In Dead Pilots Society, scripts that were developed by studios and networks but were never produced are given the table reads they deserve. Starring actors you know and love from television and film, a live audience, and a good time in which no one gets notes, no one is fired, and everyone laughs. Presented by Andrew Reich (Friends; Worst Week) Ben Blacker (The Writers Panel podcast; co-creator, Thrilling Adventure Hour), and Noah Findling (The New York Times, Comedy Central).
Episode 205: Kathryn Borel Jr Interview This month's aftershow features a conversation with writer Kathryn Borel Jr., whose ambitious adaptation of On the Road was featured in last week's episode. Kathryn has written for Rush , American Dad! , Anne with an E , and Kung Fu , and is currently working on Damon Lindelof's upcoming limited series The Chain . Kathryn talks about her remarkably unconventional childhood, her winding path to television writing which included an acclaimed career in Canadian radio and the experiences that led her to write Corked , her memoir about a drunken, father-daughter road trip through France's wine country. The conversation also dives into the unique challenge of adapting Jack Kerouac's On the Road into a half-hour television series with two female leads. Kathryn explains how she reimagined the novel, what drew her to the project, and where the series was headed if it had made it beyond the pilot. It's a funny, thoughtful, and fascinating conversation with a writer who isn't afraid to take on impossible adaptations and make them feel entirely her own. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 204: On The Road by Kathryn Borel Jr
44 min
Episode 204: On The Road by Kathryn Borel Jr This month's dead pilot is On the Road , Kathryn Borel Jr.'s daring reimagining of Jack Kerouac's iconic novel. Instead of trying to recreate a literary classic beat for beat, Kathryn takes its spirit and builds something entirely her own. It's exactly the kind of ambitious swing we love celebrating on Dead Pilots Society . Kathryn's credits include Rush , American Dad! , Anne with an E , and Kung Fu , and she's currently working on Damon Lindelof's upcoming limited series The Chain . She's also the author of the memoir Corked . The cast features Kelly Marie Tran ( The Last Jedi , Raya and the Last Dragon ), Zosia Mamet ( Girls , Laid ), Rebecca Pidgeon ( Euphoria , State and Main ), and Brian McElhaney of BriTANicK ( Pizza Movie ). Video of the live table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join . And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at https://www.reddkrossfilm.com/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 203: Joel Kim Booster Interview
1 hr 1 min
Episode 203: Joel Kim Booster Interview This is the aftershow for Here, After, featuring a conversation with writer, actor, and comedian Joel Kim Booster. Joel is known for writing and starring in Fire Island and for his work on The Other Two and Big Mouth . As an actor, he's appeared in Loot , Search Party , Shrill , and more. In this wide-ranging conversation, Joel talks about his early days as a playwright, the television shows and performers that inspired him to pursue comedy and TV writing, and the long, unusual journey that brought Fire Island from concept to hit feature film.He also shares the ambitious plans he had for Here After , revealing storylines and character arcs that make the loss of this pilot feel especially painful. Along the way, Joel offers an honest look at the realities of today's television and film industry and reflects on why he still thinks of himself as a writer first, even after finding success as a performer. The next Dead Pilots Society live show is at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, July 12th. The show will feature readings of Weekly World News by Michael Colton and John Aboud, and Fan Girl by Claudia Lonow. Go to https://www.elysiantheater.com/ to get your tickets. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 202: Here, After by Joel Kim Booster
41 min
Episode 202: Here, After by Joel Kim Booster This month, Dead Pilots Society welcomes back writer, actor, and comedian Joel Kim Booster , whose pilot Birthright was previously featured on Episode 34. Joel wrote and starred in the hit Hulu movie Fire Island. He was a writer on The Other Two and Big Mouth, and as an actor, you've seen him on Shrill and Search Party. Joel's pilot Here, After, never actually sold, despite being developed with the companies of Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, and Aidy Bryant. But when Andrew read it, he knew it deserved a place on the podcast. It is about the unlikely friendship between Ezra, a Gen Z woman trying to make a difference in the world and find her place in it, and Charlie, a caustic, self-absorbed, gay millennial ghost. Funny, frank, surprisingly moving, and packed with killer jokes, Here, After is a pilot about friendship, purpose, and what happens when a ghost refuses to move on. The cast for this pilot includes Joel Kim Booster (Fire Island, The Other Two), MItra Jouhari (Digman!, Bigmouth, The Bear), Poppy Liu (Hacks, I Love Boosters!), Charlie Barnett (The Acolyte, Russian Doll), Katherine Bourne Taylor (Bellingham Bay), Lisa Gilroy (Shrinking) Video of the live table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join . The next Dead Pilots Society live show is at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, July 12th. The show will feature readings of Weekly World News by Michael Colton and John Aboud, and Fan Girl by Claudia Lonow. Go to https://www.elysiantheater.com/ to get your tickets. And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at https://www.reddkrossfilm.com/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 201: Christian Duguay Interview
1 hr 8 min
Episode 201: Christian Duguay Interview This is the After Show for Valley Heat , featuring Andrew’s interview with creator Christian Duguay . A longtime admirer of Valley Heat , Andrew finally gets the chance to sit down with Christian for a conversation about the unusual path that led to the creation of the podcast. Unlike many guests on the show, Christian didn’t come up through traditional TV comedy writing. Rather than climbing through sitcom writers’ rooms, his background includes music, improv at The Groundlings, and years working in reality television before eventually creating the suburban world of Valley Heat . The conversation explores how the podcast first came together, the trial and error involved in finding its voice, and the meticulous process behind creating each episode. Christian also talks about the challenge of adapting such a specifically audio-based comedy into a visual format. It’s a funny and wide-ranging conversation about creativity, persistence, and making something completely its own thing. Save the date for the next live Dead Pilots Society show at the Elysian Theater on July 12. We will have more info and a link for tickets soon. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 200: Valley Heat by Christian Duguay
52 min
Episode 200: Valley Heat by Christian Duguay This month marks the 200th episode of Dead Pilots Society , which feels like a real milestone for a show that requires considerably more coordination than a couple of people just turning on microphones and talking. Every pilot episode means finding a pilot, assembling a cast, and putting together a live reading, so reaching 200 episodes feels genuinely significant. While this is the show’s 200th episode, it’s also the 118th dead pilot the podcast has brought to life so far. For the occasion, we wanted something special, and this month’s pilot more than fits the bill: Valley Heat , written by Christian Duguay . Andrew has previously called Valley Heat (another Maximum Fun show) one of the greatest achievements in podcasting, and after connecting with Christian last year, learned that a pilot version of the podcast existed. After much persistence, Dead Pilots Society finally got the chance to stage it live at the Elysian Theater. Set in Burbank’s Rancho Equestrian neighborhood, Valley Heat captures the bizarre rhythms of suburban life in a way that’s both deeply specific and completely unhinged. For anyone discovering Valley Heat for the first time, this episode may be the perfect introduction. The live reading also features many of the recognizable voices from the original podcast appearing onstage in person, making for a uniquely surreal experience. The cast includes: Christian Duguay (Plantman & Blondie, The Dress Up Gang), Kevin CamIa (Fallout), Mike O'Connell (DTF St Louis, Patriot), Merrill Davis (Comics Unleashed, Time Out Comics to Watch), Emily Maya Mills (Key and Peele, Orange is the new Black), Matt Braunger (stand up), Chris Garcia (WTF, This American Life, Scattered), Beth Stelling (Netflix, HBO Max comedy), DeMorge Brown (Destroy All Neighbors) Video of the live table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join . And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at https://www.reddkrossfilm.com/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 1
7 min
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 1 As a special bonus for MaxFunDrive 2026, we bring you the top five funniest openings in Dead Pilots Society history, as voted by the DPS staff. It was a challenge to narrow it down to just five, but that just means you’re getting the best of the best. The show is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. Throughout the drive, there will be more episodes and a few extra check-ins along the way. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 199: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Interview Part Two
1 hr 5 min
Episode 199: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Interview Part Two This is the After Show for Gimme Five , featuring part two of Andrew’s conversation with Carter Bays and Craig Thomas , creators of How I Met Your Mother . The discussion digs into the real-life inspiration behind Gimme Five , a project shaped as much by nostalgia as it is by firsthand experience. Carter and Craig reflect on the writers’ rooms that shaped the pilot, and the kind of shared comedy culture that gets handed down over time, something that now feels increasingly rare. The conversation is loose, funny, and occasionally thoughtful, touching on collaboration, process, and what makes a great room work. Dead Pilots Society is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 2
13 min
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 2 As a special bonus for MaxFunDrive 2026, we bring you the top five funniest openings in Dead Pilots Society history, as voted by the DPS staff. It was a challenge to narrow it down to just five, but that just means you’re getting the best of the best. The show is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. Throughout the drive, there will be more episodes and a few extra check-ins along the way. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 3
6 min
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 3 As a special bonus for MaxFunDrive 2026, we bring you the top five funniest openings in Dead Pilots Society history, as voted by the DPS staff. It was a challenge to narrow it down to just five, but that just means you’re getting the best of the best. The show is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. Throughout the drive, there will be more episodes and a few extra check-ins along the way. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 198: Gimme Five by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas
55 min
Episode 198: Gimme Five by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas This month’s second dead pilot from Carter Bays and Craig Thomas is Gimme Five . Best known as the co-creators and longtime showrunners of How I Met Your Mother , Carter and Craig previously wrote for The Late Show with David Letterman and produced American Dad . They co-wrote this pilot with legendary writer Peter Tolan , whose credits include The Larry Sanders Show , Rescue Me , Analyze This , Analyze That , and many more. Here's the log line. It's 1985, and Gimme Five is the number two family sitcom in America. But behind the scenes of this feel-good show is a dysfunctional workplace family on the verge of self-destruction. Showrunner Cliff McConnell must somehow keep it together and keep being funny in the midst of his newborn son's health crisis. Sharp, outrageous, and wildly funny, Gimme Five gives a behind-the-scenes look at comedy writing that feels both absurd and strangely authentic. It may also be one of the funniest pilots ever featured on the podcast. Major content Warning, definitely think twice about listening to this one with small children in the room. You may hear something that offends you early on in this pilot, but please stick with it. Stay tuned for part two of Andrew’s Interview with Carter and Craig, in your feed April 30th. Our cast for the show includes Taran Killam (SNL, High Potential, Stumble), Chris Diamantopoulos (Beavis and Butthead, Silicon Valley), Scott Foley (Scandal, Scream 7), Dallas Goldtooth (Reservation Dogs), Tami Sagher (Inside Amy Schumer), Chris DiStefano (stand up), James Urbaniak (Venture Brothers), Isabella Gomez (One Day at a Time, Shrinking), Cyrina Fiallo (High Potential, 911 Lonestar), Alyssa Limperis (What We Do In the Shadows), Burl Moseley ( Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ) Dead Pilots Society is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 197: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Interview
1 hr 13 min
Episode 197: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Interview This is the After Show for New York Mythological , featuring Andrew’s conversation with Carter Bays and Craig Thomas , creators of How I Met Your Mother . As part of this MaxFunDrive run, Dead Pilots Society is featuring two pilots from Carter and Craig. In a few days, the second one, Gimme Five , will be released, followed by part two of Andrew’s interview with them. The conversation gets into the real origins of How I Met Your Mother , the experiences, influences, and unexpected ingredients that eventually became the show. Carter and Craig also talk about the years before that success, and the many turns a writing career can take along the way. It’s a funny, candid conversation about writing, setbacks, success, and the odd resilience it takes to keep making things. Here is a link to "The Future is Now”, Oliver Beene theme song by Carter and Craig’s band “The Solids” Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 4
7 min
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 4 As a special bonus for MaxFunDrive 2026, we bring you the top five funniest openings in Dead Pilots Society history, as voted by the DPS staff. It was a challenge to narrow it down to just five, but that just means you’re getting the best of the best. The show is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. Throughout the drive, there will be more episodes and a few extra check-ins along the way. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 5
15 min
Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 5 As a special bonus for MaxFunDrive 2026, we bring you the top five funniest openings in Dead Pilots Society history, as voted by the DPS staff. It was a challenge to narrow it down to just five, but that just means you’re getting the best of the best. The show is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. Throughout the drive, there will be more episodes and a few extra check-ins along the way. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Casters on Casters: Ben Blacker, Alonso Duralde, and Hal Lublin
21 min
It's MaxFunDrive. And here, for the first time, we give you an exclusive look (well, listen) at the craft of podcasting: presenting Casters on Casters . In this episode, Ben Blacker ( Dead Pilots Society ), Hal Lublin ( Tights and Fights & We Got This with Mark and Hal ) and Alonso Duralde ( Maximum Film! ) take listeners behind the scenes and swap stories about the ups and downs of podcasting. Plus, why does every TV reboot have a character that's a podcaster? And how did COVID change the podcasting game? Listen to find out! If this glamorous, in-depth journey into what makes your favorite hosts tick inspires you, support them by joining as a member at maximumfun.org/join . Edited and Produced by Laura Swisher for Maximum Fun. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 196: New York Mythological by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas
49 min
Episode 196: New York Mythological by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas This month’s dead pilot, kicking off the 2026 MaxFunDrive, is New York Mythological , written by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas . Best known as the co-creators and showrunners of How I Met Your Mother , Carter and Craig previously wrote for The Late Show with David Letterman and produced American Dad . Carter is the author of the novel The Mutual Friend , Craig wrote the novel That’s Not How It Happened , and together they’re also members of the band The Solids. Craig also recently launched the How We Made Your Mother rewatch podcast. To celebrate the MaxFunDrive, Dead Pilots Society is featuring not one, but two pilots from Carter and Craig this month. The log line for New York Mythological - A new arrival joins the team at a museum devoted to exploring supernatural and paranormal phenomena in New York City. With kind of a How I Met Your Mother meets Ghostbusters feel , the pilot features a fantastic cast featuring Isabella Gomez (One Day at a Time, Shrinking), Devon Bostick (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Crime 101), Alyssa Limperis (What We Do In the Shadows), Josh Fadem (The Lowdown; American Dad), Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar, Industry) Cyrina Fiallo (HIgh Potential, 911 Lonestar), Tami Sagher (Inside Amy Schumer) It’s MaxFunDrive season, which means celebrating the listeners who make Dead Pilots Society possible. The show is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. Throughout the drive, there will be more episodes and a few extra check-ins along the way. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 195: Georgia Pritchett Interview
1 hr 6 min
Episode 195: Georgia Pritchett Interview This After Show features Andrew’s interview with Emmy and WGA Award–winning writer Georgia Pritchett , the writer of this month’s dead pilot, Bump . Georgia is best known for her work on Veep and Succession , and has also written for The Thick of It and Avenue 5 . She created and showran The Shrink Next Door and is the author of the memoir My Mess Is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety . In the conversation, Georgia talks about building a career in British television, shares stories from the writers’ rooms of Veep and Succession , and discusses the inspiration behind Bump . It’s a wide-ranging conversation about her career, her approach to writing, and how the idea for Bump first took shape. The next live Dead Pilots Society show will be at the Elysian Theater on April 19, featuring pilots by Joel Kim Booster and Christian Duguay . Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 194: Bump by Georgia Pritchett
52 min
Episode 194: Bump by Georgia Pritchett This month’s dead pilot is Bump , written by Emmy and WGA Award–winning writer Georgia Pritchett . Georgia is widely known for her work on Veep and Succession , and has also written for The Thick of It and Avenue 5 . She served as creator and showrunner on The Shrink Next Door and is the author of the memoir My Mess Is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety . Bump follows a British couple coming to America to meet their surrogate, since surrogacy is illegal in the UK, only to discover she’s very different from what they imagined. The pilot blends emotional stakes with sharp, unexpected comedy in a way that feels very much in line with Georgia’s writing style. The pilot was read live on stage at the Elysian Theater in Frogtown, Los Angeles with an amazing cast featuring Sarah Solemani (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Bad Education), Ed Weeks (The Mindy Project, Drop), Jessica Sula (Split, Michael), Logan Miller (Escape Room), Ginger Gonzaga (She Hulk), Beth Dover (Orange is the New Black, Nobody Wants This), with Stage direction from Andrew Reich The next live Dead Pilots Society show will be at the Elysian Theater on April 19, featuring pilots by Joel Kim Booster and Christian Duguay . Video of the live table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join . And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at https://www.reddkrossfilm.com/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 193: Ginger Gonzaga Interview
1 hr 12 min
Episode 193: Ginger Gonzaga Interview This is the After Show for Yellow , featuring Andrew’s conversation with writer and actor Ginger Gonzaga. Many listeners know Ginger from her roles in Marvel’s She-Hulk , CBS’s True Lies , Showtime’s Kidding , I’m Dying Up Here , HBO’s Togetherness , and Room 104 . But in this episode, the spotlight shifts to her as a creator as well as a performer. Andrew and Ginger talk about coming up in the heavily male improv scene of the early 2000s, the delicate (and sometimes not-so-delicate) politics of improvising in auditions and on set, and how her background in high school speech and debate shaped her confidence as a storyteller. She also shares a wild story about pitching a show centered on mental health at a time when that topic wasn’t exactly trending in development meetings or even in the national conversation. It’s candid, funny, and full of insight about carving out space as a performer and writer. Most of all, it makes clear just how much Yellow means to her. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Episode 192: Yellow Written by Ginger Gonzaga
1 hr 1 min
Episode 192: Yellow Written by Ginger Gonzaga This month’s live episode features Yellow , a pilot written by Ginger Gonzaga . Most people know Ginger from her work in front of the camera—she’s appeared in Marvel’s She-Hulk , CBS’s True Lies , Showtime’s Kidding , I’m Dying Up Here , HBO’s Togetherness , and Room 104 . Yellow showcases her voice as a writer. After being arrested, following a very public hypomanic episode Pepper, A witty visual artist is court ordered to live in a halfway house with an ensemble of lovable misfits that she deems crazier than herself. This soulful and at times surreal dramedy follows pepper as she navigates her artistic career. The tone moves fluidly between grounded emotion and offbeat humor, building a layered ensemble piece that feels both personal and expansive. Ginger leads the cast in the live performance, surrounded by an incredible group of actors including Luke Tennie ( Shrinking ), Burl Moseley ( Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ), Kyle Bornheimer ( St. Denis Medical ), Lauren Potter ( Glee ), Mel Rodriguez ( The Residence , Last Man on Earth ), Lucy Parks Urbano (actor/playwright), Bryan Safi ( Throwing Shade ), Beth Dover ( Orange Is the New Black , Nobody Wants This ), Jessica Sula ( Split , Michael ), with stage direction by Andrew Reich. Video of the live table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join . And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at https://www.reddkrossfilm.com/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots
Producer's note
Steal the structure. Not the show.
Keep the useful structure, then change the audience, point of view, and voice until the idea is unmistakably yours.
