My Name Is Earl

Creator and head writer Greg Garcia wrote the pilot while working on another sitcom, Yes, Dear.

He initially pitched the series to Fox, which passed on it.

He then approached NBC, which optioned the pilot on a cast-contingent basis, meaning they would order the pilot provided a suitable cast could be assembled.

Jason Lee was approached for the lead role, but was uninterested in working in television and passed on the series twice before finally agreeing to read the pilot script.

Though he liked the pilot, he was hesitant to commit to his first TV starring role until meeting with Garcia, after which he signed on to play Earl Hickey.