Billion Dollar Freshmen (lost unaired pilot episode of "Lab Rats" Disney XD live-action comedy TV series; 2010)
Lab Rats is an American live-action comedy TV series that aired on Disney XD and Disney Channel from February 27th, 2012 to February 3rd, 2016. The show revolved around a team of bionic teens (Chase, Adam, and Bree) going on adventures yet trying to adapt to living with a real family, including their new stepbrother Leo and genius father Davenport, in the fictional town of Mission Creek, California.[1]
Before the show had officially premiered on Disney XD and Disney Channel, an unaired pilot was produced, with the show then being titled Billion Dollar Freshmen. This pilot featured various differences from the final show, however, the unaired pilot has not surfaced since.
History[edit | edit source]
In the summer of 2010,[2] a pilot was shot for the show that would eventually become Lab Rats, then titled Billion Dollar Freshmen.[3] According to various sources, the plot goes as follows:
"The show centers on two teenage brothers, Adam and Brad, in high school who have a secret – they’re bionic super soldiers implanted with high-tech bionic abilities such as super-strength, night vision, and ability to download information. Now they must blend in with the real world while on the run from the government after they hear they may be demolished and replaced by upgraded versions."[3][4]
The pilot was created by Chris Peterson and Bryan Moore, along with the executive producer Mark Brazil of That ’70s Show fame. The pilot would also be directed by Mark Cendrowski of The Big Bang Theory fame.[4]
The pilot featured various differences from the final show, such as the plot being slightly different, involving more of a "government escape" of the bionics instead of being created at Leo Dooley's house. The plot was also described as a "teenage, inflation-adjusted version of The Six Million Dollar Man set in high school."[4] Bree was also not present in the pilot, and Donald Davenport's character was originally named Gil L. Arroy.
Availability[edit | edit source]
After the pilot ordered and pitched to Disney, the pilot has never been released to the public and no footage has ever been leaked online. The only remains of the Billion Dollar Freshmen pilot online are two audition tapes for both Zach Ford and Harrison Thacher respectively. These audition tapes were uploaded onto YouTube by users Tracy Ford and Harrison Thacher's own channel, HarrisonThacher. Various behind-the-scenes images and a short recreation of the pilot also exist.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
Videos[edit | edit source]
See Also[edit | edit source]
Disney Channel[edit | edit source]
- 101 Dalmatians: The Series (partially found unaired pilot episode of Disney animated TV series; 1996)
- Amazing Animals (found Disney Channel animated educational series; 1996-1999)
- Arwin! (partially found pilot of cancelled spin-off of "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" Disney Channel sitcom; 2007)
- Bonkers "Fall Apart Bomb Squad" (found episode of Disney Channel animated series; 1993)
- Country Club (partially found test pilot of "Big City Greens" Disney Channel adventure-comedy animated series; 2015)
- Disney Channel Interactive (lost Dish Network game channel; late 2000s)
- Disney Channel "Disney's One Too" (partially lost "Recess" gags of TV channel block; 1999-2003)
- Disney's Coyote Tales (found Disney Channel extended version of "The Coyote's Lament" animated short; 1991)
- Disney's Doug (found episodes of animated TV series; 1996-1999)
- Dreamfinders (unproduced Disney Channel series based on "Journey Into Imagination" Epcot ride; 1983)
- Dumbo's Circus (partially found Disney Channel live action puppet series; 1985-1986)
- Fish Hooks (partially found unreleased pilot of Disney Channel animated series; 2009)
- Going Wild with Jeff Corwin (partially found Disney Channel documentary series; 1997-1999)
- Gravity Falls (found Comic Con 2012 promo of Disney Channel animated mystery comedy series; 2012)
- Gravity Falls (found pitch pilot of Disney Channel animated mystery comedy series; 2010)
- Hannah Montana (lost production material of cancelled anime adaptation of Disney Channel teen sitcom; 2009-2010)
- Herbie the Lovebug (lost Disney Channel animated pilot; late 1990s-2000s)
- J.O.N.A.S. (lost unaired pilot of "Jonas" Disney Channel comedy series; 2007)
- Katbot (partially found unreleased Disney Channel animated series; 2005)
- Lizzie McGuire "Season 3" (lost production material of unfinished season of Disney Channel comedy series; 2020)
- Minnie Takes Care of Pluto (found original English audio of Mickey Mouse Works animated short; 2000)
- Mousercise (partially found Disney Channel exercise series; 1983-1996)
- Mouseterpiece Theater (partially found Disney Channel cartoon compilation series; 1983-1990)
- Pepper Ann (partially found unaired Nickelodeon pilot of Disney animated series; 1996)
- Phineas and Ferb (lost script of cancelled theatrical film based on animated series; 2010s)
- Phineas and Ferb: Shooting Star Milkshake Bar (partially found full version of song; late 2000s)
- Phineas and Ferb: Spot the Diff (found Disney Channel animated special; 2008)
- Recess "The Break In" (partially found pilot of Disney animated TV series; 1996)
- Star and the Forces of Evil (partially found unaired pitch pilot of Disney Channel animated series; 2011)
- Talespin (lost Phil Harris audio recordings from Disney Channel animated series; 1990)
- Teen Angel (partially found Disney Channel serial drama; 1989)
- The All-New Mickey Mouse Club (partially found revival of Disney variety TV series; 1989-1994)
- The Jersey (partially lost Disney Channel sports themed comedy series; 1999-2004)
- The Owl House (partially found unaired pilot of Disney Channel animated series; 2017)
- The Proud Family (partially lost unaired Nickelodeon pilot of Disney Channel animated sitcom; 1999)
- Welcome to Pooh Corner (partially found Disney Channel live-action puppet series; 1983-1986)
- What's Stevie Thinking? (lost unaired pilot of cancelled spin-off of "Lizzie McGuire" Disney Channel comedy series; 2003)
Playhouse Disney[edit | edit source]
- Adventures in Nutrition with Captain Carlos (partially found Playhouse Disney animated short series; 2004-2007)
- Bear in the Big Blue House "Water, Water Everywhere" (lost unaired pilot of Disney Channel puppet series; 1997)
- Bear in the Big Blue House (found original English audio of Playhouse Disney puppet series; 1997-2006)
- Breakfast with Bear (partially found episodes of Playhouse Disney spin-off series; 2005-2006)
- Handy Manny (partially found unaired pilot of Playhouse Disney CGI animated series; 2005)
- Little Einsteins (lost second pitch pilot of Playhouse Disney animated series; existence unconfirmed; 2004)
- Out of the Box (partially lost Playhouse Disney children's series; 1998-2004)
- PB&J Otter (partially found original credits sequences of Playhouse Disney animated series; 1998-2000)
- Playhouse Disney UK (partially lost interstitial material of children's TV channel; 1999-2006)
- Stanley (found unaired pilot episode of Playhouse Disney animated series; 1999)
- The Book of Pooh (found Playhouse Disney puppet series; 2001-2004)
Disney Junior[edit | edit source]
- Beverly Hills Chihuahuas (found pilot of cancelled Disney Junior animated adaptation of film series; 2012)
- Jungle Junction (lost pilots of Disney Junior CGI animated series; 2003; 2005; 2008)
Toon Disney[edit | edit source]
- Teamo Supremo (partially lost Toon Disney animated series; 2002-2004)
- Toon News (partially found CGI Interstitial Toon Disney series; 2004/2005)
Disney XD[edit | edit source]
- DXP (partially found Disney XD video game block; 2017)
- Power Rangers Animated Series (lost Disney XD pilot of animated adaptation of live-action superhero series; existence unconfirmed; 2007-2009)
Other[edit | edit source]
- Green Monkeys (lost Disney pilot; 1999)
- La Chambre Folle (lost French Disney children's TV block; 1998)
- Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers (found English dub of anime series; 2015)
- Robodz (lost Disney Toei animated TV series; 2008)
- The Mouse Factory (partially found Disney live-action/animated TV series; 1972-1973)
- The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show (found episodes of Disney animated TV series; 1995)
- X-Heart (partially found unreleased English dub of "X-Coração" Brazilian animated TV series; 2014)
External Links[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ A press release mentioning the plot of Lab Rats. Retrieved 12 Aug '21
- ↑ Billy Unger's page on the Billion Dollar Freshmen pilot. Retrieved 13 Aug '21
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cybermage article on the Billion Dollar Freshmen pilot (archived on July 2nd, 2010). Retrieved 13 Aug '21
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Deadline article on the Billion Dollar Freshmen pilot. Retrieved 13 Aug '21