“Pilot Season” in Hollywood is when TV pilots are being cast, produced, and hopefully greenlit. Matthew Perry’s autobiography paints a good picture of the competitive scramble of aspiring actors trying to get attached to the buzz-worthy projects, or anything at all.
Aha, got it! I thought it was a reference to airing pilots, not producing them. I’ve read about “pilot season,” of course, but don’t remember ever hearing the term before. IIRC, the networks screen and greenlight pilots around February (or at least they used to).