Brainstorm and research ideas for the world of your show. According to trained screenwriter Griffin Jones, the first stage of formatting your show involves writing ideas for the world of your show as fast as you can think of them. What you will be left with is an unorganized mess of plot, character and setting containing the seeds of your pilot and the direction of your series.
Watch pilots of similar shows to yours and take notes on them. The more pilots you watch, the more prepared you'll be to structure your own. Pilots of hits and flops are equally helpful for learning what works in a show and what does not. Jones says if your show is a police drama, watch pilots of cop shows from "NYPD Blue" to "The Wire" to "Cop Rock" plus "The Wire" and "The Tudors" to learn how to write politics and intrigue. If the show contains any similarities to your own, watch its pilot.
Organize your notes into a show bible. A show bible is a book containing the world of your show. Each is different, but generally, it should outline the major characters, settings and plot direction for the show. If your show is more about characters and relationships, the bible should focus on developing the characters. If it is science fiction and creates a new world, it must also describe that world and how it works. You do not need to finish the show bible before starting to write the pilot as they can feed off of each other.
Pick out the point at which your story really begins. The pilot should be the point where the characters first meet or the complications first start happening.
Find the plot points and format the script around it. Regardless of length, nearly all TV shows follow a three-act structure. The show should open with a teaser leading up to the plot's inciting incident. The plot's cliffhanger mid-point reversal should occur at the end of act two just before a commercial break. Action should build until the tag/epilogue at the end after the last commercial break meant to get people to want watch the next episode. TV scripts are typically one page for every minute of time slot meaning a 60-minute show should have a 60-page script.
Introduce the show's main character early. The first scene with main character needs to hint at who he is and make the audience want more. The introduction of Don Draper in the pilot of "Mad Men" has him sitting in a bar trying to think of a slogan for a brand of cigarettes. He asks the waiter what brand he smokes and why. The whole force of pilot is him trying to figure out what to do for the campaign. The next scenes show him sleeping with a girl, then going into the office, instantly establishing his character.
Introduce supporting characters in a way that drives the plot along. In "Mad Men," the audience meets the supporting characters by seeing them interact with Don in the office. This establishes their characters and their relationship to Don that will prove crucial as the show moves forward.