Every year, TV networks horde up pilots for potential new shows and then whittle this group down to a few programs that actually make it to air. While it's often the case that these passed-over pilots are rejected for good reasons, there have been tons of high-profile projects from respected comedy auteurs to get shot down by trigger-happy network brass (especially at Fox!). Let's take a look at some of the comedy series that almost were, and how they could have changed the careers of those involved and the face of television as we know it.
We didn’t know it at the time, but the 90s have turned out to be a critical formative era for many of today’s most popular comedians. The short-lived Dana Carvey Show featured a murder's row of then-unknowns who have since gone on to great success, including Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and Louis CK. Before that, MTV brought us The State, whose members have gone onto populate projects like Reno 911, Stella, Wet Hot American Summer and Role Models. And before that, the critically adored but commercially ignored The Ben Stiller Show provided the first big break for young comedians like Janeane Garofalo, David Cross and Bob Odenkirk. But there [...]
