Many TV shows didn’t go past their pilot episode, but among them are some that, instead of a proper pilot episode, hadbackdoor pilotsthat, ultimately, didn’t succeed, either. Every TV show goes through an often long process before it can air or stream, and its journey officially begins with a pilot episode. This is a standalone episode made with the purpose of selling the show to a network or any other distributor, and it’s used to test how successful the show could be. Many pilot episodes become the show’s premiere episode, while others are either reshot or not released at all.
In this process of pilot episodes are alsobackdoor pilots, which refer to an episode of an existing TV showused to sell the concept of a spinoff, and it may or may not introduce new characters. Regardless of whether the show is picked up or not, the backdoor pilot is released, as it’s part of an ongoing TV show. While many backdoor pilots have succeeded, as is the case fortheNCISfranchise, others didn’t go past being one more episode of an established show, even though some of them were quite entertaining.
9Magnum, P.I. - “J. “Digger” Doyle”
Magnum, P.I. Season 1, Episode 17
Magnum, P.I.was a crime drama TV show starring Tom Selleck as private investigator Thomas Magnum. The show followed Magnum on the different cases he took, while living a luxurious life in Hawaii. In its first season,Magnum, P.I.had a backdoor pilot inthe episode “J. ‘Digger’ Doyle”, which introduced the title character, played by Erin Gray. Digger was hired to check the security at the estate, and she infiltrated it by posing as a fan of Robin Masters (voiced by Orson Welles).
Magnum and Digger ended up teaming up when Robin’s life was revealed to be in danger, and, of course, they successfully saved him.This episode was meant to launch a Magnum, P.I. spinoff centered on Digger, and as interesting as that would have been, the project wasn’t picked up.
8The Brady Bunch - “Kelly’s Kids”
The Brady Bunch Season 5, Episode 14
The Brady Bunchhas one of the most notable examples of an unsuccessful backdoor pilot. Season 5’s “Kelly’s Kids” saw Carol and Mike’s friends, Ken and Kathy Kelly, planning to adopt a boy named Matt.The Kellys also end up adopting Matt’s best friends Dwayne, a Black kid, and Steve, who is Asian, but they face the unpleasant reactions of their neighbor, Mrs. Payne.
The purpose of “Kelly’s Kids” was to launch a more diverse spinoff ofThe Brady Bunchthat would focus on the Kelly’s new family. However, the concept wasn’t picked up, and thus theBrady Bunchspinoff was never produced, but its role as a backdoor pilot earned it a place in TV history.
7Sabrina the Teenage Witch - “Witchright Hall”
Sabrina the Teenage Witch Season 5, Episode 18
Sabrina the Teenage Witchwas a sitcom based on Sabrina Spellman, the character from Archie Comics. The show focused on Sabrina (Melissa Joan Hart) as she adapted to life as a witch while also dealing with everything that being a teenager brought. In its fifth season,Sabrina the Teenage Witchintroduced Sabrina’s rebellious cousin Amanda, sent to live in the Mortal Realm for a year. However, Sabrina’s aunts arranged forSabrina to help Amanda get into a school for maladjusted young witches– the title Witchright Hall.
The purpose of this episode was tolaunch a spinoff set in Witchright Hall, thus following those “maladjusted” witchesand their surely chaotic but fun adventures. The episode failed to appeal to The WB, which passed on it, but at least it introduced yet another member of the Spellman family.
6Gilmore Girls - “Here Comes The Son”
Gilmore Girls Season 3, Episode 21
Gilmore Girlscould have had a spinoff series titledWindward Circle, had its backdoor pilot been picked up. The backdoor pilot was part ofGilmore Girlsseason 3 and was “Here Comes The Son”, in whichJess (Milo Ventimiglia) went to Venice, California, to be with his estranged father, Jimmy. Once there, he met Jimmy’s girlfriend and her daughter, who weren’t welcoming of Jess. Jimmy was hesitant to take Jess in until he was told he had nowhere to go.
Windward Circlewould have been set in Venice Beach, following Jess as he tried to build a relationship with his father, while also unable to count on his mother. The WB didn’t pick it up due to the cost of shooting on location in Venice Beach, and so Jess never got to lead his own show.
5The Twilight Zone - “Cavender Is Coming”
The Twilight Zone Season 3, Episode 36
One of the weirdest episodes ofThe Twilight Zonewas supposed to launch a spinoff series that wasn’t like the main one. “Cavender is Coming” was part ofThe Twilight Zone’s third season, and it followed angel Harmon Cavender (Jesse White), who was assigned asthe guardian angel of the clumsy and recently unemployed Agnes Grep(Carol Burnett). Cavender gave Agnes a mansion and a large bank account, but he realized that, despite everything she was going through, Agnes was happy.
The episode was supposed to launch a regular comedy series led by Cavender.
“Cavender is Coming” leaned more towards comedy than the signature sci-fi and horror tone ofThe Twilight Zone, andin its original broadcast, it had a laugh track(which was removed in DVD, reruns, and streaming versions). The episode was supposed to launch a regular comedy series led by Cavender, but it didn’t succeed.
4The Nanny - “The Chatterbox”
The Nanny Season 2, Episode 25
The Nannywas a sitcom created by Peter Marc Jacobson and Fran Drescher, which followed Fran Fine (Drescher), a fashion-loving woman from Flushing, Queens, who, after being fired from her (now ex) boyfriend’s bridal shop, ended up becoming the nanny of the upper-class family, the Sheffields. In season 2’s episode “The Chatterbox”,The Nannytook the focus away from Fran, her will-they-won’t-they relationship with Maxwell Sheffield, and the Sheffield kids to give it to Mary Ruth, an aspiring but unemployed actress.
“The Chatterbox” was a backdoor pilot for a spinoff series set in that beauty salon and following its employees.
Fran encouraged Mary Ruth to get a job as The Chatterbox’s new shampoo girl, and she began to meddle in the personal life of the owner, Mr. Anthony, and his son, Mimo. “The Chatterbox” was a backdoor pilot for a spinoff series set in that beauty salon and following its employees, butMary Ruth and Mr. Anthony’s dynamic was too similar to that ofThe Nanny.
3Supernatural - “Bloodlines” & “Wayward Sisters”
Supernatural Season 9, Episode 20 – Season 13, Episode 10
Supernaturalhad two attempts at launching a spinoff series with backdoor pilots. First, in season 9,Supernaturalused the episode “Bloodlines”, where Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) investigated a case in Chicago, where monster families ran the underbelly of Chicago, unbeknownst to humans.Supernatural: Bloodlineswould have focused on the clashes between hunters and monsters, but the pilot wasn’t picked up.
Four seasons later,Supernaturalhad another backdoor pilot in season 13. Titled“Wayward Sisters”, it saw Sam and Dean going missing and Jody Mills teaming up with rogue hunter Claire Novakto find the brothers.Wayward Sistershad the same fate asBloodlines, and the only spinoffSupernaturalgot wasThe Winchesters, a prequel canceled after one season.
2Gossip Girl - “Valley Girls”
Gossip Girl Season 2, Episode 24
Gossip Girlfollowed the lives of a group of wealthy teenagers in a prestigious high school, while their secrets and more were exposed by the mysterious blogger Gossip Girl. In its second season,Gossip Girltried to get a spinoff series approved, and for that, it used “Valley Girls” as a backdoor pilot. Parallel to the present-day storyline,“Valley Girls” featured flashbacks to the 1980s which followed a young Lily(Brittany Snow) and the events that led to her first arrest.
Valley Girlswas intended to link toThe O.C.
Despite its positive reception, “Valley Girls” didn’t get the series of the same name the green light. On top of that, CW’s fall line-up had only three spots open, andthere were other shows with actual pilot episodes competingfor them. In the end,Melrose Place,The Beautiful Life, andThe Vampire Diariestook those spots.
1The Office - “The Farm”
The Office Season 9, Episode 17
In its ninth season,The Officetried to launch a spinoff series that would have followed one of its most popular characters. Following the main show’s mockumentary style, the episode “The Farm” sawDwight (Raunn Wilson) traveling to Schrute Farms for the funeral of his Aunt Shirley. “The Farm” introduced Dwight’s family, but that wasn’t enough to convince critics and fans, and the episode was poorly received – and, of course, the spinoff never happened.
