10 TV Shows That Went Through Major Changes After The Pilot (& Why)

TV shows tend to see staggered changes as time goes on, often due to audience demand or production restrictions, but some shows saw massive changes after their pilot episode. Shows can see changes in multiple ways: casting, locations, and even plot, but their theme and message tend to stay the same. These changes can make a show significantly better, hence why many original pilots for TV shows go unaired.

It’s worth noting that some concepts seen in pilots end up being completely scrapped altogether, and this is usually seen in characterization. Sometimes, if a character doesn’t fit with the pacing or aesthetic of a show, it’s easier to write someone completely new instead. Regardless of the decision behind these changes, major changes after the original pilot are usually a sign of a show trying to make improvements, which was the case for several TV shows that on to be incredibly popular.

10 Bob’s Burgers

Pilot air date: January 9, 2011

Hit animation Bob’s Burgers saw the release of its first feature film in 2022, and Bob’s Burgers has been renewed for season 15, but the show’s original pilot started very differently. In the original pilot, the character of Tina was a boy named Daniel, though still voiced by Dan Mintz. Writers decided to change Daniel to Tina as they were concerned that Daniel and Gene were too similar, and wanted each child to shine on their own. Tina isn’t the only change that was made, however, as there were also changes to the animation style, with Bob’s Burgers characters today no longer having their noses constantly hanging over their mouths.

9 The Big Bang Theory

Pilot air date: September 24, 2007

The Big Bang Theory also saw quite a few changes following its original pilot. For a start, there was no Penny, instead, there was another female character named Katie, who was considered a little more rough around the edges. It also saw characterization changes, specifically for Sheldon, who still was very science and knowledge-focused, but a bit more socially competent than Jim Parsons’ charcater ultimately became. The opening scene of the unaired pilot showed Sheldon and Leonard visiting a sperm bank, much like the official pilot, with the big difference being that Sheldon completes his deposit, rather than being too awkward to do so.

8 The Office (US)

Pilot air date: March 24, 2005

The Office’s main success can be credited to the differences made compared to the UK original, but the original pilot for the US remake was a shot-for-shot recreation of the UK version. Although The Office UK was praised in its own right, the differences between The Office US and The Office UK showed that the original’s cynical comedy didn’t translate to the States. However, once writers knew that the show had been picked up for an entire season, they went back to make the necessary changes that would be more adaptable for the US market.

Although the aired pilot is still similar to the UK original, the changes made helped the show see its success in the future. Following The Office’s official pilot, the show continued to make changes as it largely abandoned the decision to recreate bits from the UK version. By the second episode, The Office was following original storylines and gags for its US characters.

7 Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Pilot air date: September 17, 2013

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is another show that changed their cast after its pilot episode. Originally, Hitchcock and Scully were a trio, accompanied by a woman referred to as Daniels. According to Terry (Crews), Daniels was better at brewing coffee than anything else, but the character disappeared after the pilot and was never mentioned again. Seeing as Hitchcock and Scully’s origins set them up to be two of the best comic relief characters of the show, it’s a shame that audiences never got to see them interact with Daniels further.

6 Family Guy

Pilot air date: January 31, 1999

In 1999, Seth McFarlane put together a rough pilot for Family Guy that was significantly different from the show known to audiences now. The plot of the episode was reused for the pilot that was aired, entitled “Death Has A Shadow,” but other than that, the two episodes differ greatly. In the original concept, Lois was blonde, Meg wore a blue hat instead of pink, and instead of Family Guy’s characters hating Meg, she was treated with love and respect by the other characters. It also didn’t include the character of Quagmire, whose concept wasn’t created until after.

5 The Inbetweeners

Pilot air date: May 1, 2008

British comedy series The Inbetweeners was consistently praised for its use of dark humor and reliability towards modern-day teens, but the original pilot was very different. The show was originally set to be called Baggy Trousers and was set in the 1980s, with a change in cast as well. The fourth member of the group was called Lee, rather than Jay. James Buckley, who played Jay in The Inbetweeners, was the only member of the main cast to star in both the show and the Baggy Trousers pilot, except he originally played Neil.

4 30 Rock

October 11, 2006

Inspired by Tina Fey’s time on Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock is considered one of the best sitcoms led by a woman. In the original pilot, the premise of the show remains pretty much the same, however, one big difference is the absence of Jane Krakowski. The part of Jenna was originally played by Rachel Dratch, and the character was Jenna DeCarlo, rather than Maroney. Following the unaired pilot, it was decided that 30 Rock should lean further into its sketch comedy elements, and Krakowski was cast. However, Dratch still made multiple appearances during 30 Rock’s seven-season run, often as different characters.

3 Sherlock

Pilot air date: July 25, 2010

BBC’s Sherlock saw several differences from its original pilot. Following its commission, the BBC decided to extend the episodes from a 60-minute runtime to 90 minutes, and so “A Study In Pink” was remade. Most of the differences were subtle, such as a change in casting for some minor characters and location adjustments. However, there are a few notable changes that are worth mentioning, including the absence of Mycroft, who considered himself the smartest Holmes brother, in the original pilot.

2 New Girl

Pilot air date: September 20, 2011

New Girl is best known for its ensemble cast, all living together under one roof. However, the pilot saw a big difference in the main gang, specifically the absence of Winston. Originally, another character took his room in the large loft – Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) At the time of filming the pilot, Wayans was also starring in Happy Endings, which he believed would be canceled. When Happy Endings was renewed for season 2, he chose to return and leave New Girl. Coach then moved out after the first episode and Winston replaced Coach in New Girl, but the character did return in season 3.

1 Game Of Thrones

Pilot air date: April 17, 2011

Game of Thrones is another huge show that experienced major adjustments after its original pilot. Before “Winter Is Coming” arrived on HBO in 2011, Game of Thrones shot an unaired pilot from 2009 that included changes in the cast, a lack of crucial character details, and some cut scenes. The original pilot excluded the fact that Jaime and Cersei were twin siblings, starred Tamzin Merchant as Daenerys Targaryen (later replaced by Emilia Clarke) and Jennifer Ehle as Catelyn Stark (replaced by Michelle Fairley), featured a cameo by author George R.R. Martin, and included flashbacks to past events. The unaired pilot was poorly received by those who saw it, leading to the numerous changes in “Winter Is Coming.”