Issa Rae’s Pilot-Writing Blueprint: 16 TV Pilots to Study

A pilot is the first episode of a television series. Pilot episodes are crucial in the television world since they hook the viewer and set up your characters and storyline for an entire season. TV studios, streaming platforms, and network executives sometimes commission the production of a pilot script to determine whether or not they want to go forward with a series order, eventually adding it to the programming schedule for an upcoming season.

Aspiring writers can use their completed pilot screenplay to grab the attention of showrunners or TV execs for staffing considerations or sell it and join the writing staff to bring the concept to life. Your pilot should be a well-rounded concept with character development that emphasizes what makes your show exciting or unique and demonstrates what the series will say to an audience.

Whether it’s your first time writing a pilot or your ninth, according to Issa Rae, a great television pilot episode needs to:

• Introduce your central character. Your main character is the heart at the center of your story—and the pilot episode needs to show audiences who that character is and why they should follow their journey. Make your character active, and give them a strong sense of self. What decisions are they making to move the story forward?
• Answer the question “Why today?” You choose to begin your story at a particular moment for a reason, a decision that your pilot episode should address. Why does your story start when it does? Is your main character sick, and they just found out? Is it their birthday? What’s going on in their life at this particular moment?
• Introduce the conflict. Compelling stories must contain some level of conflict—an issue for the character to grapple with throughout the story. While it can be challenging to put your darlings through the rigors of life, conflict is entertaining and keeps your audience hooked. If your character is coasting, your show will be boring. Create a sense of tension to keep your audience engaged. Learn more about adding conflict to your writing.
• Set up your series. “You should leave the pilot with questions and just enough satisfaction to be like, ‘I’m glad I watched this, I want to see what happens next,’” Issa says. “That balance is so crucial.” Your pilot episode isn’t a standalone story—it’s the first episode of the series, so it shouldn’t end with a full resolution. Why will the viewer keep watching your series? What are you building toward? Have you set up enough conflict to carry an entire season or a whole series?

The best way to improve your TV writing is to watch examples of outstanding, classic work. Here are a few popular TV pilots that you can turn to for inspiration and motivation:

1. 1. Arrested Development, “Pilot” (2003, Fox)
2. 2. Atlanta, “The Big Bang” (2016, FX)
3. 3. Cheers, “Give Me a Ring Sometime” (1982, NBC)
4. 4. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, “Josh Just Happens to Live Here!” (2015, The CW)
5. 5. Deadwood, “Deadwood” (2004, HBO)
6. 6. Futurama, “Space Pilot 3000” (1999, Fox)
7. 7. Homeland, “Pilot” (2011, Showtime)
8. 8. Insecure, “Insecure as F**k” (2016, HBO)
9. 9. Grey’s Anatomy, “A Hard Day’s Night” (2005, ABC)
10. 10. M.A.S.H, “Pilot” (1972, CBS)
11. 11. Orphan Black, “Natural Selection” (2013, BBC America)
12. 12. Scandal, “Sweet Baby” (2012, AMC)
13. 13. The Walking Dead, “Days Gone Bye” (2010, AMC)
14. 14. The West Wing, “Pilot” (1999, NBC)
15. 15. The Wire, “The Target” (2002, HBO)
16. 16. Twin Peaks, “Northwest Passage” (1990, ABC)

All you need is a MasterClass Annual Membership and our exclusive video lessons from prolific multi-hyphenate Issa Rae, the creator and leading lady of the hit HBO series Insecure (not to mention a bona fide music video star, executive producer, author, etc.). With Issa’s help, you’ll be writing, polishing, and pitching your pilot; finding your voice, and more in no time.