Beneficiaries: A Television Sitcom Pilot by Chris Todd

There are many things you can do with a pilot script. Most of them include pestering friends and family, with even a hint of a Hollywood connection, to read it in hopes of stumbling into fame and fortune. I’m told they love that.

Instead of sending to everyone in my contacts with a California address (this time), I’m just going to post it online for anyone with enough time on their hands to read and enjoy.


2019 Austin Film Festival Script Competition Semifinalist

Logline: After being named in a neighbor's will, old high school friends return home to claim their inheritance of living together, working together, and starting over in a familiar place.

The script was written with several of my favorite improvisers in mind for the cast. This provides me with the leeway to lean on their expertise to overcome any shortcomings in the script’s writing when they’re hypothetically on set. They are also just people I selfishly want to see on TV more. Which, by the time I finished writing the pilot, most of them had already booked leading roles which doesn’t bode well for this ‘production’.

  • Tara - Tawny Newsome

  • Drew - Drew Tarver (I’m not great with coming up with names)

  • Carl - Carl Tart (see above)

  • Debbie - Nicole Byer

  • Lonny - Adam Pally

  • Leslie - June Diane Raphael

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