Pilot

"Pilot", also known as "That '80s Pilot", is the first episode of the first and only season of That '80s Show. It aired on January 23, 2002.

Synopsis
Corey meets Tuesday and does not get along with her, quitting the record store to work for his father, but not before getting the best of her in an insult war. Sophia reveals her crush on Katie. Corey returns to Permanent Record by episode's end, taking Tuesday (who takes her hair down after Corey's insult) out for coffee.

Plot
It's 1984, and Corey, a struggling musician in San Diego, is at a club with his recently broken up ex-girlfriend Sophia. He sees her dancing with someone else and tries to make it awkward by bringing up ballads he wrote her as he believes she's already moved on, but she reveals the man isn't a new partner and she just met him in the bathroom. She explains to Corey that even though they had nice times together, they're not dating anymore as she feels they're incompatible, and leaves Corey alone on the dance floor.

The next day at home, Corey walks into his sister Katie making scented candles, and his father R.T. sitting at the table. He explains what happened with Sophia and Katie is sympathetic, while R.T. is confused by the nature of her bisexuality. Roger enters the room and asks which tie he should wear to work, a question Corey is dismissive of.

In the car, Corey and Roger bicker, with Corey being irritated by Rogers incessant hair-spraying and use of a motivation tape, eventually snapping by tossing it to the back of the car and replacing it with a Talking Heads one. They laugh off the argument and dance to Once in a Lifetime for the rest of the commute.

At Permanent Record, Corey's boss Margaret rudely blows off a customer for asking where the Lionel Ritchie music is kept. She asks Corey if he's having a bad day when he asks to put on music, and is understanding when he explains his situation. While they talk, a punk-rocker with hair in tall liberty spikes walks in and Corey jokingly points her out to Margaret, who reveals she's Tuesday, the new employee at the store. Corey and Tuesday immediately dislike each other, with Corey making snide comments and Tuesday rudely blowing off his attempts at small talk.

Meanwhile at the Howard household, Katie is dancing to music when Sophia rings the doorbell. She says she's there to drop off Corey's song tapes, but ends up telling Katie about the new person she's in love with. Katie is supportive, but becomes uncomfortable when Sophia kisses her and reveals that she is the person, awkwardly laughing it off and leaving.

At Permanent Record Margaret, annoyed by the tension between her two employees, says they'll both be fired if they don't start getting along. They argue over which one of them would be fired but are interrupted when R.T. walks into the store. He asks Tuesday how she got her hair to stand up, which she responds to by asking how HE gets it to stand up and insulting his outfit by comparing him to a Miami Vice character, much to Corey's irritation. R.T. asks Corey to work at his business, which Corey at first has no interest in but ends up considering after more arguing with Tuesday.

Later at the house, Katie, Roger, and Corey are doing shots and watching Dynasty. Katie mentions Sophia's visit and Corey assumes this means she wants him back. He is horrified to find out about the kiss, while Roger finds it hot and wants to know more, prompting Katie to slap him.

Corey decides to take the job at his fathers marketing company, but hates every minute of it and is unable to think of any ideas for slogans. Later at the bar, he is complaining to Katie and Roger about it when they bump into Sophia. She comes over to say hello, but irritates Corey when she immediately turns to his sister and begins to apologise to her, asking if they can stay friends which Katie agrees to.

The next day, Corey quits his job at the marketing firm, a decision which R.T. accepts with no hesitation as he was planning to fire him anyway. Corey returns to Permanent records where, after getting his job back, he finds Tuesday outside on Margaret's bike and tells her to get off of it, not recognising her as she's taken down her liberty spikes. He tries to get her to admit that his comments caused her change in image, and asks her to get coffee with him, which she agrees to despite her annoyance. The two leave together, and Margaret watches them go, annoyed that she has to stay at work.

The post-credits scene shows Corey and Katie singing 'Close To You' by Carpenters together until R.T. pays them fifty dollars to stop making a racket.

Cast

 * Glenn Howerton as Corey Howard


 * Tinsley Grimes as Katie Howard


 * Chyler Leigh as June Tuesday


 * Eddie Shin as Roger Park


 * Brittany Daniel as Sophia


 * Margaret Smith as Margaret


 * Geoff Pierson as R.T. Howard

Quotes
Corey: I'm sorry, could you go sweep out the storage room with your head?

R.T: [referring to Tuesday's hair] Wow, how do you get it to stand up?

Tuesday: How do *you* get it to stand up?

Katie: I'm making scented candles.

Corey: They smell like death!

Katie: Death? Or Pina Colada?

Corey: Death!