take Us to the Pilot

We're starting our series on HBO pilots with Sex and the City, which premiered in the summer of 1998 and made a splash with its fresh take on romantic comedy.By Take Us to the Pilot

Happy Holidays from Take Us To The Pilot! For our Christmas bonus episode, we're discussing a failed pilot for a would-be series called Poochinski. This buddy cop show aired in the summer of 1990 and starred Peter Boyle as a detective who dies and gets resurrected as a talking bulldog. Network executives passed on Poochinski, but in the years since…

Wrapping up our series on 2000s sitcom pilots, we're discussing the FX comedy It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The first episode introduced a group of sordid characters known as "the gang," and began a series that would depict amoral behavior not seen on broadcast network sitcoms.By Take Us to the Pilot

Although 2000s television saw a rise in cinematic comedies, live studio audiences remained popular. Two and a Half Men was a testament to the enduring success of traditional sitcoms, capturing 18 million viewers from the first episode.By Take Us to the Pilot

It’s a long story, but we’re discussing the pilot episode of How I Met Your Mother. This series blended elements of traditional and unconventional sitcoms, including a mix of warm nostalgia and quirky humor.By Take Us to the Pilot

After establishing her brand of comedy on SNL, Tina Fey continued her success with the creation of 30 Rock. Since episode one, the series gained attention for its surreal tone, fast pace, and satirical take on the television business.By Take Us to the Pilot

The mockumentary format became popular in the 2000s thanks to the American adaptation of The Office. The pilot episode had a mixed response from critics and viewers, but it set the stage for one of the most enduring TV comedies of all time.By Take Us to the Pilot

Now the story of a wealthy family who lost everything, and the first episode that brought them all together. It’s Arrested Development, the ensemble comedy that gave us the Bluth family and more running gags than we can keep count of.By Take Us to the Pilot

The 2000s saw the rise of single-camera comedies that moved away from the traditional sitcom format in favor of a more cinematic style. Malcolm in the Middle was one of the first shows of the decade to defy genre conventions, introducing in its pilot episode a cynical tone that would come to define the era.…

It’s Halloween and we’re capping off our month of vampire pilots with What We Do In The Shadows. Directed by Taika Waititi and written by Jemaine Clement, the first episode of this mockumentary series established the same blend of horror and quirky comedy as the 2014 movie.By Take Us to the Pilot

As the vampire craze peaked in the late 2000s, the CW put its spin on the genre by adapting The Vampire Diaries. The series featured teen soap drama typical for the network but with the added element of immortal blood-sucking monsters.By Take Us to the Pilot

The next vampiric pilot we’re discussing is True Blood. This drama explored themes of politics, sexuality, and discrimination through the lens of vampires in the Deep South. As an HBO series, True Blood depicted violence and intimacy more explicitly than the TV landscape had ever seen before.By Take Us to the Pilot

Continuing our discussion on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, part two of the premiere delivered more action than part one while still establishing the dangers facing the students at Sunnydale High.By Take Us to the Pilot

We’re kicking off the month of October by discussing Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Starting with the two-part premiere, this series cleverly blended high school culture with vampire lore. The result is a snarky, action-packed teen drama that still retains a dedicated fanbase.By Take Us to the Pilot

We’re wrapping up our series on 90s sitcom pilots with the first episode of Will & Grace. The premiere of this progressive comedy established the unbreakable friendship between Will Truman and Grace Adler, who support each other through the challenges they face living in New York at the turn of the century.…

Before he was hosting The Price Is Right, Drew Carey starred in his own sitcom and showed American audiences that Cleveland rocks. From the first episode, The Drew Carey Show captured the spirit of Cleveland with its quirky yet laid-back characters and cozy hometown setting.By Take Us to the Pilot

The next pilot we discuss in the world of 90s sitcoms is 3rd Rock from the Sun. In the premiere episode, the Solomons arrive on Earth to learn about an odd species known as humans. Led by John Lithgow, this comedy explores what happens when a group of aliens try to live the human experience.By Take Us to the Pilot

Over six seasons, Fran Drescher won over viewers as the star of The Nanny thanks to her charm, humor, and signature Queens accent. In the pilot episode, the flashy girl from Flushing shows up at the Sheffield’s door only to become one of the most iconic TV characters of her time. Her nasal voice has been ingrained in our minds ever since.…

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reigned for six seasons, starting when Will Smith arrived at the Banks' residence in the pilot episode. Smith may have gotten his start in hip-hop, but his first-ever acting performance eventually made him one of the biggest Hollywood stars in the 90s and beyond.By Take Us to the Pilot

In 1991, comedian Tim Allen became a household name thanks to the hit show Home Improvement. The pilot episode introduced Allen’s style of comedy (and grunting) to mainstream American audiences, launching him to A-list status and kicking off one of the most popular family sitcoms of the 90s.By Take Us to the Pilot

Continuing through the world of 90's sitcom pilots, our spotlight now falls on a series that has etched itself into television history – Friends. Premiering in 1994, this initial episode laid the foundation for a beloved show that offered a window into the lives of six 20-somethings as they navigated the ups and downs of life, love, and laughter in…

The first pilot we're discussing is a series near and dear to our hearts, and that's Seinfeld! Although the Seinfeld pilot may not be a favorite episode among fans, it was a fresh take on the sitcom genre when it aired in 1989. What started as a humble comedy about how a comedian gets his material eventually evolved into a megahit that delivered so…