Episode 189: The Thread Written By Andrew Waller and Mike Gagerman

This month’s episode features The Thread, written by Andrew Waller and Mike Gagerman, the second of two dead pilots built around a shared group text that’s been running for years.

Here is the log line for this show, A modern ensemble comedy about a group of longtime friends leading diverse chaotic lives who stay connected through a long running daily text thread.

Waller and Gagerman previously wrote the cult favorite film Search Party and were behind one of the first viral serialized Twitter threads, Shh… Don’t Tell Steve. They’re currently developing Last Chance Lawyer for NBC, with Henry Winkler attached to star.

The pilot feels authentic and grounded, capturing the accumulated history, shorthand, and emotional honesty of friendships that have lasted for decades.

Coming up next week is the interview with Andrew and Mike, followed by a four-way discussion the week after with Andrew, Mike, Aaron Brownstein, and Simon Ganz, the writers of last month’s pilot, Guy Text.

The cast includes Matt Porter (Family Guy, Good Cop / Great Cop), Krysta Rodriguez (Smash, Halston), Paul Telfer (Vampire Diaries; Days of Our Lives), Andrew Leeds (Ghosts, Barry), Suzy Nakamura (Exploding Kittens, Dead to Me), Beth Stelling (comedian), Malcolm Barrett (The Boys, Timeless), Daniel DiMaggio (American Housewife), Brittany Curran (The Magicians), and Neska Rose (Drama Club).

Video of the Zoom table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join.

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

Episode 188: Aaron Brownstein & Simon Ganz Interview

In this After Show Andrew talks with writing partners Aaron Brownstein and Simon Ganz about their long road to Guy Text.

They share what they learned working under Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, About a Boy) and Victor Fresco (Santa Clarita Diet), including lessons about character, tone, and why even a waiter with two lines should feel like a real person.

Aaron and Simon dig into the personal inspiration behind Guy Text, a modern sitcom about male friendship built around a constantly active group text thread. They discuss the realities of modern masculinity, parenting, ambition, and the challenge of making something deeply personal in an industry that often wants a trend instead.

Aaron also recounts his start as a child actor: He appeared in a commercial featuring Christopher Reeve—a moment that gave him an early, unforgettable brush with the industry that would later become his career. You can see it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRD3QD17HuU

Episode 187: Guy Text
Written by Aaron Brownstein & Simon Ganz

This month’s dead pilot is Guy Text, written by Aaron Brownstein and Simon Ganz, whose credits include Santa Clarita Diet, Beavis and ButtHead, and About a Boy.  Four geriatric millennial friends struggle with what it means to be sensitive, thoughtful, emotionally available modern men. It’s a fast paced and funny pilot that you’ll really enjoy.

This episode launches a special two-month experiment on Dead Pilots Society. Two pilots built around the same premise—male group text threads—landed on Andrew’s radar, and both received table reads. In January we will be posting the second pilot, the after show interview, and a special roundtable episode featuring the writers of both pilots, diving into their approaches, creative choices, and the challenges of tackling the same premise.

The cast includes Ben Feldman (Superstore), Ritesh Rajan (Definition Please, Ken in animated Barbie TV shows), Alex Klein (Guardians of the Galaxy 2), Josh Banday (Upload), Jonathan Slavin (Better Off Ted), Holly Chou (X-Men 97), Jessica Lowe (Minx), writer and comedian Megan Gailey, Anna Seregina (The Civil Dead), and Andrew Reich with stage directions.

Video of the Zoom table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join.

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