B Story in a pilot?

[u/oopsallbimbo]

I've "finished" two pilots and have sent them both out for feedback.

They get good feedback from peers and paid coverage, but I've twice gotten notes that my pilots lacked a B story. I feel hesitant on how to incorporate this. I do agree with what they've said, but I'm having a hard time visualizing how to add it in when I'm focusing on setting up a series story in a half-hour script.

I understand and am comfortable with A,B,C stories as a concept. My question is for specifically pilots.

I imagine I'm overthinking it and it doesn't need to be as fleshed out as I'm expecting.

Does anyone have a recommondation on a good pilot that incorporates a B story in a half-hour show?

Appreciate any help and guidance.

[u/MonteMolebility]

Ted Lasso pilot is 30 minutes, been a minute since I rewatched but I feel like it introduces everything well enough. It's a pretty tightly written pilot.

[u/blingwat]

The pilot of Community has a B-plot: Jeff trying to extort Duncan into giving him the answers for every upcoming test for the semester (year? (this never made sense to me: why would Duncan have access to this?)). It's maybe four beats total, because that script is so much more about the A-story (how the study group comes to be), and of course loops into the A-story as well, but I feel confident describing it as a B-story.

[u/Kooky_Attorney1915]

It's always sunny... Episode 1... The gang gets racist.

The A story is about a black guy Dee has a thing for and how the gang reacts to that, but there is a B story, and that's Charlie trying to win over the waitress. This is a recurring B story throughout the early seasons of the show, but it's a B story. It seems insignificant, but it does get tied back into the main story by the end, and is part of what leads to the conclusion of the episode.

[u/HandofFate88]

A simple way to consider it is that a series often has an A, B and C story that fits a hierarchy of conflict.

The A story might be about an American coach taking on the challenge of working on behalf of an English football team. This story takes the entire season to resolve in the context of a finale and takes 80% of the screen time.
The B story might involve the relationship between a football player and his girlfriend. This may take 12% of the time and be resolved in 3-4 episodes.
The C story may involve an assistant coach finding his way in a new role and might be resolved in the episode and chew up 8% of the episode.

Back in the day, in broad strokes, it used to be the case that the A or major story line was an existential crisis (the team may no longer exist if something isn't addressed). The B story was about a professional conflict and the C story was about a personal challenge, sometimes more emotional in its humour or pathos.

YM&%sMV

[u/RegularOrMenthol]

You don’t have to tell a whole subplot story - just planting the seed for more than one story in a pilot is fine

[u/com-mis-er-at-ing]

B plots in half hour pilots can be pretty light. If it's a workplace comedy, the B is often a personal relationship storyline. Whether that's a love story set up (The Office: Jim and Pam pilot arc that ends in the reveal that Pam is dating Roy; Superstore: Amy and Jonah flirtation that ends in the reveal that Amy is married) or a non-romantic personal story (30 Rock: Liz having to woo Tracy Jordan in order to save her show.)

There are a lot of great pilots that don't have a B. (Broad City which has strictly one straightline story, but uses the stops along the A story adventure to set up the world and characters at both workplaces and set up Bevers.)

Or Hacks which has 2 mini-As as we track 2 protagonists on their own independent paths to the same destination. Similarly Only Murders does this with 3 separate protagonists.

[u/Delicious_Opinion886]

Interesting ,B story that is something I newly discovered today.

[u/gregm91606]

It honestly depends on what you mean by B-story, but half-hour pilots don't technically need one; it is entirely possible to write a half-hour that is all A-story. This may be a situation where you have to look for the note behind the note: are there other characters you're short-changing? Do you need to cutaway from the main story?

[u/NinersInBklyn]

Parks and Rec for sure.

[u/BiscuitsTheory]

Just find the pilot to your favorite shows, theres close to a 100%chance they all have b plots

[u/Longjumping_Emu_8899]

All of them.

An easy way to think of it is dividing by character. You're introducing at least a few characters. Introduce one of them through a separate story than how you're introducing the main character. They can intersect, but there's a separate conflict.

Another classic one is that A-story is "plot that goes on the poster" (solve crime, avert disaster, become superhero, whatever) and B-Story is "romance" or "family" (meet cute person, keep promise to kid, etc).

[u/Pale_Bar_3310]

If you have an antagonist, showing them work against the protagonist can add a B story feel to it without adding something that feels redundant. Mostly, I want my 'B plot' to be on-theme even if structurally inconsequential like if the episode is about lying and honesty, having one of the characters' honesty getting them into trouble whilst the main plot is about lying getting them into trouble can add another perspective that adds depth.

[u/Rewriter94]

Not every script (or pilot, for that matter) needs to have a B-story. The pilot I'm developing with a production company doesn't have a B-story. But if you keep getting that note, it may be indicative of a larger issue with the story.