Pilot Program

By Chase Koeneke & Pierce Courchaine

Hosts Chase Koeneke and Pierce Courchaine watch and discuss the first episode of every television show ever made (eventually...probably).

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· TV & Film

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FAQs about Pilot Program:

How many episodes does Pilot Program have?

The podcast currently has 45 episodes available.

Pilot Program episodes:

March 23, 2026 Episode 45 - The Muppet Show (1976)
The Muppets are an institution, with films, music albums, cartoons and merch galore. But it wasn't always this way. Despite the success of Sesame Street, Jim Henson didn't want to be pigeonholed into just a children's entertainer. And thus, The Muppet Show was born, a variety musical sketch show pairing a celebrity guest star with the zany cadre of puppet characters -- something for everyone!

But does the first episode of The Muppet Show hold up? And what actually counts as the pilot of The Muppet Show anyway?
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1h 39min
February 28, 2026 Episode 44 - Mission Hill (1999)
Well, we finally made it: It's time for Chase's favorite show, Mission Hill. Expensive to make and stuck on a network that couldn't find a place for it, Mission Hill never achieved mainstream success. But the show has achieved cult status, with a small, but dedicated fanbase.

Obviously, Chase is part of the cult, but how will Pierce react when he sees it for the first time?
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1h 49min
February 08, 2026 Episode 43 - The Golden Girls (1985)
The Golden Girls is not just one of the most popular shows of the '80s -- It's a television icon. What started as a parody became a show whose popularity has endured for over 40 years. But how much did they have figured out in their first episode? Chase and Pierce take on this TV classic on this edition of Pilot Program.
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1h 44min
January 16, 2026 Episode 42 - Star Trek: The Original Series (1966)
Chase and Pierce boldly go where many, many, many people have gone before. That's right, we've set our sights on 1966's Star Trek. Created by Gene Roddenberry and starring William Shatner, Star Trek delves into complex topics with thoughtful analysis. Or, in the case of this episode, showcases a rather poorly-written monster mystery. Eh, they can't all be winners. Still, the magic and promise of Star Trek shines through, even in its rougher beginnings.
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1h 52min
December 09, 2025 Episode 41 - Friday Night Lights (2006)
2006's Friday Night Lights was a massive critical (yet not always commercial) success. Inspire by a book written by his cousin, director Peter Berg adapted the work into a 2004 film. Feeling there was more to dig into though, Berg would rework the concept into a TV show, with a (mostly) all-new cast and story. Does NBC's cult classic still have what it takes to make the varsity squad in 2025? And why does everyone in this town want to sleep with these football players? Chase and Pierce clear their eyes, fill their hearts and attempt to not lose the plot.
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1h 42min
October 26, 2025Episode 40 - Ping Pong The Animation (2014)
As is tradition on Pilot Program, we cover an anime every tenth episode, and for our 40th show, we're talking about one of Chase's favorites: 2014's Ping Pong The Animation. Based on the manga from Taiyō Matsumoto and directed by Masaaki Yuasa, Ping Pong centers around two high school table tennis players -- one brash and filled with natural talent, and the other who doesn't even seem to really want to be there. With a unique and entracing presentation, Ping Pong pushes past the traditional sports anime to become something more.

Show Notes:
Chase claims mysterious games' reviewer Sushi X wrote for GamePro, but Pierce was correct that it was EGM instead. We deeply regret the error.
Chase also theorizes that Ventus from Kingdom Hearts is another variant/clone of Sora, like Roxas. Ventus is actually a previous Keyblade wielder and the protagonist of Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep. We do not regret this error as Kingdom Hearts' story is ridiculous.
And finally, Chase mentions seeing a behind-the-scenes clip of Ping Pong that shows off the use of Flash animation. Here's the link to that video.
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1h 39min
October 06, 2025 Episode 39 - Halt & Catch Fire (2014)
As its twin hits of Mad Men and Breaking Bad were coming to a close, AMC was looking for another premier drama to add to its catalog. While it would never achieve the same commercial success of those earlier titans, 2014's Halt & Catch Fire would find a small, but passionate fanbase that has achieved cult classic status in the 10+years after its debut. Chase and Pierce analyze the characters, story beats and world of the place dubbed "Silicon Prairie" as we explore this world of early computing.
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2h 2min
September 15, 2025 Episode 38 - The Bronx is Burning (2007)
In 2007, after a failed attempt to create their own original programming, ESPN tried again, adapting Jonathan Mahler book, The Bronx is Burning, into an 8-episode miniseries. Following the 1977 New York Yankees run to the World Series and the wider cultural turmoil of New York City at the time, The Bronx is Burning features big name talent and innovative production solutions to make for a unique show that's been all but forgotten (especially by ESPN and parent company Disney). We take a swing at the show's debut on this episode of Pilot Program.
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1h 53min
August 16, 2025 Episode 37 - The Gilded Age (2022)
Let's get fancy and travel back to the late 1800s for HBO's The Gilded Age, the new show from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes. It's old money vs. the nouveau riche in a battle of New York City's socialite supremacy. We talk about how reality TV has shaped premium dramas (or maybe the other way around?), how to get from Pennsylvania to NYC and why all the outdoor scenes in this show...look like that...
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2h 6min
July 21, 2025 Episode 36 - MTV Cribs (2000)
Hey, welcome to our podcast. Come on in. No, there's nothing in our fridge, but we do have a cornerstone of 2000s-era MTV programming: MTV Cribs. The debut of Cribs is basically lost media at this point, and the copy Chase has is a severely degraded chopped up version someone threw on archive.org a long time ago (and even that upload is gone now). But it's enough that we're able to reminisce about the celebrity home tour show, the changing nature of access to famous people and how Moby kinda sucks.
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1h 37min

FAQs about Pilot Program:

How many episodes does Pilot Program have?

The podcast currently has 45 episodes available.