I'm not sure if this should be on this board or on the Empty Nest Board, but
was "Empty Nests" really the pilot episode for Empty Nest? I know that it was the spin off of Golden Girls, but
was it the "actual" pilot? Because I
just found out that there was another
pilot episode for Empty Nest? Sorry
for repeating myself, but was the episode
"Empty Nests" the spin off or the pilot
episode? I'm confused, can anyone help?

That episode of TGG wasn't really a "pilot." A pilot episode is the first one of a series (at least that's how I understand it).

Although the series was dramatically retooled from TGG episode, there are some basic similarities. David Leisure (Joe Izuzu from the 80s) was the neighbor. The house is basically the same. The man is a doctor.

I think the producers reacted like we do when we see the show --
:barf: :thumbsdow :barf:

That's why it was retooled and cast with Mulligan, McNichol and Manoff.

Hopefully this helps...:)

Empty Nests was an awful episode of GG. I'm glad they redid it before making a show out of it.

Well, they HAD to redo it, because obviously the pilot didn't get picked up!