A TV show’s pilot episode is key to its future, but some had to reshoot their pilots to ensure they would be picked up. Some of the best TV shows of all time had great pilot episodes, with the show getting better after them. Others had weak pilot episodes but greatly improved after that, making up for that not-so-good first episode.
There have been some cases in which a TV show’s pilot episode had to go through a couple of changes before it aired. The reasons for a pilot to be reshot before airing are various: some had to make adjustments to the characters and their stories, others recast some actors, and others realized on time that the story or the episode’s quality wasn’t the best.
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is a sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn, starring Charlie Sheen (who was later replaced by Ashton Kutcher), John Cryer, and Angus T. Jones. Two and a Half Men aired on CBS from 2003 to 2015 for 12 seasons, and one character’s fate might have been different had its pilot episode not been reshot.
The pilot episode of Two and a Half Men introduces Charlie (Sheen), Alan (Cryer), and Jake (Jones), as well as Charlie and Alan’s mother, Evelyn (Holland Taylor). Evelyn was manipulative and narcissistic, adding to the chaos of the family, but Taylor made her an unforgettable character.
In the original pilot, Evelyn was played by Blythe Danner, but, according to Lorre, the character wasn’t a good fit for Danner, and her version of Evelyn was very different from Taylor’s. Had the original pilot aired, Evelyn would have been a completely different character, and maybe not as popular as she ended up being.
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is a sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady. The Big Bang Theory ran for 12 seasons and aired on CBS from 2007 to 2029. The Big Bang Theory follows socially awkward, geeky roommates Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki), and their equally awkward and geeky friends Howard (Simon Helberg) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar).
The Big Bang Theory is all about the social awkwardness of the four male characters, with Penny (Kaley Cuoco), a waitress and aspiring actress, having just moved next to them. Leonard sets his eyes on Penny and begins to pursue her. The Big Bang Theory got better after its pilot, but had it aired its original one, it wouldn’t have gone far.
The original and unaired pilot of The Big Bang Theory didn’t include Penny, Raj, and Howard, instead using the characters of Katie (a meaner version of Penny) and Gilda. The biggest difference, however, is that Sheldon was very sexual and libidinous, even claiming to have had sex with Gilda at a convention. Thankfully, CBS passed on it and asked for a second pilot.
Charmed
The 1990s had a successful trend of TV shows about witches, and among them was Charmed, created by Constance M. Burge. Charmed aired on The WB from 1998 to 2006 and ran for eight seasons. Charmed introduces viewers to the Halliwell sisters: Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), Prue (Shannen Doherty), and Piper (Holly Marie Combs).
The sisters learn they are the most powerful good witches of all time and have different powers, and use their combined “Power of Three” to protect innocent lives from different evil beings and forces of darkness. The pilot episode of Charmed sees the sisters learning about their powers, but it isn’t the original episode.
Charmed’s unaired episode had a different Phoebe (played by Lori Rom), who left the show after this episode and was then recast with Milano. Unlike most cases on this list, the original pilot of Charmed was made available to watch as a bonus on the complete series DVD release.
Sherlock
One of the best modern adaptations of Sherlock Holmes is the BBC’s Sherlock, and reshooting the pilot episode saved the show. Created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, Sherlock aired on BBC One from 2010 to 2017 for four seasons of three episodes each plus one special episode.
Set in modern-day London, Sherlock follows the title detective (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) and his friend and partner John Watson (Martin Freeman) as they investigate and solve a variety of mysteries. Their first case is “A Study in Pink”, about a mysterious killer who forces their targets to make a deathly choice.
The original Sherlock pilot was 60 minutes long, and though it followed the same story as the final version of the episode, it was significantly rewritten. The reason for the reshooting was that the BBC reportedly believed Sherlock was a potential disaster (via The Guardian), and ordered a second pilot – and the rest is history.
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is one of the best TV shows of the 2000s and a certified comfort show, but its fate might have been very different had its pilot episode never been reshot. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, Gilmore Girls aired on The WB and later The CW from 2000 to 2007, for a total of seven seasons.
Gilmore Girls takes the audience to the fictional town of Stars Hollow to meet Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and her daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel). Gilmore Girls follows its title characters in their everyday lives, with many ups and downs in their love lives, social lives, and in their family, especially with Lorelai’s parents, Emily and Richard.
Gilmore Girls has one of the best pilot episodes of all time, but to get there, it had to be reshot. Although the unaired pilot followed the same story as the one we all know now, it had a different main cast, particularly in the roles of Sookie and Dean. Even though they end up being secondary characters, they are relevant figures in the lives of Lorelai and Rory.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best fantasy TV shows of all time, and though it has a weak pilot, it was almost worse. Created by Joss Whedon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons, airing on The WB and UPN from 1997 to 2003. Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduces viewers to Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), the latest Slayer chosen by fate.
The pilot episode of Buffy sees the title character arriving at Sunnydale with her mother and going through her first day at her new high school, where she meets her new friends Willow and Xander, as well as popular girl Cordelia. Of course, the pilot also has Buffy battling vampires, with Willow and Xander learning about it.
The original pilot had Riff Regan playing Willow, but she wasn’t giving the shy and insecure vibe that the character required. After struggling to find an actress who could fit the role while also being likable, Alyson Hannigan was finally cast as Willow, and she was absolutely perfect for the role.
Other scenes were reshot, as well, such as the argument between Buffy and Giles at the library, which they felt was too angry. Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s pilot isn’t perfect, but it definitely improved after being reshot.
Game of Thrones
Believe it or not, Game of Thrones’ pilot episode was reshot. Created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series, Game of Thrones aired on HBO from 2011 to 2019 for a total of eight seasons, even if fans choose to ignore that season 8 happened.
Game of Thrones takes the audience into the fictional world of Westeros and follows different plotlines as different families and groups try to take control of the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms. Game of Thrones is now one of the best TV shows of all time (and has one of the most controversial TV finales ever), but its pilot episode isn’t the original one.
The original pilot episode of Game of Thrones was poorly received, and though HBO greenlit the show, it demanded that the episode be reshot with many changes to the cast, settings, and story. Around 90% of the pilot was reshot (via Vanity Fair), and Game of Thrones had a successful run after that.
Sources: The Guardian, Vanity Fair.
