Whats a TV pilot episode?
A demo episode from an unproduced TV series. Pilots are used to give network executives a sample of what a TV series would be like. If the series gets the green light, TV pilots usually become the first episode of the first season, but not always. When is pilot season? Traditional pilot season spans from January to April but nowadays, with networks releasing new series year-round, there are opportunities to be cast in a TV pilot any time. Why is pilot season such a big deal? Young actors can see their careers skyrocket if they are cast as a series regular in a TV pilot that gets “picked up” by the networks (“picked up” means it will air on TV). Recently, a lot of pilots have involved film stars who embrace television careers. This makes it harder for unknown actors to land lead roles in TV pilots, but there’s still plenty of supporting and series regular roles open to lesser known actors. Does pilot season still exist? Yes, not as many pilots are being produced as in the past, but ther
