Most Likely to Succeed - Pilot Outline

Friends not living up to their potential. This is a them that’s often thrown around when we’re talking about new shows, and this is a good example of that theme done well. Very good script to read when we’re attempting a network show that focuses on ONE THEME seen through different viewpoints.
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Written by David Walpert

MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED

COLD OPEN

1. ELEVATOR: Griff and Cooper talk. They both are wrapped up in work.
2. INSERT - HIGH SCHOOL YEAR BOOK: We see that Griff was named Most Likely to Succeed
3. NOTE: This moment was well-written, as follows… “INSWSERT- HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK (GRANT HIGH ’97) — NEW LINE — which FANS OPEN to the SENIOR SUPERLATIVES PAGE. ZZOOM IN on a photo of high school-aged Griff. Under his picture, we see the caption “Most Likely to Succeed.”
4. BACK TO SCENE:We learn that Griff and Cooper ar about to be married. Griff doubles back to the apartment b/c he says he forgot his laptop but--
5. LOFT: Griff plops down and watches TV. 
6. NEW INSERT: Most likely to succeed is replaced with Most Recently Fired. 
7. APRIL’S KITCHEN: Meet April. Overworked mom and married to Jeremy. 
8. INSERT - Her superlative is Best Personality.
9. BATHROOM: April wipes a baby butt. 
10. INSERT - new superlative for April, “Most on the verge of having a nervous breakdown.”
11. BACK TO SCENE: April realizes the baby’s head is covered in toilet water.
12. SEATTLE STREET: Oliver smiles at a woman.
13. insert: Most Charming
14. BACK TO SCENE: The woman tells Oliver that the word fat ass is written on his head. New superlative; Most Pathetic.
15. BECCA’S LOFT: She’s moving in somewhere. 
16. SUPERLATIVE: Most Popular
17. BACK TO SCENE: Becca talks to her mom.
18. NEW SUPERLATIVE:  Most Shockingly Divorced
19. Then we see photos of all the characters arranged into a yearbook style montage and a hand closes a gook and the title “Most Likely to Succeed.”

ACT ONE

1. GRIFF’S HOUSE: Griff and Oliver are friends. They lament their problems. Griff, no money, need Olly to help him get his old job back tonight. Olly doesn’t understand why he can’t get girls anymore.
2. APRIL’S HOUSE: Becca and April are sisters. Becca is worried about April cuz April tears up at the fact that Becca is going on a date togniht. “My sister is going on her first date since her marriage ended. I’m emotional.” 
3. QUICK CUTS: Show that April has been emotional about everything lately. 
4. BACK TO SCENE: April snaps at Becca.
5. VEGAN RESTAURANT: Griff buys a shitty wrap then throws it away. Then he spots Becca as a car sprays her with mud and ducks away to avoid her. Then she ducks away to avoid him.
6. INSERT: They were named “Best Couple.” 
7. BACK TO SCENE: He learns she got divorced. She learns he got fired. They are assholes to each other. They try to storm off but it’s in the same direction…
8. GRIFF’S LOBBY: Becca and Griff both live there.
9. ACT OUT: They learn they are literally neighbors.

ACT TWO

1. UPSCALE BAR: Becca with a date, DOUG. It’s going well. Then she excuses herself to the--
2. BATHROOM: But before she goes in she sees him take a blue pill so she calls April.
3. APRIL’S KITCHEN: April talks to Becca. isn’t much help.
4. OPERA HALL: Griff and Oliver are there to get Griff his old job back b/c Griff’s boss is gonna be there. Oliver reveals he’s faking law school to get girls to like him. Then Griff spots his boss…
5. DOUG’S CAR: Becca brings up the little blue pill. Turns out it was for a another woman later! Then Doug almost hits a deer and careens off the road.
6. OPERA: Griff asks for job back. Boss is like not a chance.
7. DOUG’S CAR: Waiting for a tow truck. He says he has to jack off now or there will be medical problems from the viagra.
8. GRIFF’S LOFT: Cooper is on her way out to late night work as Griff arrives. He tries to confess about the job but she thinks he’s joking so he goes along with it.
9. SIDE OF THE ROAD: Becca assures April she’s fine.  
10. APRIL’S HOUSE: April has to go b/c she gets a call from Jeremy. Turns out the bastard went to the gym before coming home from his trip because he needed “wind down time.” 
11. GRIFF’S BUILDING: Becca finally gets home, soaked from the rain, and runs into Griff. She complains about her love life and plumbing problems.
12. BECC’AS LOFT, LATER: Griff shows up to help with the plumbing. They come to terms with the fact that their lives aren’t really what they wanted them to be. Then April shows up, she left the kids with Jeremy and wants to have a night out with Becca. She invites Griff, who says he’s bringing Oliver. 
13. STREET, LATER: Becca, Grif, April and Oliver peer inside a hip and crowded bar. They decide to go get Chinese instead.
14. CHINESE PLACE: They have friendly conversation and all get a fortune that says “Great things are about to happen to you.

THE END


LESSONS LEARNED: Shows can be built around themes, and this proves it. The idea that “we’re not what we expected but that’s ok” is heartily communicated here, and it’s also explored well through each character. If you’re writing something with that kind of thematic unity at the heart, it should be explored in EVERY STORY and with EVERY CHARACTER. This show does that very well and we should re-read it sometimes for that reason, particularly when we’re trying to write something in this tone. This show also did a good job writing unique characters and making them friends without making it too cheesy. They used types well, without venturing into cliches, and they gave a pretty honest (albeit network TV style) treatment of life in your early 30s.