Take Us to the Pilot

Wrapping up our series on unexplained phenomena, we've ended up in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana to discuss Stranger Things. Paying homage to classic horror and science fiction works, the pilot quickly establishes the show's signature 80's setting and blend of supernatural genres.

When it premiered in 2008, the science fiction thriller Fringe established itself as the spiritual successor to the X-Files, adding another feather to the cap of TV creator J.J. Abrams.

FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully first meet in the pilot of The X-Files and begin an iconic partnership balancing belief and skepticism as they investigate paranormal events. 

Continuing our venture into the unknown, we're discussing the premiere of Twin Peaks. Written by David Lynch and Mark Frost, this pilot captivated viewers with its unconventional mix of tones and slew of eccentric characters.

There are fewer things scarier than the unknown, which is why for the month of October we're discussing pilots of series that explore unexplained phenomena. To begin our venture into the strange and unfamiliar, we're entering The Twilight Zone which opened up a new world of storytelling possibilities to the TV landscape when it first premiered and continues to influence the medium today.

We're capping off our summer of animated comedy pilots by horsin' around with BoJack Horseman. As one of Netflix's earlier originals, BoJack evolved to push the animated genre into new directions during the rise of streaming.

Rick and Morty first entered the multiverse in 2013, opening the interdimensional door to Dan Harmon's creative mind.

The Bob's Burgers pilot episode "Human Flesh" introduced the Belcher family to TV viewers and Loren Bouchard's comedy style to the Fox primetime animation lineup.

The spy parody Archer premiered in 2009 as the adult animated comedy genre continued to expand on cable television.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.