There are a lot of people who are creating television shows and while some have great premises only some work. One of the biggest things I see writers doing wrong-myself included-is that their pilot isn’t strong enough. Not the writing of the story, usually that is clear, but introducing the characters and their back stories that tell us, the audience, WHO they are, WHAT they are about and WHAT they want. Buffy the Vampire Slayer has one of the strongest pilots ever written and I think everyone knows that. You see immediately about WHO Buffy is, and the world she is in and the RULES of that world without any exposition, it is all from character.
Recently I have been rewatching Brothers & Sisters and if you haven’t seen it, you should, it’s great. The creator Jon Robin Baitz really did a great job introducing everyone through their dialogue, actions without having to explain everything. It’s really amazing. I highly recommend this show to any writer, new or established.
Also it’s very entertaining.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_%26_Sisters_(2006_TV_series)
Steph Olivieri Bourbon ~ Writing Coach 