TV Pilots That Were Too Strange to Air
BY: PRAGATI UPADHYAY
Not every pilot makes it to screen. Some were simply too odd, risky, or ahead of their time. Here are a few.
The Lost Side of TV
Starring Jack Black and directed by Ben Stiller, this sci-fi comedy featured a talking motorcycle. Networks weren’t ready.
Heat Vision and Jack (1999)
Written by Conan O’Brien, starring Adam West as a washed-up TV star solving crimes. Funny, but too weird for prime time.
Lookwell (1991)
A CW pilot starring Justin Hartley as the underwater hero. The network pulled the plug before it could surface.
Aquaman (2006)
NBC tried remaking the British cult hit. Same jokes, but without the charm—never aired beyond the pilot.
The IT Crowd (2007)
A cartoon pilot based on the video game. Too bizarre and messy for TV networks to pick up.
Battletoads (1992)
These pilots prove TV history is full of odd experiments. Some were brilliant, others baffling—but all remind us how strange creativity can be.
The Shelf Of Forgotten TV