Customer Reviews

Unsold TV Pilots: The Greatest Shows You Never Saw

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a fun book to read (indeed a cover blurb announces it as "Best Bathroom Reading Ever"), but it fails as a comprehensive reference work to TV pilots.

The book lists over 300 pilots, along with a plot synopsis and information on stars, running time, network, and more. The problem is that there have been many more pilots than this book covers ("Experimental Television, Test Films, Pilots, and Trial Series, 1925 Through 1995 : Seven Decades of Small Screen Almosts" by Vincent Terrace lists 10 times the number of pilots.) The book also divides the pilots by topic, rather than sorting them by title, which makes for annoying reading. I would have preferred the pilots to all be listed together, alphabetically, perhaps with a small topic index in the back.

Fun for a quick overview of the follies of TV, but useless for reference work. To be honest, I wouldn't be giving this a bad review if it weren't for the fact that the book is advertised on the cover as "The Almost Complete Guide..."- I doubt highly that this was the intention of the author. He makes note in his acknowledgements that this is an abridged edition of his book, and thanks other authors who have written more complete guides.

I read the edition published by citadel press and found it to be a great read. I mean how many times do you get blank stares from people when you describe some unbelievable pilot you saw back when? Now you can show them the reference in this book!

As far as I'm concerend a few of the pilots in this book sounded like good shows.

I think a second edition with more entries would be great.

Even better I'd like to see a DVD compilation with these pilots in it!

A fascinating look at what could have been on network tv if not for someone's bright idea. Goldberg is funny and his research really shows in this top notch book. A must for TV junkies.

Lee Goldberg's book "Unsold TV Pilots: The Almost Complete Guide to Everything You Never Saw on TV" features 300 of the most interesting unsold pilots and lists each of them in a complete, interesting way. Lee Goldberg does a great job providing great information on each unsold pilot and even includes what stars played in that pilot. For example..."Steel Collar Man" featured Charles Rocket (Saturday Night Live) and Hoyt Axton (Gremlins). The unsold pilot, by the way, aired on CBS in the mid 1980s.

Checking out this book is fun reading and I look forward to reading it again and again.

From the concept of dramas and sitcoms to everything else under the sun, this book gives a brief synopsis to unsold TV pilots. This book gives incredible insight to ideas that just didn't pan out. Probably with good reason, too! Read it and find out for yourself.

This book is a joy -- brings back memories of old stars, old shows, ideas that didn't sell, super trivia!
Author Goldberg has done his research and his humorous writing style make this guide a table top or bathroom counter top best-seller.
Obviously Goldberg knows his territory.
He's a t.v. writer/producer with a love of television and an eye for the humor of what never made it to the home screens.
Read this and you can be an authority on shows you never saw.

Take my word for it, you will go back again and again to look up shows and stars and story lines in this clever little book full of big information.
And, want to see if your favorite star ever made a failed pilot -- look it up here and have a few good giggles.
I sure did.