Shows that weren't picked up for a series/never came to be.

[CastletonSnob]

One thing I think some people don’t realize is how many TV shows never make it past the pilot. Even getting a network to greenlight a pilot for your show is a major accomplishment, as sometimes, a show will be scrapped before it even gets to air, or never makes it past production For every show that gets picked up, many more shows don’t even get past the pitch.

So, let’s have a thread discussing shows that didn’t make it past their pilot episodes, and faded into obscurity.

There was going to be an animated Buffy series called, appropriately enough, Buffy: The Animated Series. Unfortunately, it never got to air.

[j9ac9k]

That Gary-7 episode of "Star Trek" was meant to be a "backdoor pilot" but the show never happened, which is a shame. That could've been a fun one.

[Riv86672]

Aquaman 2006 (or maybe 2007)…:

I actually watched this online ages ago, and now you can buy a copy.
It starred Justin Hartley (This is Us) as Aquaman, Ving Rhames as lighthouse keeper McCaffrey, Adrianne Palicki (who would also have a failed DC Comics pilot) as Nadia, Lou Diamond Phillips as Tom Curry, Kenny Johnson (The Shield) as the sheriff.

Like I said, I watched it and it wasn’t terrible. I would’ve tuned in!

[j9ac9k]

-- The Adrianne Palicki "Wonder Woman" (here's a fan edit opening sequence)



-- The Adrianne Palicki "Marvel's Most Wanted" with her as Bobbi Morse/Mockingbird.

[Alan2099]

CBS hired Elvira to make a sitcom for her famous horror host character at one point. Apparently the people at CBS loved it. However on the day when they were supposed to pick what pilots made it into actual shows, the CBS president got sick and had to be put in the hospital and the guy that was filling in for him who was normally just in charge of sports for CBS nixed it. He had no clue who Elvira was or what she looked like and said that CBS couldn't show that kind of cleavage on TV.

[AndrewCrossett]

The Star Trek TOS episode "Assignment: Earth" was intended as a backdoor pilot for a new series that never got made, which is a pity.

I periodically hear rumors of someone trying to adapt Jeff Smith's comic "Bone" into a series (or movie), but nothing ever seems to come of it.

[caj]

Aquaman 2006 (or maybe 2007)…:

I actually watched this online ages ago, and now you can buy a copy.
It starred Justin Hartley (This is Us) as Aquaman, Ving Rhames as lighthouse keeper McCaffrey, Adrianne Palicki (who would also have a failed DC Comics pilot) as Nadia, Lou Diamond Phillips as Tom Curry, Kenny Johnson (The Shield) as the sheriff.

Like I said, I watched it and it wasn’t terrible. I would’ve tuned in!

I wanted that series so bad but I liked Hartley as Green Arrow on Smallville too.

[caj]

The Brady Bunch had a backdoor pilot in an episode from season 5 called Kelley's Kids. It starred Ken Berry (Mama's Family, Mayberry RFD) as married man who adopted three boys - one white, one African American, and one Asian American. The couple had to endure the bigoted behavior of a neighbor along with other problems.

I think this would've been a great show to watch if done correctly. Especially in the mid-70s.

[Immortal Weapon]

There was a New Warriors pilot made for Freeform but they dropped the series before it can make it to air. Marvel shopped the show around to different networks but no one bit. I think set photos for the pilot were released a couple of months ago

[James Cameron]

Aquaman 2006 (or maybe 2007)…:

I actually watched this online ages ago, and now you can buy a copy.
It starred Justin Hartley (This is Us) as Aquaman, Ving Rhames as lighthouse keeper McCaffrey, Adrianne Palicki (who would also have a failed DC Comics pilot) as Nadia, Lou Diamond Phillips as Tom Curry, Kenny Johnson (The Shield) as the sheriff.

Like I said, I watched it and it wasn’t terrible. I would’ve tuned in!

Palicki starred in the failed pilot Marvel's Most Wanted. What other failed pilot did she do for DC?

[Immortal Weapon]

Palicki starred in the failed pilot Marvel's Most Wanted. What other failed pilot did she do for DC?

Wonder Woman

[James Cameron]

Wonder Woman

How could I forget? She doesn't have great luck with superhero features. Although I would never have chosen to take her out of AoS. She was a perfect addition to that cast.

[babyblob]

Married with Children had a pilot for a spin off.

Radio Free Trumaine. Steve Rhoades was the dean of the university and expelled to of the college radio DJs. Marcy shows up and does this protest or something. It didnt go over well with network heads and it became a Married With Children episode rather then its own series.

[Catlady in training]

Gilmore Girls had a backdoor pilot in 3rd season for a spin-off centered around Jess.

There was an amazing pilot for a comedy series Him and Us, about an aging rock star inspired by Elton John, played by Anthony Head (Giles from Buffy). I think it's a crime it wasn't picked up, at least the pilot is still on youtube:


And there is of course Green Arrow and the Canaries.

[Riv86672]

I periodically hear rumors of someone trying to adapt Jeff Smith's comic "Bone" into a series (or movie), but nothing ever seems to come of it.

^^^Ive heard the same and that’d be awesome.

Which reminds me, Mike Mignola’s The Amazing Screw On Head had a pilot…



…a great voice cast, spot on animated style, and no chance in hell.

I wanted that series so bad but I liked Hartley as Green Arrow on Smallville too.

^^^Yes! He made a terrific Arrow, very New 52-ish.

I actually liked Alan Ritchson as Aquaman…: