The George Lopez Show - Pilot Outline

This is a classic. And it's a great pilot. We should study it more the next time we start a multi-cam. Like so many great multi-cams, it's simple and that's a big part of why it works so well.

Written by Bruce Helford, George Lopez & Robert Borden

​ACT 1 OUT: George has to cut his mom or his friend from work so she’s gonna have to move in.
ACT 2 OUT: George tells family that he didn’t have to fire anyone after all so Granny won’t be moving in and they are very happy.
 
COLD OPEN
They play catch with a ‘time-bomb’ water balloon as info is delivered:

• Kids are going out tonight
• George and Angie are gonna bone
• We also learn that geroge just became a manager at work

 
ACT ONE

• They discover their daughter lied about her period to get out of gym
  • Also George is encouraged to wear a tie so people respect him
• George at work: doesn’t do a great job of handling a situation, but thinks he’s getting better. Still learning how to be a boss.
• LATER:  George still getting acclimated to boss. Talking to friend Ernie. Checks in if Ernie is coming to bbq this weekend.
• LATER: big boss tells Geroge he’s gotta cut a department. Either his mom or hs best friend.
• George tells everyone that he’s thinking about it. He storms away.
• NEXT DAY: George at work, workers huddled in his office. He says he’s gotta go talk to big boss about it…
• Big boss tells geroge it was just a text. Everyone can stay.
• George won’t tell either friend or mom what he did. Comedy around that.
• George tells his family that granny won’t be moving in. They are VERY happy.

 
ACT TWO

• Mom and daughter in fight. George says he’ll handle it. BTW mom, u gotta go handle a dog sex talk with our son.
• George tells daughter she can shave her pits cuz that’s why she’s upset.
• George tells wife and kids that crazy granny might have to come live with them, even though young son has nightmares that she chases him with a knife
• Ernie shows up next day with Sandy Bullock gf and she’s goofy and white but they like her.
• Ernie and the mom find out at the same time that they might get fired and they pressure George about it.

 
LESSON LEARNED: This show does race comedy pretty well. It’s not too broad at all, and it’s something we could emulate if we ever do a multi-cam that explores these issues.