Television Pilot
The first episode of a proposed TV series used to sell the show to networks or streaming platforms.
Definition
A television pilot is a standalone episode that introduces characters, world, and premise while demonstrating a show's potential. Networks and platforms order pilots to evaluate series viability before committing to full season production.
The traditional pilot model involved networks ordering dozens of pilots in spring, testing them with audiences, and greenlighting a handful for fall seasons. Streaming platforms have partially disrupted this with straight-to-series orders, but pilots remain common for unproven creators or risky concepts.
Why It Matters
The pilot is both a creative challenge and business proposition. It must hook viewers immediately, establish ongoing narrative potential, and demonstrate production value within budget constraints. Networks decide whether to invest millions in series production based largely on pilot performance.
For showrunners, getting a pilot ordered is a major milestone—but only the first hurdle. Most pilots don't go to series. Those that do often undergo significant retooling between pilot and season one based on network notes and testing feedback.
Examples in Practice
"Lost's" pilot cost $14 million (unprecedented for 2004), but its ambitious scope convinced ABC to order the series—which became one of TV's defining shows and launched J.J. Abrams' career.
A comedy pilot tests poorly with focus groups, prompting network to pass—but the creator shops it to a streaming platform that sees potential, greenlights it without further testing, and it becomes a cultural phenomenon.
A network orders 10 pilots, produces all 10, tests them, and greenlights only 2 for series—demonstrating the high failure rate and why pilots are expensive gambles.