Great opening pilots and bad pilots of an show..? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

88survivor · 05-13-2007, 04:24 PM

Worst pilot:

Diff'rent Strokes' pilot....it was just so tacked on and didn't made a lick of sense at all. We know Willis is upset, but with the change of attitude at the last minute...all he needed was a bath....???? So rebels should cool down and shut the hell, enjoy the wealth. Okay...

Great pilot:

The three part episode of Punky Brewster...it really showcased George and Soleil chemistry really well. I thought it was one of the best I ever seen.

Brian Damage · 05-13-2007, 04:49 PM

Word has it, "The Cavemen" pilot for ABC is so bad, it might be something worth taping and keeping. Unless they retape it, I am dying to see how this turns out.

comedyfreak · 05-13-2007, 05:04 PM

My favorite pilots:
Bewitched-Excellent pilot telling how Darrin and Samantha meet and how he learns she is a witch on their honeymoon.

I Dream Of Jeannie-Another good one telling the story of how Tony Nelson meets Jeannie for the first time.

Lost In Space-My favorite show, excellent sci-fi telling the story of America's first family of space. Great effects, music, writing, and acting.

That Girl-Preview episode telling the story of how Don Hollinger and Ann Marie met, they didn't seem to like each other and competed for a desk that each wanted.

catlover79 · 05-13-2007, 10:03 PM

Best: Bewitched - Super romantic and super funny - it really did set the whole tone of the show.

Worst: Barney Miller - OK, it's not really BAD, but most of the focus is on Barney's home life. Thankfully, creator/producer Danny Arnold and the other higher-ups realized early on that all the interesting and funny stuff happened at the 12th Precinct. So the home life was dumped and the show became all about the detectives and the crazy criminals. Good call, folks.

roseha · 05-13-2007, 10:13 PM

I haven't seen it in awhile, but the black and white pilot for Get Smart is a lot of fun. I'm not sure it was run at the time the show officially premiered? Any way there are a lot of funny bits, for instance Max is told the code words are "New York Mets Win Doubleheader" (this was when said team was incredibly bad) and sure enough a real sports headline pops up with that exact phrase.

I know that Max and 99 meet for the first time also. Somewhere online there's another funny scene of Max having to answer his shoephone in a crowded theater. (Mel Brooks comments on the scene in the DVDs)

Justafan65 · 05-13-2007, 10:55 PM

If Cavemen is so bad, why would they pick it up? I think it will be a terrible show. At first I thought it was those funny little cavemen that sort of animated - not sure if they are Coke or Pepsi ads. I could see that show but this one???? I just don't get it, especially when you read about some of the other sitcoms that sounded good like The Middle and Carpoolers.

treky · 05-14-2007, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comedyfreak

My favorite pilots:
Bewitched-Excellent pilot telling how Darrin and Samantha meet and how he learns she is a witch on their honeymoon.

I Dream Of Jeannie-Another good one telling the story of how Tony Nelson meets Jeannie for the first time.

Lost In Space-My favorite show, excellent sci-fi telling the story of America's first family of space. Great effects, music, writing, and acting.

That Girl-Preview episode telling the story of how Don Hollinger and Ann Marie met, they didn't seem to like each other and competed for a desk that each wanted.

no; the pilot episode of THAT GIRL had Ann moving to New York and into her apt. Don wasn't even in that one.

treky · 05-14-2007, 01:23 AM

back when MASH premiered; Time magazine hated it and called it "the biggest disapointment of the 1972-73 fall season".

comedyfreak · 05-14-2007, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

no; the pilot episode of THAT GIRL had Ann moving to New York and into her apt. Don wasn't even in that one.

Go back and get the first best of collection, that's where it has the preview episode as they call it.

Zoneboy · 05-14-2007, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

back when MASH premiered; Time magazine hated it and called it "the biggest disapointment of the 1972-73 fall season".

All things considered, That review was a waste of Time.

dawsongirl · 05-14-2007, 09:18 PM

Hogan's Heores pilot was good. Nice preview of their operation, while still making the guys be living out a typical day, versus starting at the day they all ended up at Stalag 13 or something. Unfortunatley, it also ended that way, which wasn't so interesting...

IDOJ also has a good pilot, as someone above mentioned.

Ditto My Fav. Martian.

I can't think of a pilot I thought stunk...

friendsfan77 · 05-15-2007, 02:42 AM

Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore, and Friends (uncut) are my favorite pilots.

I really didn't care for the Alice pilot. That almost turned me off from watching the rest of the series.

blue4t · 05-23-2007, 03:35 PM

Good Pilots: Friends, Wonder Years, Sabrina the Teenage Witch
It's hard to call a pilot good or bad since it turns out to be so different than the show. A bad pilot is the original one for Full House since it has a different Danny. The Wonder Years pilot is actually one of my favorite episodes of that show

05-13-2007, 04:24 PM	#1
88survivor Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 03, 2006 Location: NY Posts: 1,849	Great opening pilots and bad pilots of an show..? Worst pilot: Diff'rent Strokes' pilot....it was just so tacked on and didn't made a lick of sense at all. We know Willis is upset, but with the change of attitude at the last minute...all he needed was a bath....???? So rebels should cool down and shut the hell, enjoy the wealth. Okay... Great pilot: The three part episode of Punky Brewster...it really showcased George and Soleil chemistry really well. I thought it was one of the best I ever seen.

05-13-2007, 04:49 PM	#2
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Word has it, "The Cavemen" pilot for ABC is so bad, it might be something worth taping and keeping. Unless they retape it, I am dying to see how this turns out.
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05-13-2007, 05:04 PM	#3
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,061	My favorite pilots: Bewitched-Excellent pilot telling how Darrin and Samantha meet and how he learns she is a witch on their honeymoon. I Dream Of Jeannie-Another good one telling the story of how Tony Nelson meets Jeannie for the first time. Lost In Space-My favorite show, excellent sci-fi telling the story of America's first family of space. Great effects, music, writing, and acting. That Girl-Preview episode telling the story of how Don Hollinger and Ann Marie met, they didn't seem to like each other and competed for a desk that each wanted.
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05-13-2007, 10:03 PM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	Best: Bewitched - Super romantic and super funny - it really did set the whole tone of the show. Worst: Barney Miller - OK, it's not really BAD, but most of the focus is on Barney's home life. Thankfully, creator/producer Danny Arnold and the other higher-ups realized early on that all the interesting and funny stuff happened at the 12th Precinct. So the home life was dumped and the show became all about the detectives and the crazy criminals. Good call, folks.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

05-13-2007, 10:55 PM	#6
Justafan65 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 06, 2007 Location: Washington Posts: 30	If Cavemen is so bad, why would they pick it up? I think it will be a terrible show. At first I thought it was those funny little cavemen that sort of animated - not sure if they are Coke or Pepsi ads. I could see that show but this one???? I just don't get it, especially when you read about some of the other sitcoms that sounded good like The Middle and Carpoolers.
	Last edited by Justafan65; 05-13-2007 at 11:15 PM.

05-13-2007, 10:13 PM	#5
roseha Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 20, 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 100	I haven't seen it in awhile, but the black and white pilot for Get Smart is a lot of fun. I'm not sure it was run at the time the show officially premiered? Any way there are a lot of funny bits, for instance Max is told the code words are "New York Mets Win Doubleheader" (this was when said team was incredibly bad) and sure enough a real sports headline pops up with that exact phrase. I know that Max and 99 meet for the first time also. Somewhere online there's another funny scene of Max having to answer his shoephone in a crowded theater. (Mel Brooks comments on the scene in the DVDs)

05-14-2007, 01:23 AM	#8
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	back when MASH premiered; Time magazine hated it and called it "the biggest disapointment of the 1972-73 fall season".

05-14-2007, 09:18 PM	#11
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,140	Hogan's Heores pilot was good. Nice preview of their operation, while still making the guys be living out a typical day, versus starting at the day they all ended up at Stalag 13 or something. Unfortunatley, it also ended that way, which wasn't so interesting... IDOJ also has a good pilot, as someone above mentioned. Ditto My Fav. Martian. I can't think of a pilot I thought stunk...

05-15-2007, 02:42 AM	#12
friendsfan77 - Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 02, 2004 Location: Duluth, GA Posts: 3,165	Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore, and Friends (uncut) are my favorite pilots. I really didn't care for the Alice pilot. That almost turned me off from watching the rest of the series.

05-23-2007, 03:35 PM	#13
blue4t Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 15, 2005 Posts: 168	Good Pilots: Friends, Wonder Years, Sabrina the Teenage Witch It's hard to call a pilot good or bad since it turns out to be so different than the show. A bad pilot is the original one for Full House since it has a different Danny. The Wonder Years pilot is actually one of my favorite episodes of that show