Unveiling the Secrets Behind 10 Disastrous TV Pilots from Iconic Franchises

Summary

Some TV pilots for popular franchises, like

Wonder Woman

and

How I Met Your Dad

, didn't make it past the first stage and were either remade or scrapped completely.

Even well-known TV franchises, like

Game of Thrones

and

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

, had original pilots that required significant changes before they were picked up as series.

Some comic book adaptation pilots, such as

Aquaman

and

Generation X

, faced challenges with poor reception and low budgets, resulting in the cancelation of their TV series plans.

TV pilot episodes serve as a preview of what a TV show will be like. While many pilots may lack polish compared to the final series, there are some popular franchises that have surprisingly bad examples. Sometimes, the pilot becomes the first episode of the series, but other times it doesn't progress beyond that stage and either has to be remade or the project is scrapped altogether.

There are various reasons why a studio may lose interest in pursuing a series after watching the pilot. However, they might recognize its potential as a standalone TV movie or see value in approaching it from a different perspective. Spinoff pilots and other related projects that stem from a known property or TV franchise may seem exempt from the usual testing processes. Nevertheless, there are numerous instances of TV pilot failures, even within the most popular and renowned television franchises.

10 Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman has experienced both big screen and small screen success. Gal Gadot portrayed the iconic character in the film adaptation, while Lynda Carter brought Wonder Woman to life on television. In 2011, NBC attempted to develop a Wonder Woman television pilot, enlisting the talents of Adrianne Palicki to star as the superhero and Pedro Pascal in a supporting role. Despite being written by renowned screenwriter and producer David E. Kelley, known for his work on Big Little Lies, the pilot failed to receive the green light. NBC felt that the show did not align with their TV schedule, even though it showed promise.

9 How I Met Your Dad

How I Met Your Dad was initially planned as a spinoff to How I Met Your Mother, featuring Greta Gerwig in the lead role. Unfortunately, the pilot episode received negative feedback from CBS. While CBS was open to reshooting the pilot, the creators of the series decided against it, resulting in the abandonment of the concept. Despite this, Greta Gerwig, known for her immense talent both as a director and a charismatic and humorous actor, could have potentially breathed life into How I Met Your Dad, making it a TV show that deserved a chance. However, Hulu later produced a different show titled How I Met Your Father, which managed to run for two seasons before ultimately getting canceled.

8 Game Of Thrones

Before the show began and was met with great acclaim, an initial Game of Thrones pilot existed, which was so poorly received that it necessitated a re-shoot, along with the recasting of several actors. The roles of Daenerys Targaryen and Catelyn Stark in particular underwent changes. Numerous modifications were implemented in the script to enhance the clarity and coherence of the exposition. Although this setback dealt a significant blow to creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, they adapted and gleaned valuable lessons from the experience, ultimately delivering a compelling opening episode.

7 Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Similar to Game of Thrones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer went through the process of refining its initial TV pilot. Despite the necessary changes, the show was ultimately greenlit, albeit with significant revisions. Notably, the role of Willow was recast, with Alyson Hannigan assuming the character for the entirety of its seven-season run. The second attempt proved much more successful, while the original pilot remains available online, offering an amusing retrospective viewing experience.

6 Aquaman

With the success of Smallville, an attempt was made to develop a spinoff focused on Aquaman. Although Alan Ritchson portrayed the character in Smallville, the proposed spinoff would have been led by Justin Hartley. Penned by Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the series ultimately faced obstacles when the WB and UPN merged, forming The CW Television Network. Consequently, Hartley ended up portraying the Green Arrow for the remaining episodes of Smallville. In a departure from the fate of many scrapped pilots, Warner Bros. released Aquaman as a digital download for fans to enjoy, and it was remarkably well-received.

5 Dr. Strange

In 2023, it's difficult to imagine Marvel deviating from its meticulously planned strategies. Back in 1978, a television movie featuring Dr. Strange was released, potentially paving the way for a long-lasting TV show. Unfortunately, the venture received unfavorable critiques despite the involvement of Stan Lee, and the viewership ratings were disappointing, causing CBS to abandon the idea of a series. Nevertheless, the character Doctor Strange has since made numerous appearances and starred in several films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

4 Justice League Of America

3 The Dark Tower

Justice League of America, a TV movie from 1997, also served as the pilot for a TV series. The team consisted of The Flash, Green Lantern, Fire, Ice, Martian Manhunter, and the Atom. However, the costumes lacked quality, the visual effects appeared low-budget, and the characters deviated from their comic book counterparts. Although the 1997 Justice League of America TV movie can be found online, it is a challenging watch and it comes as no surprise that the TV series never materialized.

Following the release of the 2017 Dark Tower film, Amazon had intentions to expand the universe through a TV series that would complement the movie. The pilot episode featured Jerome Flynn, known for his role in Game of Thrones, portraying the character Steven Deschain. The ambitious plan aimed to further develop the intriguing world of The Dark Tower across both film and television platforms. Unfortunately, due to the film's lack of success, Amazon ultimately decided to cancel the Prime Video TV series adaptation of The Dark Tower, leaving the unaired pilot unreleased. However, there is now a new opportunity for the Stephen King's fantasy/sci-fi series, as it is being redeveloped by the talented Mike Flanagan.

2 Generation X

1 Marvel’s Most Wanted

Before the rise of the popular and successful X-Men films in the 2000s, there was a different vision for the X-Men's on-screen debut. The 1990s provided a thrill for X-Men enthusiasts, thanks to the immensely popular animated series. However, the introduction of Generation X as a TV movie attracted a devastating response from the fans. Led by characters like Emma Frost, Banshee, and Jubilee, the prospect of seeing them come to life on screen seemed promising, were it not for the chaotic production. The laughable lack of financial resources and the subsequent backlash resulted in the cancellation of the planned TV series.

Adrianne Palicki's luck when it comes to comic book adaptation pilots hasn't been great. Her opportunity to headline an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoff didn't materialize, following her previous experience with the failed Wonder Woman show five years earlier. ABC shot the pilot for Most Wanted, but ultimately decided not to pick it up. The network felt that the creators had waited too long to delve into the story of Bobbi and Lance. Instead, ABC expressed interest in exploring other projects with Marvel. Most Wanted would have shared a similar espionage premise with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., making it challenging to set itself apart.