the AWFUL selection tv pilot

[@AmandaTodhunterOfficial]

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[@kiraalldredge48]

They had Peter from Narnia and didn't cast him as Maxon?? I'm baffled.

[@camillechandler4431]

Fr

[@tibbyl8350]

Well at least this wrong was righted in The Royals

[@dreamingbymyshelf]

AND they gave him absolutely shit writing

[@AllieBee00]

Atrocious choice…

[@marilima9986]

Terrible

[@fann458]

America has to be a true ginger for only one reason: BEING GINGER IS HER ENTIRE PERSONALLY

[@soaphi7069]

Every YA novel ever LMFAOO

[@castlenovelist97BOOKS]

She is played by: Yael Grobglas

[@sketchycat6223]

The Selection probably would work better as a Bridgerton style Netflix show than whatever cw nonsense this is

[@V_4_Versace]

I googled this because I’ve never ever heard of the show and apparently Netflix was gonna adapt the book but it got cancelled or at least put on hold for now

[@natashavelasquez1841]

Very much giving CW vibes

[@santangellascaberet]

RIGHT

[@sophsstardust]

@@V_4_Versaceit’s been stuck in development hell for years 😭

[@fantasticbeck3938]

That pilot was dreadful. The costuming was so ugly, the pacing was way too fast, the characters’ personalities were completely different… how hard can it be to just create a faithful adaptation??

[@arnaudgerard1971]

Money? You have to pay more, if it resembles the original?

[@ashleysbored6710]

tbh a faithful adaptation might not be that good either....

[@nazhoni]

@@arnaudgerard1971not really…

[@multifandomnerd1328]

@@arnaudgerard1971 you have to buy the rights to it either way for using the names of the books, characters and locations, anything else then doesn't matter for monetary reasons

[@thisisnani18]

someone wrote a script for the selection on ao3 back in 2021 and it was WAAAYYYY better 😭 tv producers should just hire them or at least take notes on how to do a good job, it’s literally out there on the internet for FREE

[@Lovelyclarii]

So like…..do you still have the link? Asking for a friend 👀

[@polarmarie]

​@@LovelyclariiI'm the friend, my bestie and I need the link for reasons

[@catlicksass]

@@Lovelyclariisame.

[@oceanoffandoms3766]

Me too

[@KayKay-dq5gm]

Drop the link bestie 🗣️

[@michelleadams2348]

This is why they need to pay their writers

[@heatherparisi8250]

Getting rid of Marlee’s character is the biggest travesty for me

[@hiimohemaa5977]

this adaptation confused me completely bc if u simply changed the names of the characters i would have no clue what book it was based on like??? every key plot point was changed, every interaction was miles off AND WHERE TF IS MARLEE??? i was disgusted.

[@eva-lq3kg]

its so sad because this series is already in a tv show format!! how great would it be if it was shot like a reality tv show (im thinking a bachelor twist on the office, what we do in the shadows, modern family, etc because it has a ton of comedic potential for the format + the awkwardness of teenage romance to shine). the show that actually gets aired to the kingdom could be interspersed with behind the scenes (cameras cutting off when celeste and america fight, the cameras actually stumbling upon marlee and the guard etc etc) and americas pov (like the hunger games and how we see what panem sees vs katniss’ experience). also, like the summer i turned pretty, for example, where they expand on the plot, a proper adaptation could make aspen a believable love interest and devote more time to each girl and make it overall more complex and interesting to watch. like, america might be the best behind the scenes but bad on screen. there’s so much potential

[@nataliezern5439]

yes!! i feel like that’s one thing you lose when you read the books: since it’s told from america’s perspective (and she’s the clear choice) it’s almost unbelievable to us that she polled so low throughout most of the series! i need more of natalie and elise, too

[@tarathoughts13]

That would be so cool. I always wondered what the actual reality show that was aired to the public would look like. OOOHH!! Also, in the 3rd book they mentioned and showed the royal family’s propaganda, in all the reality show clips, they could say something different like ‘everything is okay, Illea’s diaries don’t exist blah blah blah’ and then we could cut to a clip of Maxon showing America. They could also expand the whole Northern rebels plotline since I think that was a bit underused in the 3rd book. OMG NETFLIX BOOK YHIS ALREADY

[@caraghscorner]

it's the way it reeks of the early 2010's in such a negative way i couldn't even finish the pilot

[@anyae8965]

I watched this on KZbin the other day because it popped up on my recommended and I was quite literally appalled.

[@Lucky-yb1gg]

Fr tho same Idk how KZbin knew I read the book but it popped on my RECS and I was curious Yk what they say curiosity killed the cat bro 😕💔

[@zoenoelle8844]

i saw it too but i decided not to watch it, i'm honestly glad i didn't now 💀

[@meridiththorne3383]

@anyae8965 Oh my goodness do you have the link??

[@beatrizreis156]

I thought aspen had black hair and maxon had blonde hair😭😭😭 for me they should’ve just switched the actors

[@GH-fb9dh]

Makes no f*cking sense, William has such a royal vibe to him, and the other guy totally hasn’t!!??

[@beatrizreis156]

@@GH-fb9dhi get the royal vibe from the aspen, but maxon literally played a king before

[@avarand9601]

It’s like they hired a team of writers but only one of them read the books and the others are faking it 😭

[@TheAuroreBorealis3]

I absolutely ADORE Ethan Peck (the gentleman playing Maxon) but dear gods they gave him nothing in this pilot. He was absolutely fantastic in the 10 Things I Hate About You TV Series, where he gets to be a sassy and sarcastic deep-voiced being. (Would recommend to see him shine). William was right there, and would have been a great Maxon.

[@tiana_andherbooks]

WAIT SO I WASN'T IMAGINING IT!! I was thinking the whole time "wow Maxon sounds like Ethan Peck playing Spock in SNW"

[@lyricbot8513]

Pretty much anything that Peck has been in pre-Star Trek is just like "WHAT IS THIS SCRIPT WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO MY BOY?"

[@tiana_andherbooks]

@@lyricbot8513 😭😭 pretty much yeah

[@theclairewhy]

the fact that the planned Netflix movie also fell through is fking tragic

[@sailorluna.3252]

There was gonna be a Netflix movie version too?? Why does every try for an adaptation fall thru🤣💀

[@darlenelupian3169]

the way the book has been picked up at least /three/ times for tv or a movie and all attempts have flopped, no noise made. so cursed, i just wanna see maxon being a silly goose on my screen :(((

[@itiskatharina7882]

We deserve Maxon on our screens tbh🥲🥲

[@rx500android]

America’s actress making the same facial expressions as Bella from Twilight gave me the ick

[@Mia.852]

The rapid blinking at 8:23 when Clarkson says he doesn’t want Maxon to get hurt is just fantastic

[@peachedpocky]

“I don’t want you to get hurt, son “ CRIMINAL SIDE EYE, BOMBASTIC CRIMINAL SIDE EYE

[@rominaaboe]

Wait, were there actually two pilots? I remember watching a “trailer” for the pilot years and years ago and in this adaptation the actor who played Enzo in TVD plays Maxon, and a blonde haired actress plays America. It even says so on Wikipedia! So the CW actually tried and failed twice.

[@cutekittens6]

I remember seeing the clips of this pilot!! It had the actress who plays Petra in Jane the Version cast as America I'm pretty sure

[@jessicasmith1766]

Yeah, that one (2013) is the second attempt at the pilot. They kept several of the same actors from this (2012) pilot. It’s also… not good.

[@andrear4954]

That blonde actress who plays America played Olivia with a French accent on 'Reign', I watched the pilot episode and thought hmmm she looks familiar and I was right

[@ic236]

The radiant smile where America just learns she has permission to pursue some goal(i dont remember) in the picture is like a whole plot point!

[@annysafier7142]

I thought the characters weren’t the greatest in the book but at least it translated well into the plot. I realized how wrong I was now after seeing clips of this. Why did they make all the characters the opposite of who they were in the book? if not blender, versions of the characters. is this why we never got the movie?

[@adamuffoletto7869]

The most hilarious thing about Maxim's casting choice is that actor literally went on to play Spock in the newer Star Trek shows. Maybe they saw how deadpan and emotionless he could be in this pilot and casted him based on that

[@hannahcseipert4654]

I was just watching this thinking that this plays like a Spock audition tape. He is SO good in that role let's be honest

[@morganntalks]

i love how this is supposted to be a dystopian future but they are all dressing like its the 2011, its truely horrifying to look at

[@loraelizabeth7580]

It looks like a high budget Gap commercial😂

[@Blake9976]

“I wanted to see the moon.” She said like a true manic pixie dream girl

[@mandy.midnight7745]

I love your rants so much! I totally agree Peter from Narnia would have made a better Maxon. Please finish your series on the Hunger Games from Peeta's POV!!!!!!!!

[@hottisphinx]

I wanted the guy who played Aspen to play maxim! This one is so weird it just felt wrong!!! I literally made the same hand motions as you too with a lot of it!!!

[@statesofgracie]

the acting in this is very… school play

[@Jellybeansatdusk]

The bombastic side eye @ the king saying he doesn’t want Amazon to get hurt 😂 like oh my god did they even skim the Wikipedia plot??

[@alittlelostinthemoment6677]

Wait, I just had a very weird realization. I think... that the guy who plays Maxon portrays Mister Spock, at least in Strange New Worlds. I truly did not expect that. At all. Thanks, parental Trekkies!

[@the-bill-cipher]

yeah no whenever i imagined prince maxon, i always imaged him as prince char from ella enchanted

[@gwendolynrobinson3900]

I see it 🥰

[@tedddybear]

Yes young hugh dancy is perfect

[@greenarmadilo926]

Feels like the first Percy Jackson adaption

[@jessicamattes4208]

You cannot convince me that anyone involved in this adaptation has ever read any of the selection books. Ever.

[@liapandinha2707]

4:40 Girl, have you SEEN PERCY JACKSON? JK, Percy Jackson doesn't have a movie 👀

[@rebecasagediaz]

have you seen the other selection pilot? the one they made after cw gave them critiques to make it "better"? (spoiler: it was wayyy worse) the same channel has a link in their community tab to watch it :D

[@sailorluna.3252]

Is this the one with blonde hair ?? Cause that’s the one I remember!

[@rebecasagediaz]

@@sailorluna.3252 yeah, it is :)

[@meridiththorne3383]

@rebecasagediaz. What channel?? Do u have the link to the episode?

[@rebecasagediaz]

@@meridiththorne3383 i skimmed and couldn’t find the link :( but the channel is called “Media Garage”, maybe you can find it!

[@AnglerVoiceActing]

"I don't want you getting hurt, son" *bombastic side eye*

[@Jenobiskywalker]

I tried to watch it. I did. I fast forwarded through it and was like WHAT THE HELL IS THIS. 🤣Truly the most atrocious adaption ever.

[@potatochipsandwich5382]

I was so hopeful for the Netflix adaptation of The Selection, but I just found out it was canceled! I guess I'll just re-read the books again 😭🤧

[@wordsmith6154]

I haven't watched the pilot yet but after watching this, I will just because I'm curious. I would really love to see a true to the source material adaptation for the Selection. It's one of my favorite series of all time and it deserves an adaptation that where the characters are how they are in the books. Sadly, this seems like it'll be like the Percy Jackson movies, where they just didn't care about the source material and made it a more adult film. They made Grover unnecessarily horny and Annabeth was just pushed into the background. I feel like this is a mix of that, where they just get all the characters wrong, and the upcoming show, which changes the look of the characters completely. As you mentioned though, the look of the characters isn't as important as the feel of the characters. The Percy Jackson show will do much better than the movies and I only hope someone makes a new show or movie series that is much more true to the books than this pilot is. Someone show do what the creators of the PJO show are doing, which is hiring people who have ACTUALLY READ THE BOOKS!!!!!!! At least they got some parts right, but I had to actually pause this video and pull out my copy of the first book to prove to myself that my memory wasn't wrong about so many things I questioned in what you explained about the episode.

[@keri132]

this pilot felt less like an adaptation and more like a AU/Alternant Character fic idea one of the writers had after reading the books. they changed all the major plot points by changing the FL into a passive person, then straights up uno reversed all the character appetences. And it really felt like they wanted to capitalize on the "medieval" romance trend that was popular at the time. which is probably why they changed the speaking style of the story to older english. over all just bad! XD I am so glad it wasn't made like this!

[@sydneypartlow3079]

I just wanted to continue cringe watching the series after watching the pilot, I know it’s bad but I was so intrigued on how wild it was going to get

[@adriannaa545]

2:37 no, you're right, pronounciation is ILL-ea, NOT eye-Laya. The audio books confirm this. The adaptation buthcered it like how the ATLA live action butchered Aangs name.

[@mien90]

There's an accent on the e though. Illéa, which would make it il-LAY-a

[@leapfrog2824]

im crying i literally am wearing the exact same blanket hoodie as you while im watching this

[@m4rg0ot]

LMAOO STOP ME TOO

[@Chef_Cookie]

VERY IMPORTANT: AMNDA THERE IS ALMOST 100 MORE PARTS IN THE BUGGACHAT BAKERY COMIC PLZ DONT FORGET ABOUT IT, ITS AMAZING

[@RubyExperiment]

Marley sounds like what they did to Uriah from the Divergent Trilogy....they read the first book, didn't think he was important, produced the first movie without him, then read the rest of the series and realized he becomes important in Allegiant, the third book so they chucked him randomly into Insurgent movie

[@izzyqueen5280]

As a child of abuse myself, I felt that side eye

[@tibbyl8350]

How badly Maxim and America are in their roles is terrible. America in general is painfully unlikable and Maxim was simply forgettable. It's like the 2 tier characters got good actors while the main characters were someone’s kids the director was forced to hire.

[@bonjouremily]

okay so i've never read the series but i've heard of the CW's crappy attempt at a sexy-fied pilot and i thought this was going to be covering that but YOU'RE TELLING ME??? THERE'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PILOT??? THAT ACTUALLY DID GET MADE???

[@Frenzywonder]

My guess is this, sometimes a studio will make a pilot to keep the adaptation rights, it happened with Wheel of Time in 2015 and it looked just as schlocky as this (they even cast Billy freaking Zane in it).

[@rainraisins2262]

I remember a booktuber reviewing the leaked script of this pilot years ago, never knew the actual footage was released!!

[@brinnie_rina]

for some reason i think if the actors of prince maxon and aspen were switched it would be better 😭

[@merlehendriks5750]

Tbh I think the Selection should just stay a book series and shouldn’t be made into a movie series as well

[@beakyton]

they said that celeste was from "Australia province" which makes no sense because even tho they said it was the west that came together against the east ( I thought it was just old america??) Australia must be in the east right??

[@blossomnessstudios4446]

This is literally. the worst. how could they do this to my girl, those books are so special to me.

[@JamieAndTheBag]

The guy playing Maxon was also in the disappointing "10 things I hate about you" series that only lasted 1 season

[@kora4185]

Im so lost! When did this came out? Why it came out? Where is everyone watching it?

[@loraelizabeth7580]

I think this pilot (in terms of characters and dialogue) was better than the 2nd one they made where America was *blonde* and Maxon was a huge player (sleeping around & trying to make moves on America). But I’ll give the 2nd pilot credit for the elaborate sets that felt far more realistic to a castle.

[@BookLover-bj5fx]

I agree. I’m only a minute into that pilot, and it makes me so angry how much they destroyed Maxon’s character, but I got to say, the lighting and sets were gorgeous. The vibes were there.

[@shamefulbeast]

i know this is mean but why is america’s acting so unnecessarily breathy and strained,, it’s giving me war flashbacks to middle school theater.. or 2010s cable tv

[@hi_there1239]

is it bad that "i don't want you to get hurt son" made me laugh out loud...

[@duckysguidetoshipping8930]

Wait there’s a tv thing for it?? Dang it why can’t they just do it well 😢

[@fcproductions3160]

yeah it came out in 2013 but was never aired

[@Ross_Lynchs_wife]

4:40 the summer I turned pretty...... While different plot there.

[@natashavelasquez1841]

What’s good is that a pilot doesn’t necessarily mean the chosen actors always stay 😅 because they need new ones

[@allthingsfandoms6833]

if you did not like this pilot you gotta check the 2013 pilot bec it's even worse Maxon is literally the opposite of his character in the books and even though i love Michael Malarky the actor who plays him in that pilot but he does not fit at all and if someone just saw that pilot without the book i don't know why would they even root for him bec they made him so unlikeable for America they made her blonde for some reason and even though Yael made the character sassier but i still feel something is missing and that the vibes are different somehow I also don't know why they keep insisting on removing Marlee and making queen Amberley villainous in both pilots and in general the 2013 pilot is more different from the book than the older pilot

[@barborastanclova]

This book series is so good and I absolutely don't get why they felt the need to change everything! Like yes, I understand, that some things need to be cut and altered, but why the main plot and characters? Why there is no Marlenee? Why is the queen the bad guy? Why isn't the fact, that Aspen will be in the castle a surprise (ever for the second episode)? And why is Maxim so rude? His main identifier was, that he is a good guy and he would do anything to help America even thou she didn't love him. And their first kiss is supposed to be this magical beautiful moment of friendship and they completely ruined it. I'm glad they didn't air the whole show, but I'm also kinda sad we'll never get a Selection movie/show adaptation. Sorry for the rant, no one at home is willing to listen to me about it anymore..

[@roseshavethorns3517]

they replaced Maxon with Clarkson. Tell me I'm wrong, I dare you

[@neivilde.1242]

i've been seeing the pilot in my recoomended videos for a while, glad you covered it finally

[@Soph-kr2xd]

We need a movie BY someone who has not only read the whole series(+ Happily ever after) BUT ALSO loves the book

[@thewiseone6507]

out of context but im in love with that blue sweatshirt

[@lilxamryn]

4:57 me when i saw the ALLEGED cast list for the dork diaries movie

[@bertillef3491]

I'm usually not very picky when a book i read is adapted because, yeah, it's an adapatation, so you've got to change a few things, but then i watched this pilot and wow this is BAD. Thankfully it didn't turn into a real tv show x)

[@emmawinwol6121]

The fact that the guy who was cast as maxim is now playing Spock is so funny to me

[@LauraRenTaler]

Okay but has anyone else seen the other pilot with the guy who plays Enzo in the Vampire Diaries???

[@allthingsfandoms6833]

omg that one is even worse Maxon is literally the opposite of his character in the books and even though I love the actor and Enzo but he does not fit at all and if someone just saw that pilot without the book i don't know why would they even root for him bec they made him so unlikeable for America they made her blonde for some reason and even though Yael made the character more sassy but i still feel something is missing and that the vibes are different somehow I also don't know why they keep insisting on removing Marlee and making queen Amberley villainous in both pilots

[@sailorluna.3252]

I remember seeing a clip of a blonde America and turns out ig there’s two plots to this series 😭😭

[@bookwyrm8181]

rip Ashley and Marlee. But maybe Marlee was better off not being included in this monstrosity

[@LittleRedWhine]

I don't know the book but Ethen Peck, who plays the prince in this - was so perfect and charismatic in the 10 Things I Hate About You tv series.

[@OcarinaSapphr-]

I heard there was _another_ pilot, that wasn't picked up (meaning they failed *twice* )- curious if you were going to cover it, if you haven't already...

[@superfinepersonyoullneversee]

in my head, Celeste is just Raquelle from life in the dream house

[@lesleymoore9821]

I think the actress is not ginger because they planned to dye her hair after confirmation of show

[@meridiththorne3383]

Does anyone have the link to watch the episode??? It was on KZbin a couple months ago and I can't find it again 😭

[@duckysguidetoshipping8930]

I swear these books deseve so MUVH better

[@suminosempai1753]

I saw your video but didn't watch it, I googled for the pilot, I started to watch the pilot, after two minutes I went back to your video because I couldn't stand what they did with it. So thank you for not making me watch this horrible thing!

[@BeepBoop14]

Omg r u wearing one of those hoodie blankets? I have the same one

[@ornj3536]

i GAGGED when maxon spoke omfg

[@loraelizabeth7580]

Why was America acting like I naïve little girl? The things I loved about her was that she knew so much at such a young age, was headstrong, and brave. I could relate to her.

[@ramaabapat]

Why does it look like the budget was 1$ 😭😭

[@MissDatherinePierce]

Wait...the pilot is actually out there? And I have never seen it? I only remember the Delirium pilot coming out which was basically the entire first book squeezed badly into 45min.

[@Sunrise_Summers]

I’ve been pronouncing Illeá like that too

[@mayatheswiftie5108]

I've only read a little of the first book and i really liked it but this is not the vibe. I dont see any of the connection/concept of the book at all.😅 I remember a part where the girls who were selected all had dinner with Mason's family if im not mistaken. Did they just completely scrap that scene? Idk

[@rebekahhenrie9950]

Totally unrelated, but I really want to know where the blue super soft looking shirt you're wearing is from? I would love that in the winter. Love your videos! Keep up the awesome content!

[@NelCore]

I get get over that maxin is played by Spock, I’m reeling

[@sapphis_lazuli]

if you had played this pilot for me and said it was a pilot for the red queen series' tv adaptation I WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IT IMMEDIATELY. WHAT IS THIS?!

[@lifekeepsflowing]

HOW DID THEY MESS UP THIS BAD?! Like just read the book, the material is all there

[@eepr656]

Watching this video in the exact same fluffy sweater thing but in purple and spiderman pointing at the screen.

[@Spartacus005]

you can't just hit me with ethan peck right after william mosely. narnia was my childhood and i'm still suffering damage after the strange new worlds season 2 finale

[@cosmicriptid]

There is hardly anything to make a show about and they excluded what little there was. What even are they trying to do here.

[@eugeniarocha25]

My favorite quote from this video: “How would the plot PLOT?!” 😂

[@stardust1815]

Why does this look like it took place a decade ago??? I know the selection takes place in the future, but where are the ball gowns, the palaces, the sense that this is a monarchy?

[@humblelifehappylife]

Ironically, this was better than the 2013 CW version.

[@shysnow8]

Omg I read the series and loved it and just recently this pilot popped up on my recommended on KZbin, so I decided to watch it. It wasn’t necessarily super bad, but they should of not called it the selection since it is way different than the books.