Waiting to stream: All the pilots we can’t wait for in 2018
Back in 2018, the pilot season offered a familiar mix of reboots, high-concept mysteries, and star-driven comedies that felt fresh enough to warrant clearing space on the DVR. Networks ordered scripts across CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC, and FX, each one carrying the usual cocktail of talent and premise that had insiders placing quiet bets. Some of those projects moved forward, some vanished, and a handful surprised everyone by sticking around far longer than the initial hype suggested. Here is a look at fourteen of those 2018 pilots, updated with what actually happened once the cameras stopped rolling.
L.A. Confidential (CBS)
The latest in a long line of reboots is this TV adaptation of James Ellroy’s classic novel, and the 1997 movie based on it, which is said to feature a modern tone, music, and style, despite still being set in the 50s. Few other details have been confirmed, but it certainly sounds interesting so far. CBS passed on the pilot and relocation efforts failed, leaving the project as an unaired pilot that later screened at festivals.
So Close (NBC)
Written by Greg Malins (Friends) this romantic-comedy pilot follows two hopeless romantics at a crossroad in their lives who are about to both settle for the wrong partner. Little do they know they live just blocks away from each other and could in fact be soul mates. The pilot was not ordered to series.
God Friended Me (CBS)
By far the most WTF offering is this Greg Berlanti (The Flash) produced pilot described as being “a humorous, uplifting drama” about an outspoken atheist who is friended by God on Facebook. Here’s hoping it leads to a future episode in which Nev and Max from Catfish rock up to prove that “God” is actually a middle-aged Dungeons & Dragons champion from Delaware. The pilot was ordered straight to series and premiered in September 2018 before cancellation after two seasons in April 2020.
Manifest (NBC)
This mystery thriller follows the passengers of a plane – thought to have disappeared – who re-emerge years later with no knowledge of any time having passed. With Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future) as executive producer, and with Melissa Roxburgh (Star Trek: Beyond) and Josh Dallas (Thor) cast in lead roles, the pilot has us all kinds of intrigued. The series premiered on NBC in September 2018, moved to Netflix for its final season, and concluded in 2023.
Mixtape (Fox)
Fans of the cult musical series Smash should get very excited for season two showrunner Josh Safran’s upcoming musical pilot, Mixtape. Safran called the show a “full on musical” on Twitter, which will apparently follow a “disparate group of interconnected people” in Los Angeles who are defined by their love of music. Fox passed on the pilot, but Netflix ordered a ten-episode series in 2018.
Bright Futures (NBC)
As a single-camera comedy from Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, Bright Futures centers on a group of friends transitioning from clueless, immature twenty-somethings to the successful professionals they strive to become. The pilot was not ordered to series.
Guess Who Died (NBC)
Based on Norman Lear’s personal experiences and starring the inimitable Christopher Lloyd, Guess Who Died is said to be a “humorous and inspiring look at the shared joys and challenges we all experience at any stage in life.” The pilot was not ordered to series.
The Rookie (ABC)
Nathan Fillion fans rejoice! Ya boy is returning to ABC with a pilot written and produced by Castle showrunner Alexi Hawley. Inspired by a true story, the series centers around John Nolan (Fillion), the oldest rookie cop in the LAPD, who struggles to navigate his unpredictable and dangerous job. Likely with many hilarious hijinks, shenanigans, and Fillion one-liners. The series premiered in October 2018 and has been renewed through a ninth season as of 2026.
Get Christie Love (ABC)
With Vin Diesel (The Fast and the Furious) as an executive producer and Courtney Kemp Agboh (The Good Wife) serving as showrunner, Get Christie Love is already a compelling prospect. Add onto that the fact the show is a reboot of the revolutionary 70s TV movie of the same name, and this pilot, about an African-American female CIA agent, has us excited. ABC did not order the pilot to series.
Bless This Mess (Fox)
Anyone who enjoyed Lake Bell’s directorial and feature writing debut In A World should get tremendously excited for her upcoming pilot. Bless This Mess is based on the simple narrative of a couple as they move to Nebraska for a simpler life, only to encounter chaos. But with Bell writing and producing the episode with Elizabeth Meriwether (No Strings Attached), it’s got a good chance of being a standout hit. Developed at Fox, the project moved to ABC for series and premiered midseason 2019.
How May We Hate You? (ABC)
Get over the cancellation of 2 Broke Girls once and for all by getting excited about the pilot for Kat Dennings’s new project. Based on the blog and book of the same name, this comedy follows two guest service associates at a high-end resort as they struggle with the co-workers and guests they’re stuck with. The pilot was not ordered to series.
Lil Kev (Fox)
Based on the childhood of comedian and movie star Kevin Hart (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle), this animated comedy follows a 12 year-old boy as he grows up in North Philadelphia with the help of his dysfunctional family and “wise-cracking dog”. Hart is serving as executive producer on the pilot and will be lending his vocal talents to it along with a standout cast including Wanda Sykes and Deon Cole. The pilot was not ordered to series.
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Produced by Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) and Jemaine Clement, the TV adaptation of the 2014 hit indie vampire comedy certainly has promise. The pilot will see the glib vampire roommates portrayed by a cast including Doug Jones, Beanie Feldstein, Jack McDorman, and Mark Proksch. The series premiered in March 2019 and concluded after six seasons in December 2024.
I Mom So Hard (CBS)
Based on the popular web series of the same name, this multi-camera comedy pilot, written by creators Kristin Hensley and Jennifer Smedley, will show how two women get through the strife of being wives and moms with the solid support of their friendship. The pilot was not ordered to series.
Pilots That Found New Homes Elsewhere
Some projects that stalled at their original networks found traction on different platforms. Mixtape moved from a Fox pilot to a Netflix series order in 2018, while Bless This Mess developed at Fox but ultimately aired on ABC. These shifts showed how flexible the post-pilot landscape had become once streamers entered the picture.
Long-Running Success Stories
A small number of pilots exceeded every early expectation. The Rookie premiered in October 2018 and earned renewals through a ninth season as of 2026, turning Nathan Fillion’s LAPD rookie into one of ABC’s longest-running current series. Manifest reached four seasons after moving from NBC to Netflix, proving that strong audience numbers could keep a show alive even after network exits.
Unaired or Unpicked Pilots Overview
Many of the 2018 pilots never made it past the initial order. L.A. Confidential remained unaired after CBS passed and relocation attempts failed. Get Christie Love, So Close, Bright Futures, Guess Who Died, How May We Hate You?, Lil Kev, and I Mom So Hard also stayed at the pilot stage, underscoring how selective the path from script to series remained even with big names attached.
Early Cancellations and Short Runs
Some projects reached air only to end quickly. God Friended Me ran two seasons on CBS before cancellation in 2020. The pattern of short runs for several other entries highlighted how quickly networks moved on when viewership failed to meet expectations in an increasingly crowded market.
