19 TV Pilots That Were So Bad They Were Canceled Immediately
Here's a roundup of TV pilots that failed so hard they never made it past their first showing.
- Daisy Montero
- 5 min read
Not every TV show idea deserves to make it to air, and these pilots proved exactly that. Some were overhyped, others were just plain confusing, and a few were so painfully awkward they left audiences cringing. Networks gave them a shot, but they pulled the plug almost immediately. These pilots show just how quickly bad TV can sink.
1. Heil Honey, I’m Home!
British Satellite Broadcasting on Wikimedia Commons
This 1990 British sitcom pilot featured Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun as a sitcom couple. It was pulled after just one airing because audiences and critics were horrified. It is now remembered as one of the most tasteless TV ideas ever made.
2. The Will
Jefferson Wellinton on Wikimedia Commons
This was a reality TV pilot about a man deciding which relative would inherit his estate. It caused outrage for turning family grief into entertainment. ABC aired it once in 2005 before canceling it the next day.
3. The Osbournes Reloaded
Chicks With Guns Magazine on Wikimedia Commons
This variety show starring Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne premiered in 2009 but was yanked after just one episode. The humor was clunky, and audiences had already moved on from the family’s fame. It is now considered one of TV’s most awkward reboots.
4. Cop Rock
Davidpar on Wikimedia Commons
This 1990 ABC musical drama tried mixing police procedurals with Broadway-style songs. Viewers found it absurd, and ratings dropped instantly. The pilot became infamous as one of the strangest experiments in TV history.
5. Viva Laughlin
Eva Rinaldi on Wikimedia Commons
A CBS musical drama starring Hugh Jackman sounded promising but was a disaster on screen. The singing and storytelling clashed, and critics tore it apart. It was canceled after two episodes in 2007.
6. Emily’s Reasons Why Not
Dimitri Sarantis on Wikimedia Commons
This 2006 sitcom starring Heather Graham premiered on ABC and was canceled the same night. It tried to mimic Sex and the City but lacked charm or originality. Viewers tuned out immediately.
7. Quarterlife
NBCUniversal on Wikimedia Commons
This show started as an internet series before NBC aired it in 2008. The writing was criticized for being self-indulgent and pretentious. Ratings were so low that it was canceled after one episode.
8. Who’s Your Daddy?
Evil Tortilla Games on Wikimedia Commons
This 2005 Fox reality show had contestants guess who their biological father was for money. The concept was widely criticized as cruel and exploitative. It never made it past the first episode.
9. Cavemen
Flickr user New Zealand Tertiary Education Union. on Wikimedia Commons
Based on the Geico commercials, this 2007 sitcom was mocked before it even aired. The jokes felt flat, and audiences did not care about cavemen adjusting to modern life. ABC canceled it quickly.
10. My Mother the Car
NBC Television on Wikimedia Commons
This 1965 pilot centered on a man whose deceased mother was reincarnated as a talking car. Viewers found it bizarre, and critics labeled it one of the worst TV concepts ever. It barely lasted beyond its pilot.
11. Secret Talents of the Stars
Rodel Flordeliz on Wikimedia Commons
A 2008 CBS talent competition featuring celebrities doing unusual acts. The first episode was so poorly received it was canceled immediately. Critics called it awkward and desperate.
12. The Brady Bunch Variety Hour
ABC Television. on Wikimedia Commons
This 1976 pilot turned the Brady family into a song-and-dance troupe. It confused audiences who loved the original family sitcom. The strange concept quickly flopped.
13. The Partners
General Artists Corporation-GAC-management. on Wikimedia Commons
A 1971 sitcom about two bumbling detectives was poorly written and unfunny. The pilot failed to capture the audience, and critics dismissed it. It disappeared almost as soon as it aired.
14. Public Morals
Kopiersperre on Wikimedia Commons
This 1996 CBS comedy about vice cops in New York was slammed for crude humor. Viewers hated its offensive stereotypes. The pilot was canceled after its first airing.
15. The Jackie Gleason Show (1978 Revival)
CBS Television on Wikimedia Commons
CBS tried to revive Jackie Gleason’s variety show in the late ’70s. The pilot felt outdated, and viewers were not impressed. It never made it to a full season.
16. Turn-On
Unknown author on Wikimedia Commons
This 1969 comedy sketch show was canceled mid-broadcast in some markets. The edgy humor and fast-cut editing alienated viewers instantly. It has since been called one of the fastest TV failures ever.
17. Co-Ed Fever
Ron Hoagan on Wikimedia Commons
This raunchy 1979 sitcom was about college students trying to cash in on Animal House’s success. CBS pulled it after its pilot was mocked for being unfunny. Only one episode aired.
18. The IT Crowd (US Version)
Talkback Thames on Wikimedia Commons
NBC tried remaking the hit British sitcom in 2007. The pilot kept one original actor but lost the show’s charm. It was scrapped before a single episode aired to the public.
19. Uncle Buck (2016)
Mike F. Campbell on Wikimedia Commons
Based on the John Candy movie, this ABC sitcom pilot failed to capture the original’s charm. The jokes were flat, and viewers quickly lost interest. It was canceled after its premiere.