A pilot episode is essentially the television world’s first date—plenty of jitters, a dash of awkwardness, and sometimes an entire personality overhaul by the second meeting. Some of television’s most enduring series began life looking nearly nothing like what we came to adore. Networks experiment, writers make adjustments, and casting directors rearrange the deck until pieces finally fall into place. Here’s a countdown (since suspense kills all) of 10 shows that underwent drastic changes after their pilots—and how the alterations made them what they are today.
10. Game of Thrones
The first Game of Thrones pilot was so disorganized that even the actors couldn’t keep straight the family relationships. Entire scenes were discarded, key characters recast (goodbye, first Daenerys and Catelyn), and the tone changed from clunky costume drama to epic. That redo not only saved the show—it made it the cultural touchstone that defined a decade.
9. New Girl
Remember Coach in the first episode? Damon Wayans Jr. had to leave when Happy Endings received another season, making room for Winston (Lamorne Morris) to move into the loft. Amazingly, the swap proved so seamless that by the time Coach came back later, the show just rolled with it. Evidence that a scheduling conflict can actually create a tighter ensemble.
8. Sherlock
BBC’s Sherlock came close to premiering as a single-hour drama, but the pilot test was abandoned for a feature-length show. The reshoot refined the look, tweaked casting and scenery, and provided the slick, cinematic feel that established the tone for the entire series.
7. 30 Rock
In the initial pilot, Jenna was portrayed by Rachel Dratch as a quite different character, Jenna DeCarlo. The character was rewritten, and Jane Krakowski was hired to play Jenna Maroney instead. Dratch didn’t go away, though—she appeared throughout the series in a series of offbeat guest roles. Occasionally, a bit of recasting is the key to chemistry perfection.
6. The Inbetweeners
Before it was the cult cringe-comedy of lovable teenage awkwardness, Baggy Trousers was conceived in the 1980s with a different cast roster. James Buckley was originally assigned to play Neil rather than Jay. Revamping the idea and rearranging the cast imbued the series with its crisp edge—and a faithful following.
5. Family Guy
The original Family Guy pilot almost sounds unrecognizable: Lois was blonde, Meg was blue, and—plot twist—Meg wasn’t yet a punching bag. Quagmire didn’t exist. The plot was recycled for the first episode to air, but with a significant character overhaul and much-improved comedic tone.
4. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Originally, the precinct’s bumbling twosome wasn’t a duo, but a trio. Hitchcock and Scully had a third partner, Daniels, but the writers soon saw the gag was more effective with two. Daniels was eradicated without warning, and the rest is sitcom history.
3. The Office (US)
The American Office began life as almost a carbon copy of the UK series. The humor was dark, dry, and slightly too British for viewers in the States. By the second show, the series moved on—putting in warmth, new storylines, and its own character. That change turned it from an imitation to a workplace comedy classic.
2. The Big Bang Theory
The initial pilot bore very little resemblance to the series fans grew to love. Penny didn’t yet have a place; instead, there was Katie, a more goth and standoffish female lead. Sheldon, inexplicably, was more socially skilled. When the creators revamped the cast and amplified Sheldon’s neuroses, the magic worked—and sitcom history was born.
1. Bob’s Burgers
At the top of the list: Bob’s Burgers. In the original iteration, Tina didn’t exist—rather, there was a son named Daniel, voiced by Dan Mintz as well. But Daniel seemed too much like Gene, so the writers reworked him as Tina. The artwork underwent a major cleanup as well (early designs featured… let’s just say some weird noses). Those tweaks gave the Belchers their unique look and personality that sustained them through years of popularity.
Pilots aren’t ever perfect, and that’s what makes them great. They’re prototypes in which networks, writers, and actors experiment with what will work and what won’t. From rewrites to recasts, the great shows sometimes don’t get it right until the first try goes wrong. And once the kinks get worked out, audiences are the beneficiary: truly timeless television shows.