▁on ▁N BC ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁The ▁episode ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁series ▁cre ator ▁Em ily ▁Sp ive y ▁and ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁James ▁Griff ith s . ▁ ▁" P il ot " ▁introdu ces ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁characters , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁establish es ▁the ▁basic ▁prem ises ▁of ▁the ▁series . ▁In ▁the ▁episode , ▁Re agan ▁( Christ ina ▁App legate ) ▁dec ides ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁work ▁after ▁giving ▁birth ▁to ▁her ▁baby ▁with ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁her ▁stay - at - home ▁husband ▁Chris ▁( Will ▁Ar nett ). ▁Once ▁she ▁returns ▁to ▁work , ▁Reg an ▁must ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁end less ▁needs ▁of ▁her ▁friend ▁and ▁b oss , ▁A va ▁( M aya ▁Rud olph ) ▁the ▁host ▁of ▁her ▁own ▁talk ▁show , ▁that ▁Reg an ▁works ▁as ▁a ▁producer ▁on . ▁ ▁" P il ot " ▁deb uted ▁Up ▁All ▁Night , ▁in ▁a ▁special ▁times lot ▁between ▁America ' s ▁Got ▁Tal ent ▁and ▁the ▁short - l ived ▁N BC ▁series , ▁Free ▁Ag ents ▁at ▁ 1 0 : 0 0   p . m . ▁According ▁to ▁N iel sen ▁Media ▁Research , ▁the ▁episode ▁received ▁ 1 0 . 9 5 ▁million ▁view ers ▁and ▁received ▁a ▁ 3 . 7 ▁rating / 1 0 % ▁share ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 – 4 9 ▁dem ographic , ▁ranking ▁first ▁in ▁its ▁times lot . ▁It