This pilot does not fly planes!

Oopsies! You will not catch me wearing a uniform ever! The white, perfectly-tailored, sharp uniform with navy and gold accents is for the other ‘pilot’. Go to the airport if you want to catch them. On the other hand, if you’re looking for me, you’ll either need a TV (laptop, PC, or mobile will do too nowadays!) or a set of eyes inside the television industry.

Who am I, you’re asking?

I am Pilot. Television Pilot. Also known by names such as pilot film, pilot episode, etc.

A memory

Once upon a time (I’m talking 1960s here), I was put into action under the name “The Cage”. It was a test episode for the potentiality of the now iconic Star Trek series. Let me tell you what happened. “The Cage” which featured an emotional Spock (contrary to the reserved Spock we know) and a non-existent James T. Kirk was rejected by the American television broadcasting company NBC for reasons they stated as “too intellectual”, “too slow” and “not enough action”. This meant that I had to be changed. Under the pen of another writer and lens of another director, I was put into action again for a second time called “Where No Man Has Gone Before”. NBC was convinced then and green-lighted the series. Thus the project was officially on air.

On air.
| Photo Credit:
Unsplash Images

Definition

A television pilot is a test episode or film of varying duration for a potential TV series. It is a standalone revealing the theme, tone and inherent idea of the whole show. Not all television pilots see the light of day. Some remain unaired, life contracted to the eyes of its judges whereas others may move on to become the first episode of the entire series.

Why pilot?

I get this question a lot, especially from viewers of the 90s-2010s era English-language TV series and sitcoms. To be honest, can’t you see? It’s all right there. I am the ‘launch’. I am where it all visually begins. I am ‘the pilot’. I guide the TV show plane! I make or break the flight.

Overflow

When the first Golden Age of Television occurred in the United States, the number of live productions increased exponentially. Naturally, by the mid-1950s, there was a whole graveyard of unsold, unaired pilots with the television executives. Some of them later luckily got aired as anthologies.

When the first Golden Age of Television occurred in the United States, the number of live productions increased exponentially.
| Photo Credit:
Unsplash Images

Worldwide pilot

While most often the term and usage are quite particular, i.e., classic to American lexicology, I am found everywhere — Japan, India, Thailand, UK, and so on — while pitching stories and scripts to big companies. Even animation shows have me! Today, learning to script me is basic in screenwriting classes.

A Manga pilot?

The globally popular Japanese anime ‘Naruto’ adapted from its namesake manga has a pilot too, except it’s not the anime pilot. Naruto manga had an illustrated oneshot pilot by its creator Masashi Kishimoto which was the first ever manifestation of the story published on the seasonal magazine Akamaru Jump in the year 1997. You may say that was your prototype Naruto there.

A Manga pilot?
| Photo Credit:
Muhammed Ahmed Khan/Flickr