8 TV Shows That Made Dramatic Changes From Their Pilot Episodes
Pilots that flew in the opposite direction.
When a TV show is pitched to a network, the creators behind it put together a pilot episode to give studio executives a taste of what they're peddling. In some cases, the sampler is well-made enough to air with minimal changes and goes on to serve as the debut episode of the commissioned programme.
More often, the broadcaster draws up a list of alterations that must be in place before the green light is possible, and these can range from minor tweaks to dramatic casting changes and tonal shifts. In other words, episode one ends up nothing like the pilot.
Lacking studio polish, most TV pilots are rough around the edges and not intended for public consumption, though many of them end up leaking online or wind up among the DVD extras section when the boxset is released.
Looking back at pilot episodes of your favourite show can be a weird experience, almost like glimpsing into a parallel universe. Certain characters act differently, others looking nothing like the version you know and love, and some are absent entirely.
Here are some of the hit television shows that made the most sweeping changes when making the jump from pilot to full season.
8. Bob's Burgers: Tina Was Originally A Boy
Loren Bouchard's original pilot for Bob's Burgers wasn't a million miles away from the episode that premiered on Fox in January 2011. The animation was cruder, but much of the content remained unchanged, apart from one thing.
Bob's oddball daughter Tina was originally an oddball son named Daniel. The youngster's story arc mirrors Tina's, right down to the crotch rash, and the voice actor remained unchanged, with Dan Mintz playing both versions of the character.
Although this gender swap is the biggest difference between the pilot and episode one of the first season, Bob's Burgers underwent an even more sweeping change between the pitching process and the development of the pilot episode. In a 2016 interview with The AV Club, Bouchard revealed that his original plan was to depict Bob and his family as cannibalistic restaurateurs who make their burgers from human flesh.
Needless to say, Fox weren't overly keen on that idea, but both the pilot episode and the version that aired include a cheeky nod to this premise when the health inspectors pay the burger joint a visit in response to rumours that human flesh is on the menu.