Television pilot

A television pilot is an episode or presentation made to demonstrate a proposed series and help a network or platform decide whether to commission it.

Series bible: A document outlining a television series’ premise, characters, setting, and recurring story structure. It gives executives and creators a written account of the series a pilot is meant to demonstrate.
Backdoor pilot: An episode of an existing series designed to introduce a proposed spin-off. It tests a new series inside an established program instead of as a standalone pilot.
Casting: The process of selecting performers for roles in a production. Pilot casting tests whether actors can embody the proposed series’ characters.
Television programming: The selection and scheduling of television programs for broadcast or distribution. Pilot decisions help determine the mix of series available on a channel or platform.
Television production: The process of developing, making, and delivering programs for television. A pilot uses this process to test whether the proposed series can be produced.
Pilot presentation: A short, often unfinished audiovisual sample made to pitch a proposed television series. It can demonstrate a concept without the cost of producing a complete episode.
Showrunner: The leading television producer responsible for a series’ creative direction and day-to-day operation. A showrunner often develops the pilot and uses it to establish the series’ creative approach.
Television cancellation: The ending of a television series when its producer or distributor stops commissioning episodes. A pilot that fails to win a series order ends before a continuing show exists.
Proof of concept: A demonstration that an idea or design can work as intended. Some pilots function chiefly as a short demonstration rather than a broadcast-ready episode.
Straight-to-series order: A commissioning decision that orders a television series without first requiring a pilot. It bypasses the pilot stage and commits to production on other evidence.

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