Sources say the pilot for Netflix doesn't signal a permanent shift in development. Little Sky is currently the only planned pilot for the streamer, which has been using an exclusively direct-to-series model since venturing into original programming 12 years ago. The decision is specific to Little Sky because the executives like the concept. Still, they want to see a pilot first to make sure that the tone and chemistry of the large ensemble are right, so that the project has a chance of success.
Little Sky centers on Penelope Paul Porter (Weaving, pictured) who is determined to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a respected news reporter (despite the fact that she may be the worst reporter of all time). When she receives an anonymous tip that the mayor of Little Sky is missing, she knows this is her chance to finally prove herself. Arriving in the haunted, remote town of Little Sky, she feels she is on a big story. Little does she know, however, that she has stumbled upon something far more sinister than she could have ever imagined.
This marks Weaving's return to Netflix where she starred in Ryan Murphy's limited series Hollywood (2020). She also starred in the limited Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers and Showcase's Australian thriller series Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Netflix's willingness to try out the pilot mockup is telling. Pilots, a long-established part of the network's development model, are considered valuable proofs of concept, especially in comedies where cast chemistry, tone, and comedic timing are key. A good pilot increases the chance of success of a series. For Netflix, the first season is often the pilot, so some of its half-hour series have inevitably gotten no further than that.
There have been rumors in recent months that Netflix may be open to comedy pilots. If the Little Sky experiment is successful, the streamer would presumably do this more often, even adding another tool to its development toolbox that currently consists largely of script-to-series commitments. But there are no plans for a pilot season with orders from multiple pilots being weighed against each other.
Of the streaming services, only Netflix and Apple had stuck to direct-to-series orders. HBO Max, Amazon (for both Prime Video and Freevee), and Peacock have all adopted a shared model that includes both direct-to-series orders and pilots, primarily in the young adult comedy and drama categories.
Netflix has capitalized on the trial model by picking up original series that had started as pilots elsewhere, including the comedy series Arrested Development and the dramas Lucifer and Manifest. In addition, a number of network series developed under that model are doing well on Netflix in a streaming window.
While the recent Netflix comedy series That '90s Show didn't have a pilot, its predecessor, That 70's Show, did on Fox two and a half decades ago. The latter's enduring popularity was instrumental in the success of the sequel series, which has been renewed for a second season.
Netflix's current offerings include hit comedy series like Cobra Kai and Never Have I Ever, both entering their final seasons, The Upshaws and Emily in Paris. The new comedy series Unstable with Rob Lowe has just hit the service. Coming soon are Survival of the Thickest (Michelle Buteau), The Vince Staples Show, an untitled Kristen Bell comedy; and an untitled Mike Schur/Ted Danson comedy, as well as season three of Girls5Eva, which transitions from Peacock.
The streamer is also home to the acclaimed comedy series Mo, which will return for a second and final season, and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.
More than other genres, Netflix has experimented with comedy; the streamer recently made a live television debut with a comedy special, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, which made the Global Top 10.
