Pilot (also known as Most Chicks Won't Eat Veal) is the 1st episode of Season 1 and the 1st episode of the series overall. It originally aired on September 22, 2003.
Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen)'s carefree life is turned upside down when his brother Alan (Jon Cryer) moves in with him. To further complicate things, his nephew Jake (Angus T. Jones) stays with them on weekends. Alan tried and failed to reconcile with his wife Judith (Marin Hinkle). When he comes home, he is annoyed that Charlie included Jake in poker, so Alan and Jake move in with Alan's mom - Evelyn Harper (Holland Taylor) instead. However, when Alan learns that Jake likes Charlie more, he moves back. Meanwhile, one of Charlie's one-night stands named Rose (Melanie Lynskey) is stalking him. Alan lets her into the house, thinking that she is Charlie's housekeeper, and she glues all his cabinets shut.
Blythe Danner was originally cast to play Evelyn Harper, but was replaced by Holland Taylor when she started suggesting changes to the screenplay.
Around the 13 minute mark, when Charlie says "I think he's considering it now, mom", you can see a white and red dress where Evelyn is supposed to stand. This is from the unaired pilot where Danner played Evelyn. In the new pilot with Taylor in this role, she is wearing a blue dress.
The original unaired pilot was called "Most Chicks Won't Eat Veal", which was spoken by Charlie to Alan, when Alan is explaining to him that Judith thinks she is gay.
Jennifer Bini Taylor played Suzanne, the woman who flirted with Charlie at the supermarket. She would appear as different characters during the series, most notably in the recurring role of Chelsea Melini.
When Charlie first speaks with Alan's wife, he calls her "Judy" instead of Judith.
When Charlie is talking to his nephew on the patio outside, the beer bottle spins several times, as is indicated by the label being in different positions. However, no one touches the bottle after it is put down.
In Latin America, the translating voice for Holland Taylor is the same that translated her in the movie George of the Jungle.
The German episode title is "Stur, zwanghaft und unflexibel", meaning "Stubborn, compulsive, and inflexible". The French title is "Tonton Charlie", meaning "Uncle Charlie". The Italian title is "Tutti da Charlie", meaning "Everyone with Charlie". The Spanish title is "Piloto".
This episode was nominated for an Artios Award for Best Casting for TV, Comedy Pilot.
In Latin America, the translating voice for Angus T. Jones is the same that translated him in George of the Jungle 2.
Guests stars Eddie Gorodetsky and Don Foster were frequent writers for the show.
This episode's end titles have Chuck Lorre's Vanity Card #108.
Jake: Your mom is my grandma. Charlie: Yup. Jake: Grandma says you're a bitter disappointment.
Charlie: You know, your uncle Charlie wrote that song. Jake: No lie. Charlie: Kid, if I was going to lie to you, I would have said I wrote "Stairway to Heaven," not the Maple Loops song.
Charlie: What are you smiling about? Jake: You don't have any food. Charlie: Yeah, but I'm not the one who's hungry. Who's smiling now, shorty?
Jake: If drinking makes you feel bad, why do you drink? Charlie: Nobody likes a smart ass, kid. Jake: You have to put a dollar in the swear jar. You said "ass." Charlie: Tell you what. Here's a twenty. That ought to cover me until lunch.
