PA: Viewer discretion is advised.

SAM STRUGGLES TO BALANCE HIS FIRST "REAL JOB" AS AN EXECUTIVE AND KEEP UP WITH HIS SLACKER FRIENDS WHO HAVE DEFINITELY NOT MADE WORK A PRIORITY ON THE SERIES PREMIERE OF "THE LOOP" WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, ON FOX

Pilot Directed by Betty Thomas

Time Period Premiere Thursday, March 16 (8:30 PM)

Set in Chicago, THE LOOP is the story of Sam, the youngest executive at the corporate headquarters of a major airline and the first of his friends to get a real job. He must find a way to straddle the serious demands of his career and the serious social demands of his three roommates: his brother, Sully; his college pal, medical student Piper; and Lizzy, who tends bar at their local hangout and is oblivious to the fact that everything always goes her way because she's so smoking hot. Sam thinks he just might have a chance with longtime crush Piper when she and her boyfriend Marco break up days before her birthday. Sam, Sully and Lizzy go all out on plans to make her birthday special, with Sam hoping Marco's absence will finally give him the chance to express to Piper how he feels about her. But Sam's feelings for Piper get in the way when he generously makes her an offer he soon regrets. Meanwhile, Russ pressures Sam and his fellow executives to come up with a creative cost-cutting measure and Sam, in a sudden brainstorm, suggests canceling the one remaining perk his fellow employees at the airline enjoy, which doesn't endear him to his co-workers in the "Pilot" episode of THE LOOP airing Wednesday, March 15 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (LUP-101) (TV-14 D, L)

Cast: Bret Harrison as Sam; Eric Christian Olsen as Sully; Amanda Loncar as Piper; Philip Baker Hall as Russ; Mimi Rogers as Meryl; Joy Osmanski as Darcy; Sarah Mason as Lizzy.

Guest Cast: David Walton as Marco; Ian Reed Kesler as Derek; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar II as Fitz; Ben Tolpin as Roland; Shazia Deen as Bridget.