What to know about Tim Robbins’ unreleased pilot

• Possible Side Effects is a 2008 television pilot about a family that runs a pharmaceutical company.
• Free viewing is available on Tim Robbins’ website, along with behind-the-scenes production images.
• Showtime’s decision to pass on the pilot came after it tested well, according to Robbins’ post.
• Ensemble cast members include Ellen Burstyn, Tim Blake Nelson, Maya Rudolph and Betty Gilpin.

Silo actor Tim Robbins has released his previously unseen pilot, Possible Side Effects, which viewers can watch for free on his website. This article explains the pilot’s premise, its release and what is known about its original television fate.

Robbins plays Bernard Holland in Apple TV’s science-fiction series Silo and is also known for playing Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption. Another project from his career is Possible Side Effects, a 2008 television drama pilot that he directed, wrote and produced. The story follows a family that runs a pharmaceutical company. The pilot was filmed, tested well and featured Ellen Burstyn, Tim Blake Nelson, Maya Rudolph and Betty Gilpin, but it was not picked up for a series.

At the end of October, Robbins wrote on his official Facebook page that “Coming in November to timrobbins.com: I’m thrilled to present my never-before-seen television pilot about the pharmaceutical industry called Possible Side Effects. It tested incredibly well but never went to series. Hmmm. Great performances from Ellen Burstyn, Josh Lucas, Tim Blake Nelson, Maya Rudolph, Sarita Choudhury, Betty Gilpin, Eva Amurri, and Miles Robbins. See for yourself, starting November 1st on timrobbins.com.”

The 58-minute pilot is available to watch free on Robbins’ website, alongside behind-the-scenes images from production. The images show Robbins directing and Maya Rudolph and Eva Amurri on set; several feature Robbins’ son, Miles, including photographs of him playing guitar.

According to Mubi, Showtime decided not to pick up Possible Side Effects. It has been speculated that the decision was connected to parent company CBS and its reluctance to air a story about a family-run pharmaceutical company. Robbins did not make that claim in his post, but he did say that the pilot tested well.

In a ScreenRant interview about Silo season 1, Robbins spoke candidly about controversial subjects. That candor is also present in the pilot, which he chose to release despite it being passed over 18 years earlier.

Rearrange the movies into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)
Medium (7)
Hard (10)


Start
Leaderboard

Results

—

—

—

Play Again
Leaderboard
Back

Possible Side Effects would have been one of Miles Robbins’ early roles, but he later appeared in several other projects. His credits include John Cena’s 2018 film Blockers, multiple episodes of The X-Files season 11, a season 2 episode of the TBS comedy anthology series Miracle Workers and Rachel Zegler’s 2024 horror comedy Y2K. Since 2008, his father has appeared in Green Lantern, The Brink and Castle Rock.

The pilot’s other cast members have also continued working across film and television. Ellen Burstyn appeared in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, reprised Chris MacNeill in The Exorcist: Believer and played Bernadette Stabler in seasons 2–5 of Law & Order: Organized Crime. Josh Lucas played young John Dutton in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone and Leo Beebe in Ford v. Ferrari. Tim Blake Nelson appeared in HBO’s The Watchmen, The Testament of Ann Lee, The Lowdown and Captain America: Brave New World, returning as Samuel Sterns for the first time since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.

Maya Rudolph became a six-time Emmy Award winner for her work on Big Mouth and Saturday Night Live, and received nominations for The Good Place and Loot. Sarita Choudhury appeared in both The Hunger Games: Mockingjay films, as well as Homeland, Jessica Jones, Little Fires Everywhere and Blindspot. Betty Gilpin received three Emmy nominations for GLOW and played the protagonist in Damon Lindelof’s Mrs. Davis. Eva Amurri appeared in episodes of How I Met Your Mother, The Mindy Project and New Girl.

After Silo season 3, Tim Robbins’ time on the series has ended. A report said that Robbins and Giancarlo Esposito would guest-star in an upcoming Monsterverse series centered on young Lee Shaw, played by Wyatt Russell.