We sat down with Jordan Roter to discuss her pilot Common Enemy. If you haven't listen to it yet, what are you waiting for? Jordan is an experienced writer who's sold her work in the literary, feature and television space. She talks about the process of pitching a low concept character driven show, pushing the envelope in the family space and development stories about various projects she's had over the years. We loved getting to sit down with Jordan and you're going to love listening to her too...
Jul 25, 2024•53 min•Ep 154•Transcript available on Metacast You're listening to the table read of Common Enemy written by Jordan Roter (Girl in Development author, American Housewife, The Watchful Eye). Common Enemy is a multi-generational family comedy about three generations of the same family going through their own version of puberty at the same time. The title comes from a joke Jordan's dad loves to tell. You'll have to listen to the table read to hear it. Common Enemy was developed for ABC Signature. This is a great network family show that totally...
Jul 19, 2024•51 min•Ep 153•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to the after show, folks! Andrew sat down with the writer of last week's pilot Codependent, Mark Gross. Mark spoke to us about all things sitcom writing. We talked about how he got his start in comedy and his early days as a touring stand up comedian. How fellow comic Rodney Carrington helped him break into tv writing and what he learned working with the great Chuck Lorre. He also told us about the key word he has on a post-it by his computer when he's writing. No spoilers though! Mark o...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Ep 152•Transcript available on Metacast We have a great pilot for you this month! It's written by the hilarious and well respected, Mark Gross (How We Roll, Mike & Molly). His pilot is called Codependent and it centers around a relationship between Nate, an aimless substitute teacher and Ed, the grandfather who raised him and how that relationship is challenged when Nate meets a women who could be the one. This pilot was written and sold to CBS twice before we were able to get our hands on it. Codependent stars Billy Gardell (Bob Hear...
Jun 20, 2024•43 min•Ep 151•Transcript available on Metacast You're listening to our after show interview with Michael Jonathan Smith (Twisted Metal). In it you'll hear Michael tell the arduous journey he went on to getting this pilot rejected. We talk about his bumpy journey, how he got to where he is now as the creator and showrunner of Twisted Metal on Peacock. For the Cobra Kai heads out there, there's some good discussion of the evolution of that show which he worked on all the way through from season one. We talked about what drew him to write this ...
May 30, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep 150•Transcript available on Metacast We have a hilarious pilot for you this month! It's called Faking A Murderer written by Michael Jonathan Smith (creator of Twisted Metal, Cobra Kai). This pilot is about the members of a small town police department who invent a serial killer to save their town's budget. Trigger warning! There's a lot of death, sick gross stuff, and the mistreatment of corpses in this one but it somehow manages to be insanely hilarious. Faking A Murderer was written by Michael Jonathan Smith and developed by Chri...
May 23, 2024•55 min•Ep 149•Transcript available on Metacast This is our after show interview with Michael Lisbe & Nate Reger (Acapulco, The Cool Kids). In it you'll hear them talk about their show business breaks, how they generate ideas for pilots, a real dilemma they faced early on in their career, their favorite staffing jobs and the parts of their pilot Frenemies, that are based on facts. This one is a great conversation with old friends! Enjoy it! For more Dead Pilots Society episodes and information about our live shows, please subscribe to the pod...
Apr 26, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep 148•Transcript available on Metacast Thank you to everyone who upgraded their max fun membership this year. We had more upgrades than last year and we're so grateful for all of you. You're support allows us to keep bringing you dead pilots. Our dead pilot this month is called Frenemies: The Journey Of Lewis & Clark written by Michael Lisbe & Nate Reger (Just Shoot Meet, Cougar Town, 2 Broke Girls). Their dead pilot is a comedic take on Lewis & Clark's epic journey of discovery through the American west. This pilot is hard funny and...
Apr 20, 2024•47 min•Ep 147•Transcript available on Metacast This is an episode dedicated to unscripted television. J. Keith van Straaten, Jordan Morris, and John Moe talk about their dead unscripted projects that were sold to networks and streams but never produced. This conversation went to a ton of unexpected places and that's definitely a part of it's charm. Enjoy it! There's still time to help support our podcast by becoming a maximum fun member for as little as $5 a month. Help us support what we do by going to maximumfun.org/join ....
Mar 28, 2024•52 min•Ep 146•Transcript available on Metacast Another #maxfundrive bonus episode for you! Thank you to everyone who has boosted or become a #maxfundrive member, it's because of you that we can put out episodes like this. We sat down with comedy writer Andy Bobrow about his sitcom writing rules. Andy is a writer who's script Greatest American Heroes (ep link here ) was last year's MaxFunDrive episode. We had an incredible cast for that one including Will Forte, Stephen Root, Rachel Harris, Sam Richardson and more. Andy has written on Malcolm...
Mar 25, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep 145•Transcript available on Metacast This is our after show interview with Open Mike Eagle (The New Negroes) & Mike Benner (Bob's Burger) about their pilot Principle. Mike and Mike developed Principle for Comedy Central wanting to explore the differences between a rapper's public and private persona. In this interview, you'll hear them talk about their comedy and hip hop influences, Open Mike's move from rapper to comedy writer/rapper and the process of pitching and developing a rap show for Comedy Central. If you'd like to support...
Mar 23, 2024•54 min•Ep 144•Transcript available on Metacast We have a hilarious MAX FUN DRIVE episode for you! It's the table read for Principle written by Open Mike Eagle (The New Negroes) & Mike Benner (Bob's Burgers) recorded LIVE at THE ELYSIAN THEATER! Principle was sold to Comedy Central. It's about a rapper trying to change his life and image but keeps being pulled back into the gangster character that made him famous. This show should be on the list along with Atlanta and Dave of the great television hip hop comedy of the last decade but alas it ...
Mar 20, 2024•49 min•Ep 143•Transcript available on Metacast This special network wide event is a celebration of The MaxFunDrive! If you’d like to support podcasts you love for just $5 a month and get bonus gifts in the process, go to maximumfun.org/join . We’re kicking off the most exciting time of the year for the MaxFun Network with a trivia game show featuring hosts from tons of great podcasts. J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong from “ Go Fact Yourself ” are joined by: Austin Taylor & Brenda Snell -“ Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ” Manolo Moren...
Mar 18, 2024•18 min•Ep 141•Transcript available on Metacast This is a special episode in honor of The MaxFunDrive where Andrew and Ben answer a variety questions sent to us from listeners. We had J. Keith van Straaten from Go Fact Yourself drop by to moderate. It was a lot of fun and we know you're going to love it. Thank you for supporting our show! This special network wide event is a celebration of The MaxFunDrive! If you’d like to support podcasts you love for just $5 a month and get bonus gifts in the process, go to maximumfun.org/join ....
Mar 18, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep 142•Transcript available on Metacast This is our after show interview with Tommy Johnagin (That 90s Show, Man With A Plan) about his pilot You're Only Young Twice. Tommy tells us about starting his stand up career at the age of 19, inspired by David Letterman. How he went from being a touring comedian to writing on a television show. Andrew shares some good insight from his time on Friends and they both spend time figuring out a better second act complication for Tommy's pilot. This is a great one! Enjoy it! For more Dead Pilots So...
Mar 02, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep 140•Transcript available on Metacast This is the table read for You're Only Young Twice written by Tommy Johnagin (That 90s Show, Man With A Plan). This pilot was a CBS network multi-camera sitcom. Logline: A young couple discover the upside to getting pregnant at your junior prom is that your kid goes to college when you’re 35, and you become empty nesters who get to start life all over again while you're still young enough to enjoy it. The downside is finding out your spouse has different plans for their second chance. You're Onl...
Feb 23, 2024•36 min•Ep 139•Transcript available on Metacast This is our after show interview with Alex Burnett & Brendan McCarthy (Grace & Frankie) about their pilot Localized. Alex's recounts his personal connection to the show, having grown up on Nantucket. You'll hear about the persistence it took to sell this show, their experience working with Mitch Hurwitz (creator of Arrested Development) and their journeys to becoming tv writers. They also share some really great writing insight they received from Mitch Hurwitz during the development process. You...
Jan 26, 2024•54 min•Ep 138•Transcript available on Metacast This is the table read of LOCALIZED written by Alex Burnett & Brendan McCarthy (Grace & Frankie). This pilot is based on a real life character. A man who is the only full time doctor on the island of Nantuckett. Localized is based on the book Island Practice written by Pam Belluck. It's a wonderfully weird pilot that was sold to HBO Max with Mitch Hurwitz attached to executive produce. We had a great cast for this one! It includes Adam Arkin (Chicago Hope, West Wing), Tobey Grey (College Humor),...
Jan 19, 2024•45 min•Ep 137•Transcript available on Metacast This is the after show for Fulfillment with its writer Vali Candrasekaran (Modern Family, 30 Rock). Vali is a respected veteran comedy writer who's written on all of your favorite sitcoms. You'll hear the crazy story about how he landed his first job on "My Name Is Earl". He talks about a show he created with Christopher Lloyd (Modern Family, Frasier) starring two A-list actors that somehow didn't get picked up to series. Vali shares some great advice he received from Chris regarding multi-camer...
Dec 29, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep 136•Transcript available on Metacast This is the table read of Fulfillment written by Vali Chandrasekaran (Modern Family, 30 Rock). FULFILMENT is an ensemble workplace comedy about a group of people whose job it is to make money for the most evil company on earth, but they spend most of their time helping each other through life. It's about maintaining your humanity in a dehumanizing world. The cast for this one is nothing short of amazing! It includes Zooey Deschanel (New Girl, 500 Days Of Summer) Michaela Watkins (Wanderlust), Pa...
Dec 21, 2023•57 min•Ep 135•Transcript available on Metacast Andrew interviewed the writer of Sam In Retrograde, Sam Jarvis (Dollface, Tosh.O)! Sam has a fresh voice and even still has that new writer passion for the business. We love to see it, it's a breath of fresh air. In this interview, Sam tells us about the germ of the idea for her show and why she named her lead character after herself. She talks about what it's like to be the only woman in writer's room and some insight into working on the Comedy Central hit Tosh.O. Sam's also one of the few writ...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 134•Transcript available on Metacast This is the table read of Sam In Retrograde written by Sam jarvis (Dollface. Tosh.o). SAM IN RETROGRADE is a weird little comedy about one woman's journey through grief, and her attempt to find herself in the process. More specifically , it's about a girl who starts carrying her dead husband's urn around everywhere and talking to it as if they're still married. Which yes, does affect her relationships with everyone else in her life. As you'd imagine. The project was developed and optioned at CBS...
Nov 24, 2023•43 min•Ep 133•Transcript available on Metacast We sat down with the writers of Let’s Do Lunch, Amanda Lund and Maria Blasucci. Andrew covers so many things with Amanda and Maria including a full description of the food spread at a 90s sitcom taping, the story about how they met, Maria’s many appearances on Drunk History, the importance of making your own content, and how to write what’s in your heart. Amanda and Maria are Dead Pilots Society regulars that we love having on the show and we’re thrilled we got to do their pilot. If you haven’t ...
Oct 26, 2023•53 min•Ep 132•Transcript available on Metacast This month’s pilot is comedy gold! It’s called Let’s Do Lunch written by Maria Blasucci & Amanda Lund. Let’s Do Lunch is a satirical look into the drug and sex fueled world of Hollywood throughout the blockbustery 1980s as seen through the eyes of male visionary power producers, Chase Tillman and Brock Springs (played by Maria Blasucci and Amanda Lund). Their project was set up at FX with Party Over Here attached to produce. Our cast for this one includes Amanda Lund, Maria Blasucci, Taran Killa...
Oct 19, 2023•46 min•Ep 131•Transcript available on Metacast We have a terrific after show interview for you with the creators of Pretty, Santina Muha, Lindsey Kraft and Andrew Leeds. This is a truly uplifting and inspiring conversation. You’ll hear Santina talk about how she got her start in comedy and how her childhood accident forced her to hone her comedy skills. She discusses the importance of making light of a terrible situation, simple things people take for granted like sidewalks, and her passion of using comedy as a platform to discuss important ...
Sep 29, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep 130•Transcript available on Metacast Another month, another pilot! It’s Pretty written by Lindsey Kraft (story by Lindsey Kraft, Santina Muha, Andrew Leeds). Pretty is about a ballsy, passionate woman (Muha) who moves from Jersey to L.A. to pursue her dreams of finding love and becoming the next Oprah. Kraft and Muha were attached to star in the project with Michelle Nader, Kaley Cuoco’s Yes, Norman Productions and Warner Bros. TV attached to produce. We loved reading this one. It’s one of those funny, sweet and inspiring pilots th...
Sep 21, 2023•50 min•Ep 129•Transcript available on Metacast This week we sat down with the writers of Trial, Matteo Borghese & Rob Turbovsky. Spoiler alert! Rob and Matteo reveal who the killer in their pilot is. We’re not going to spoil it for you in the show notes though. You’ll have to listen to this episode to find out. The Emmy nominated duo also discuss their experience staffing on Silicon Valley, Always Sunny In Philadelphia and Only Murders In The Building. They explain what they believe a TV writer’s job is. We’ll give you a hint, it has somethi...
Aug 31, 2023•53 min•Ep 128•Transcript available on Metacast This month's table read is for a pilot called Trial written by Emmy nominated writing duo Matteo Borghese & Rob Turbovsky. Trial centers around an aging comedy icon who finds his life turned upside down when he is charged with the murder of his sleazy business manager and, possibly worse, revealed to be not all that nice. Trial was setup at Comedy Central. It should be noted that we read this pilot live in Los Angeles at The Lyric Hyperion Theater. That's right, you're going to hear some real la...
Aug 24, 2023•49 min•Ep 127•Transcript available on Metacast We have an incredibly insightful interview with Michele & Kieran Mulroney. If you haven’t listened to both episodes of their show The Sleeping Father, you must do so now. It’s truly outstanding! This interview is crucial for anyone who wants to know the real story of how so many careers in Hollywood go. It’s mandatory listening for aspiring writers and striking writers in a dry spell creatively. Michele & Kieran talk about getting their start in the business, adapting Dickens for dogs, and they ...
Aug 09, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep 126•Transcript available on Metacast You guys are in for a treat! It's episode two of The Sleeping Father written by Michele Mulroney & Kieran Mulroney (Power Rangers, Sherlock Holmes:A Game Of Shadows), based on the novel by Matthew Sharpe. Michelle and Kieran originally wrote this as a screenplay for Warner Bros and was later revived as a television series for Warner Bros. Television. Enjoy it! We had a terrific cast for this one including Dave Foley, Ennis Esmer, Ciara Bravo, Daniel DiMaggio, Nichole Sakura, Niles Fitch, Sarah R...
Jul 27, 2023•48 min•Ep 125•Transcript available on Metacast 
