Unlock TV's secrets with the TV Pilot's License Podcast! Geoff, Max, and Rich dissect pilots from classics to cult favorites. Expect deep TV reviews, first episode breakdowns, and pilot analysis. We cover must-watch TV, one-season wonders, and cancelled series. Get honest show reviews, funny recaps, and sharp commentary. Need show recommendations? We've got you! Dive into TV history and decide which pilots earn their "license." Comedy, analysis, and passion await. Subscribe for your weekly TV podcast fix!
Episodes
Widow's Bay: Comedy Horrors, Emmy Winning TV Shows, Matthew Rhys, and Stephen Root
29 Oct 2026 · 58 min
Join TVPL this Halloween for our rewatch and breakdown on the pilot episode of the Emmy winning series “Widow’s Bay!” This episode has everything: fog, curses, disappearances and Stephen Root. We explore the history of this show from spec script to series and decide whether or not it scared us off…
The Bill Engvall Show: Jennifer Lawrence, Skyler Gisondo, Stand-Up Comedians, and Colorado Football
22 Oct 2026 · 39 min
A future Oscar winner. A future DCU star. A member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. Those are just three of the people who make up the ensemble of the short lived but culturally significant TBS original series The Bill Engvall Show. While this family friendly sitcom may feel like a forgotten relic…
Santa Clarita Diet: Zombies, Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Dark Comedies, and Canabalisim
15 Oct 2026 · 41 min
In the suburbs, things are not always as they seem. Join TVPL for a brand new episode on Netflix’s “Santa Clarita Diet,” the horror comedy that’ll leave you hungry for more. Does Drew Barrymore with a taste for human flesh sound appetizing?This episode truly has it all from A-Z, that’s Andy…
30 Rock: Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, NBC Comedies, and The 20th Anniversary
8 Oct 2026 · 1 h 04
From the producers that brought you Milf Island, The Rural Juror and Queen of Jordan comes TV Pilot’s License! This week we’re celebrating 20 years of 30 Rock with a rewatch of the pilot that introduced us to some of the 21st Century’s most iconic characters. We dive in to the insanely close…
Breaking Bad: Our 200th Episode, Bryan Cranston, New York Times Best TV Shows
1 Oct 2026 · 1 h 17
This week TVPL packs up their RV and heads to Albuquerque for the pilot of Breaking Bad and our 200th episode! Fresh off of being named the Best TV Show of the 21st Century by the New York Times, we revisited its iconic pilot and discuss the long road from page to screen, the joys of watching…
Bunheads: Amy Sherman-Palladino, Gilmore Girls, Life Of A Showgirl, and Alan Ruck
24 Sept 2026 · 57 min
The Life of a Showgirl? You must mean Amy Sherman-Palladino’s “Bunheads.” This week on TVPL we turn-turn-kick-turn our way into this beloved although short lived series from the creator of Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. With a cast including Tony Award winners Sutton Foster and Kelly…
My Name Is Earl: Jason Lee, Emmy Award Winning Pilots, and How Many Beers Is To Many?
17 Sept 2026 · 58 min
Twenty years ago the pilot of My Name is Earl won Emmys for Outstanding Writing and Directing of a Comedy Series. Does a pilot full of beer drinking, blue humor and Carson Daly still have the juice to be a favorite two decades later? Join us on the latest TVPL as we travel to Camden County (state…
Playmakers: ESPN Drama, Football Scandals, And NFL Pressure
10 Sept 2026 · 60 min
Are *YOU* ready for some football? As the NFL season gets underway we take a look back on the pilot episode of Playmakers, an ESPN original from 2003 detailing the dark side of professional football. Despite strong ratings and reviews the series lasted just 11 episodes due to some alleged outside…
Animal Control: Joel McHale, Fox Comedies, And Character Tropes
3 Sept 2026 · 55 min
There are countless shows about first responders that glue us to our TVs. From paramedics to police and now…Animal Control? This week on TVPL we watched the pilot of this Joel McHale starring sitcom on Fox about the lesser appreciated government agency you know and love. This show has everything…
Bless This Mess: Dax Shepard, Lake Bell, Farm Life, And Casting Choices
27 Aug 2026 · 46 min
We’re heading to Nebraska on a brand new TVPL and a look back on the short lived sitcom Bless This Mess. Written and created by Emmy nominee Liz Meriweather (New Girl, The Dropout, Dying for Sex) and featuring an ensemble full of faces you know and love, we try to figure out what kept this farm…
Law and Order: Crime Procedurals, Medical Malpractice, Spin-offs, And Dun Dun
20 Aug 2026 · 1 h 01
It’s a franchise spanning over three decades and countless spinoffs, but today we go back to 1990 and the pilot of the original Law & Order. Join us as we discuss which future Real Housewives cast member has the honor of being the first victim, the jazzy theme music you know and the history of…
Reacher: Alan Ritchson, Dad Books, Tom Cruise, and Beer Drinking Shows
13 Aug 2026 · 55 min
Reacher? I hardly know her! Now that we got that out of the way get ready for a brand new TVPL on Reacher, the Prime Video adaption of the best selling Jack Reacher book series. Reacher has become a smash for the streamer beloved by both dad’s browsing airport book stores and people wondering what…
New Girl: Quirky Comedy, Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, and Schmidt-isms
6 Aug 2026 · 1 h 00
Downtown lofts! American Apparel hoodies! Saying “well that happened!” It’s a millennial fever dream on this week’s TVPL talking about the pilot of New Girl. Join us for an in depth analysis on the phrase “adorkable,” delight in the musicality of this pilot, make plans to visit the real LA bar…
White Collar: Matt Bomer, Hot Tub TV Shows, Prison Breaks, and USA Network
30 Jul 2026 · 59 min
This week we’re heading to New York City to talk about White Collar on the latest TVPL if we can just stop getting lost in Matt Bomer’s eyes long enough to watch the episode! While there’s no shortage of star power, does this USA original have us on board for episode two? Join us on a journey…
Resident Alien: Sci-Fi Network, Alan Tudyk, Alien Encounters, and Chris Sheridan
16 Jul 2026 · 1 h 04
Things are not always as they seem on a brand new TVPL on the pilot of SyFy’s “Resident Alien.” Join us for a conversation on the illustrious voiceover career of star Alan Tudyk, his uncanny resemblance to co-host Rich Inman, the ludicrous amount of beat boxing and the greatest question of all:…
Everwood: WB Family Dramas, Brenda Strong, The CW, And Our Favorit ePlac
9 Jul 2026 · 1 h 01
We’re on a Rocky Mountain high this week with a look back at the pilot of the early 2000s WB classic, Everwood! Join us as we discuss two future MCU stars in early roles, the worst fake piano playing we’ve ever seen and oddly specific tv typecasting. You’re in for a real treat (williams) with this…
Friends: James Burrows, NBC Sitcoms, Jennifer Anniston, Courtney Cox, And Third Spaces
2 Jul 2026 · 48 min
TVPL finally tackles the long-requested prequel series to "Joey" the hit NBC sitcom Friends! In this episode, we break down the classic 90s sitcom, discuss how many paleontologists we knew in our 20s, and dig into the Friends cast performances that won us over. We cover the staggering number of…
Hawaii 5-0: Reboots, CBS Action shows, Hawaiian Shirts, and Jean Smart
25 Jun 2026 · 47 min
Aloha from TV Pilot’s License as we embark on a trip to the Hawaiian islands and CBS’ gritty reboot of Hawaii Five-0! It’s a week full of big waves and even bigger car crashes. We talk about the keys to assembling a crew, the failed CBS shows of the late 00s and GOVERNOR JEAN SMART. So grab your…
Ted Lasso: Jason Sudekis, The World Cup, NBC Commercials, And Hannah Waddingham
18 Jun 2026 · 1 h 07
*clears throat* GOOOOAAAALLLLLL! Ok now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, grab your cleats and hit the pitch for a brand new World Cup-centric TVPL on the pilot of Ted Lasso! Onboard this week back from his ten episode red card suspension is our very own Rich Inman! This soccer superstar…
He-Man: Toys into TV Shows, Gay Icons, Masculinity, and 80’s Culture
11 Jun 2026 · 48 min
I HAVE THE PODCAST! On the heels of the Masters of the Universe film we take it back to 1983 and the original He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series! Join us for a discussion on 80s pop culture, the unparalleled sassiness of Skeletor, bad haircuts and yes, Orko. Be sure to store…