Watching failed, unaired, or scrapped pilots can feel like the closest thing to having the interdimensional TV box featured in “Rick and Morty.” It is easy to imagine that in some alternate reality, these shows found cooperative executives, a dedicated viewership, and multi-season DVD sets with holographic covers. However, on this side of the fence, the planets never aligned and decade after decade, hundreds of awesome pilots have never been given their due.
Readers, turn on those interdimensional TV sets and prepare for a journey through the valley of What Could Have Been. Crying over each loss is futile but pretty good for one’s skin, according to science and at least five people on the Internet.
1. Blackford Manor
With its victorian setting, bleakly-colored characters, and off-kilter humor, a series based on Jiwook Kim’s 2014 “Blackford Manor” Cartoon Hangover short would have likely attracted a similar dedicated fanbase to that of her husband, Patrick McHale, with his miniseries “Over the Garden Wall.”
The short is six minutes of gothic glory, stuffed with satisfying visuals, eerie music, and potential cannibalism, as well as hints of murder and paranormal activity. It also boasts a surprising amount of blood for a piece of western animation, though this may be because the short was internet-based and its intended audience would not have been children.
Cartoon Hangover has no shortage of promising beginnings which, unfortunately, never end up being picked up as full series. Viewers should also check out “Manly,” “Dead End,” and “Chainsaw Richard,” each of which tease viewers with peeks into creative other worlds and the lives of characters brimming with potential.
2. Back to Backspace
Cartoon Network studios supports the production of several animated pilots each year. These pilots are released as shorts and most never make it to full series production.
In a serendipitous twist, Dominic Bisignano and Amalia Levari’s short “Back to Backspace,” tells the story of a bizarre realm populated by ideas from the real work that were rejected or deleted. The short introduces viewers to Patti, a person from the real world, who works in this place, which is called Backspace. Though the viewer's time with her is short, Patti is an intriguing character shrouded in mystery. The humor in the way she presents herself at work coupled with the music she creates balance each other and create the beginnings of what would likely be a complex character.
The music is captivating and mixed CG, pixel and 2D animation have a nostalgic 80s feel. The sky and the portals in the short flicker and distort like images from a worn video-cassette. As a full series, “Back to Backspace” would bring a powerful aesthetic to the current animation climate.
3. Paranormal Roommates
“Paranormal Roommates,” another Cartoon Network short from Benton Connor, features a government agent who has to take care of famed cryptids Nessie and Bigfoot. The short is goofy and simple, most of the humor being derived from how the two monsters are not particularly good at taking care of themselves. Fans of "Regular Show" will likely enjoy the short as it has a similar style.
However, it is somewhat disappointing that the Loch Ness Monster is made male and that only characters featured in the short were men. “Paranormal Roommates” has a simple, fun idea that would have made a cool show, but perhaps, would not have stood out much if it had made it on air.
