Episode 186: Lisa Muse Bryant Interview

This month’s After Show features Andrew’s conversation with Lisa Muse Bryant, the powerhouse behind our latest dead pilot Dream. Lisa traces her remarkable journey from Camden, New Jersey, to writing on standout series like Black-ish, The Four Seasons, Man on the Inside, and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. She dives into the real-life inspiration behind the pilot and the serendipity of her collaboration with Amber Riley. We also get to hear her wonderful insights about carving out a career and making the most of every opportunity that came her way.

Don’t miss the Dead Pilots Society live show at the Elysian Theater this Sunday, December 7th. The evening will feature a pilot from actress Ginger Gonzaga, joined onstage by Luke Tennie, Lauren Potter, and Kyle Bornheimer, along with a script by Georgia Pritchett whose cast includes Sarah Solemani and Ed Weeks. Get your tickets at elysiantheater.com.

Episode 185: Dream Written by Lisa Muse Bryant

This month’s Dead Pilots Society features Dream, a musical comedy pilot from Lisa Muse Bryant, whose work includes Black-ish, The Four Seasons, Man on the Inside, and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. The show centers on Dream Morgan, a former teen mom who finally goes after her long-delayed ambition of becoming a singer once her son finishes college. This is a musical, single camera comedy about one fierce and funny woman who uses her voice to find her voice.

From the very first pages, the script announces itself with a bold, memorable opening and a world full of sharp, engaging characters. The live reading only amplified that energy. Yvette Nicole Brown, Cedric Yarbrough, Stakiah Lynn Washington, and Amber Riley delivered powerhouse performances, with Riley’s vocals bringing the audience to its feet for a standing ovation.

The Cast Includes: Lisa Muse Bryant, Amber Riley (Glee), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), Sarah Francis (Hairspray), Vinny Thomas (Platonic), Cedric Yarbrough (Reno 911), Cyrina Fiallo (High Potential, Good Luck Charlie), Marcel Spears (The Neighborhood), Christina Anthony (Mixed-ish), Stakiah Lynn Washington (Primo), Brittany Curran (The Magicians), and Andrew Reich with stage direction

Dead Pilots Society is also gearing up for a live show at the Elysian Theater on Sunday, December 7th. The evening will feature a pilot from actress Ginger Gonzaga, joined onstage by Luke Tennie, Lauren Potter, and Kyle Bornheimer, along with a script by Georgia Pritchett, whose cast includes Sarah Solemani and Ed Weeks. Tickets are available at elysiantheater.com.

The video of the table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for just $5 a month and get access to the video and lots more. Sign up at maximumfun.org/join.

And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at reddkrossfilm.com/rent.

Episode 184: Jim Brandon & Brian Singleton Interview

Welcome to this month’s after-show interview with Brian Singleton and Jim Brandon.
You heard their hilarious pilot Humans of the Americas last week on Dead Pilots Society. You may know Brian and Jim from their work on Mixed-ish (ABC), Black Monday (Showtime), Arrested Development (Netflix), or their current show Animal Control (FOX), now on it’s fourth season.

Their viral web series Dorm Life, which they wrote, cast, and produced while in college in 2011, caught Andrew’s eye and earned them their first paid show business job. In this interview, you’ll get to hear Brian and Jim’s journey from Dorm Life, through many writers’ rooms, and into Humans of the Americas. You’ll even get a glimpse into where the show was headed, had it been made.

Also, save the date for our next live show, which will be Sunday, December 7th, at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles. Tickets aren’t on sale yet, but follow us on social media for updates.

Episode 183: Humans of the Americas Written by Jim Brandon & Brian Singleton

This month’s dead pilot is Humans of the Americas by Jim Brandon and Brian Singleton, whose credits include Animal Control (FOX), Mixed-ish (ABC), Black Monday (Showtime), and Arrested Development (Netflix).

Here’s the logline: A single camera comedy set in a small town neighborhood, that is actually a human exhibit. At a zoo. Run by robots.

It’s high concept, but not self-limiting—funny, heartfelt, and full of inventive world-building and great character work.

Humans of the Americas was read second at the last live show, following Dream by Lisa Muse Bryant, a musical pilot starring Amber Riley, who earned a standing ovation with her closing number. Despite that tough act to follow, the audience loved Humans of the Americas just as much—and listeners will too.

The live cast includes Christina Anthony (Mixed-ish), Brittany Curran (The Magicians), Cyrina Fiallo ( High Potential), Dan Gregor (The Naked Gun), Tai Leclaire (King of The Hill), Jessica McKenna (Dropout), Jordan Riggs (Dorm Life), Bryan Safi (Throwing Shade), Chris Smith (Dorm Life), Nick Smith (Dorm Life), Stakiah Lynn Washington (Primo), Cedric Yarbrough (Reno 911), and Andrew Reich with stage direction

The next Dead Pilots Society live show is set for Sunday, December 7th at 3:00 PM at the Elysian Theater, featuring a brand-new pilot from the multi-talented Ginger Gonzaga. More details coming soon!

The video of the table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for just $5 a month and get access to the video and lots more. Sign up at maximumfun.org/join.

And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at reddkrossfilm.com/rent.

Episode 182: David S. Rosenthal Interview

In this after show for The Cheap Seats, Andrew sits down with writer David S. Rosenthal, whose career spans some of television’s most iconic series.

Andrew and "Rosie" go way back to their days at summer camp, and their longtime friendship adds a personal dimension to this conversation. Rosenthal’s career took off quickly—soon after his first writing job, he became the creator and showrunner of Ellen, kicking off a career that would include Spin City, Gilmore Girls, The Middle, and Jane the Virgin. With an equally deft hand at comedy and drama, he has built a body of work that’s both varied and enduring.

This interview covers the wild ride of his career, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and reflections on navigating show business with resilience and humor. It’s a rich, insightful conversation.

Episode 181: The Cheap Seats Written by David S. Rosenthal

This month on Dead Pilots Society we have The Cheap Seats by David S. Rosenthal, a veteran television writer whose credits include Spin City, Gilmore Girls, The Middle, and Jane the Virgin. The script centers on a close-knit group of emotionally and intellectually stunted friends whose world is shaken when one of them begins dating a brainy and sophisticated medical student.

Rosenthal delivers a classic multi-camera hangout comedy, showcasing his knack for crafting characters with interesting, fun dynamics, and well-paced story beats.

The cast includes Anjelica Fellini (Teenage Bounty Hunters, The French Dispatch), Sam Lerner (The Goldbergs), Charlie Gillespie (Julie and the Phantoms), Ciara Bravo (Wayne and Cherry), Kyla Kenedy (Mr. Mayor), Logan Miller (Escape Room, Chicago Med)

The video of the table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for just $5 a month and get access to the video and lots more. Sign up at maximumfun.org/join.

And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at reddkrossfilm.com/rent.

Episode 180: Gracie Glassmeyer Interview

This after-show episode dives deeper into Here She Lies with its creator, Gracie Glassmeyer. If you heard the table read of this dark, twisty pilot, you probably have questions—like why Seth can’t leave his house, or why Talia has been spying on Amber’s stepmom. Gracie shares the answers, along with her unique path into comedy writing.

She’s part of that rare breed of “jock comedy writers”—a group that proves you don’t have to be bad at sports to be good at jokes. This conversation explores the thoughtful world-building behind the pilot and the larger series it could have become.

Dead Pilots Society has a live show coming up on Sunday, September 14th at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles, featuring two fantastic pilots:

• Humans of the Americas by Jim Brandon and Brian Singleton (Arrested Development, Animal Control, and more)
• Dream by Lisa Muse Bryant (Black-ish, The Four Seasons)

Go to elysiantheater.com and get your tickets for Sunday, September 14th.

And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at reddkrossfilm.com/rent.

Episode 179: Here She Lies Written by Gracie Glassmeyer

Welcome to Dead Pilots Society, the podcast that takes comedy pilots from A-list writers that were sold and developed at networks and streamers but never produced, and gives them the table reads they never got to have.

This episode features a pilot from Gracie Glassmeyer. Gracie has written for Ghosts and The Neighborhood, with previous credits including Jane the Virgin, Happy Together, and Impastor. Her pilot defies easy categorization—too smart and compelling to be just a comedy, too funny to be labeled strictly drama.

The story centers on a fascinating main character, originally conceived by Yael Grobglas (Matlock, Jane the Virgin), who also leads the cast. She’s joined by Dustin Ybarra (One Day at a Time, We Bought a Zoo) as the agoraphobic co-lead. The rest of the ensemble is a powerhouse Dead Pilots Society lineup: Rachel Keller (Legion, Tokyo Vice), Imani Hakim (Mythic Quest), Oscar Montoya (Minx, Star Trek: Lower Decks), Joy Osmanski (1923, Ghosts), Katherine Bourne Taylor (The Ms. Pat Show), and Marcus Bishop-Wright (Bring on the Damned!).

Video of this Zoom read is available to Maximum Fun members along with exclusive bonus content from past years. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join.

Dead Pilots Society has a live show coming up on Sunday, September 14th at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles, featuring two fantastic pilots:

• Humans of the Americas by Jim Brandon and Brian Singleton (Arrested Development, Animal Control, and more)
• Dream by Lisa Muse Bryant (Black-ish, The Four Seasons)

Go to elysiantheater.com and get your tickets for Sunday, September 14th.