The Problem With Spec TV Pilots

One of the biggest issues I see in speculative (not commissioned) TV pilots is a lack of a show-stopping central character.

But why is this an issue?

Well, if we want our spec TV pilot to be read and/or commissioned by industry pros, a show-stopping central character is non-negotiable. It’s common sense our own TV pilots need to be storytelling catnip for that commissioner.

One of the ways we can do this is by creating a show-stopping character. A character so interesting and compelling, big-name and talented actors will want to attach.

All About Show-Stopping Central Characters

A show-stopping central character is usually the protagonist of the show. They frequently act as an ‘umbrella character’ around a highly differentiated cast of supporting characters.

Show-stopping central characters are …

• Drivers of the Plot: A true central character (protagonist) has the strongest goals, faces the toughest obstacles, and drives the story forward.
• Dynamic Development: Unlike static characters, these characters undergo significant change throughout the story.
• Audience Empathy: They are designed to hook the audience, often by holding the most interesting perspective in a high-stakes scenario.

Examples of Show-Stopping Central Characters

Show-stopping central characters are a speciality of US TV shows. Examples …

• Morgan Gillory in High Potential 
• Jake Peralta in Brooklyn 99 
• John Nolan in The Rookie
• Dr. Megan Hunt in Body of Proof
• Dexter Morgan in Dexter, Dexter: Resurrection & New Blood
• Jessica Day in New Girl
• Patrick Jane in The Mentalist
• Richard Castle in Castle 

You’ll note there is a fairly even spread of gender here, both male and female. Nathan Fillion appears twice, working with showrunner Alexi Hawley on both The Rookie and Castle.

You may also notice that the average show-stopping central character is white, too. Same as it ever was (sadly) … BUT there is one big difference in these types of show. More on this, next.

About Supporting Casts

However, it should also be noted these types of show frequently prize diversity in their supporting characters.

While white actors are still the norm for heading such shows, representations of race, LGBTQ, mental health, neurodivergence and disability still figure highly in the cast.

We may also see unusual representations of topics like class, parenthood, marriage, work, technology, or politics.

Many of show-stopping central characters are anti-heroes, so they will be surrounded with other characters who may be morally compromised as well. Thematics about such topics as culpability, systemic injustice, or the state of the world are highly prized in such shows.

So is archetypal characterisation. Rather than rely solely on tropes, characters are often much more complex as standard.

A New B2W Case Study

I have written about most of these show-stopping central characters before. They form part of the case studies on this blog, or in my Thriller Screenplays book, or Don’t Screw Up Your Story (co-written with development producer Clive Frayne).

However, I have not written about Morgan Gillory from Disney+’s High Potential. She will be the focus of this article on how to write show-stopping central characters.

So what makes Morgan Gillory such a ‘show-stopper’ and why is High Potential so effin’ good?

Reason 1: Morgan Feels Current

The title High Potential refers to the term ‘High Potential Intellectual’. It’s a remake of the 2021 French series, HPI: Haut Potentiel Intellectuel.

Portrayed by Kaitlin Olson, Morgan Gillory is a single mother of three with an IQ over 160. She has phenomenal general knowledge, but works as a cleaning woman. She then becomes an unconventional LAPD police consultant.

I really loved High Potential for several reasons. Though never explicitly stated, Morgan clearly has ADHD. This feels current and relatable as society finally grasps the concept of neurodivergence.

She is also a chaotic female lead, who acts before she thinks sometimes. This drives conflict and gets her – and her work-mates – into big trouble.

I also liked the fact Morgan has age-gap children. As someone who has similar age gaps with her own kids, I don’t recall seeing this representation before in a mainstream TV show. Morgan has a teenager, a tween and a baby and this creates some really interesting dialogue and conflicts.

But most of all, I loved the fact Morgan is a good mother. So often, a talented show-stopping central character is so distracted by their genius their kids suffer. Not here in High Potential.

This makes Morgan inherently likeable, because there is nothing she won’t do for her kids.  It adds not only to the characterisation, but the plot too!

Reason 2: The Show Is ‘The Same … But Different’

A protagonist working as a police consultant is a tried-and-tested scenario for such police procedurals. In my list above, Richard Castle, Patrick Jane and Dr. Megan Hunt all do this.

This introduces a ‘fish out of water’ component to a world that may not have worked the protagonist’s way before. It drives conflict, but also new ways of looking at an old scenario.

Also, Morgan works in a way we haven’t seen before. She is a heady mix of Erin Brockovitch and The Mentalist. This means the show is recognisable, but doesn’t feel the ‘same-old, same-old’ either.

Reason 3: She Has A Compelling Backstory

The father of Morgan’s first child, Ava, disappeared when Ava was just a baby. Morgan has never stopped loving him. She doesn’t believe he abandoned them, even when Ava does.

This compelling backstory drives a lot of the character conflict between Morgan and Ava. As the seasons have continued, Morgan’s boss Lieutenant Selena Soto starts looking into the cold case.

This drives a compelling serial arc as they uncover what could have really happened, without taking away from the main cases.

Reason 4: The Supporting Cast Is Diverse AF

Like so many show-stopping central characters before her, Morgan is surrounded by a diverse cast of supporting characters. Even better, they all have their own backstories, agendas and problems so they ‘all have a reason to live’.

Morgan’s partner is Detective Karadec, who at first is exasperated by this human whirlwind of a woman. He is a rule-follower but learns to loosen up around her. He becomes no longer rigid to a fault.

Lieutenant Soto takes a chance on Morgan. She is open-minded, pragmatic and forward-thinking. She has lost a lot in her personal life, which is why she helps Morgan find Ava’s father.

Captain Nick Wagner (s2) is highly antagonistic, yet also fascinated by Morgan. There’s an interesting sexual tension between them. He is also morally grey with a tragic backstory, so we can’t be 100% sure what he will do next.

Ludo is Morgan’s ex-partner and father of her last two kids. Unlike many exes, he is not a bastard or a deadbeat Dad. He is a committed stepfather to Ava. He and Morgan still love each other deeply, but realise it is best for the kids if they are not together. This is refreshing.

Morgan’s elder two kids are highly differentiated. Ava is creative and artistic and appears to lack the ‘high potential’ her mother has, which makes her feel ‘lesser than’. In contrast, Morgan’s tween son Elliot has his mother’s gifts … a child’s logic of getting right to the point in conflicts and cases.

Reason 5: The Show Is What Modern Viewers WANT!

High Potential is a mix of the old and the new. It mixes humour, thriller and mystery tropes, as well as diverse characterisation and topical thematics.

Show-stopping central characters have a long history in produced TV content, as I map out in my Thriller Screenplays book. Coming up with our own means we need to investigate what came before.

Yet the average spec TV pilot – set in the world of police procedurals or not – does not contain a show-stopping central character. In many, it’s difficult to see why would we invest in the protagonist’s journey at all. This is a serious own goal when standing out is half the battle!

Last Points

So, stop it with the ‘vanilla’ characters. Take a look at High Potential and all the other addictive shows viewers love on this list.

Pick a character that is larger than life. See their storytelling world through their lens. Invest in their backstory. Create a cast of highly differentiated, diverse characters. Really drill down into the conflicts this all inevitably creates.

Good Luck!