A lot of people will tell you that if you want to write for television, the first thing you should do is write an original pilot. Some other people, myself included, will tell you that first you should write an original episode for an existing show. This is just my opinion, and I have many good reasons for my opinion.

A few, anyway.

As with most of my opinions, I am correct. Unless you disagree, in which case I do too. I think you should absolutely write an original pilot. Here are a few reasons why:

1) I don’t want to read another Seinfeld.

Accepted practice for aspiring television writers used to be writing a script for an existing show. As recently as 15 years ago, the big networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, OANN) dominated everybody’s viewing habits. And between them all there were only ever about four or five sitcoms that were really QUALITY shows, shows that would show off your storytelling, and your joke-writing, if you wrote a spec for them. So everybody wrote the same few shows: Seinfeld, Friends, Frasier... but not Emily’s Reasons Why Not or Gary Unmarried.

As you can imagine, people got bored of reading those same shows over and over again- same characters- same types of stories, same types of jokes. It’s fun to read something new and different.

By writing an original pilot, something that nobody has ever seen before, you are doing your reader a service. I thank you in advance.

2) What is Seinfeld? I’ve never seen it.

This is false. Of course I’ve seen it. But what if I haven’t?

As I said earlier, correctly, it’s a good idea to write for an existing show. But what show? How do you decide? I mean, a sitcom. Sure. But what’s a good one to write? Fifteen years ago, everybody knew what the good ones were, and was familiar with them. Now? There are lots of great, quirky, weird, original sitcoms on. What We Do In The Shadows, Dave, Duncanville, I’m Sorry, #BlackAF?

All great choices. Here’s the problem- what if you write a great spec for one of these shows, you really get the show’s voice, it shows off your voice too, then you give it to somebody and they’ve never seen the show? With DVR’s and streaming services the TV landscape has splintered. Which has been great for finding interesting stuff that doesn’t seem mainstream, but has also splintered audiences. We don’t all watch the same shows anymore.

And because that spec of an exising show isn’t a pilot, you’re not doing all the work you have to do in a pilot to make sure your reader understands who the characters are, what the world is, and how you’re planning to tell stories going forward.

An original pilot shows off your writing with no assumption that the reader has watched (or read) anything else concerning the show.

3) Nobody wants Seinfeld.

Again, totally false, of course. Everybody wants Seinfeld. The show has made over $4 billion. And by “over” I mean “more than.” Not sure how much more. A lot. But I would be happy to create something that made even a little less than that.

But people want to read something new and different. And by people, I mean “the industry.” The people who make decisions. They want to see something new, different, unusual, fresh, mind-blowing.... not your script about how the old gang can’t get seated at a Tibetan restaurant.

Aside from new and original, the thing people like about something that isn’t Seinfeld is something even more important than that- maybe, just maybe, you can sell it. And make money. And if they HELP you sell it, they make money too. You can at least try. Your Seinfeld Tibetan restaurant episode might be amazing, but it will never make anybody money. It might help get you a job that will make people money. But if you write Mrs. Blueberry and the Captain, an original sitcom about a ferry pilot and his cat, maybe, just maybe, somebody decides to give you money to make it.

4) Seinfeld isn’t funny.

Again, this is an absurd statement. It is. Seinfeld is objectively funny. If there is such a thing. Which there isn’t.

Comedy is like food. Somebody hates everything everybody likes.

So maybe you hate everybody else’s idea of what’s funny. Write what you think is funny. Write something that is unlike what anybody has ever seen. Something completely and uniquely your own. And maybe, just maybe, some people will agree with you. In fact, I would venture to say some people will definitely agree with you. Hopefully they will be the right people to give you what you want- a job, a show, a pat on the back.

Whatever the case, if, for whatever reason, you’re thinking about writing an original pilot, I can help you write a good one. Try me.

"Seinfeld isn't funny..."