@Exel3nce you don't expect it, it changes the expected outcome, it introduces a new character in a unique and fun way, it's a high stress situation, it's high production, etc.
"Rose" from the 2005 reboot of Doctor Who is one of my all-time favourite pilot episodes. It introduced the viewer well to who the Doctor is and what they do and does it all from the companion's perspective. It's honestly really well done. It's also a great show, so if aliens, history and time travel are your kinda thing, give it a shot!
I think the current streaming model of 'bingewatching' has more or less stifled the concept of pilot episodes. Pilot episodes usually are just singular episodes meant to hook the audience and pitch the show's idea to garner attention and financial support. Nowadays, a whole season is just released at the same time and show writers have to worry more on making the entire season consistently good instead of putting it all into the very first episode. Netflix cancelling shows after the reception of a first season, no matter how good the first episode may be, is also another reason.
I would even add to this and say that it seems like we are instead getting "pilot seasons" now. With the unfortunate downside being cliffhangers that never get resolved due to early cancellation.
The best example of this IMO is the walking dead, quality of show aside it came out before streaming services, and very clearly switched to the "every episode is a cliff hanger until the season finale" model of story telling. I say this because as a TWD fan and someone who still watched week to week until the end, it nearly feels like a different (better) show binged in the later seasons, while watching the episodes on their week to week release was PAINFUL
Great summary. Having to sell the pilot to the distributor to then be able to sell an audience I think was vital to most compelling pilots and now just isn't focused on since whole seasons will clear anyways.
The Bear is a recent example of how a great pilot conveys their message and story in a matter of moments that keep you engaged. Fell in love with the show because of it
Can't wait for the second season of Severance. I still remember the day I watched the first episode when it came out. At first I kept my expectations low but after the first few minutes I was hooked.
@KC-2049 A lot of the plot points were set up for season 2. I think the show would be much better for you if you wait until it finished all seasons first and then you watch it, you'll end up appreciating the setup and foreshadowing at the start of the show
I totally agree. I have only watched the pilot and I'm waiting for my dad to get back in town in 2 weeks so we can watch the rest of the episodes and I can't wait.
@reaver1414 a couple times u will think "hmm I wish the show explained that abit better" but other than that the show is fantastic and so far the years best show so enjoy
I came here to mention it! It's fantastic & refreshing to see a comic-book show on this level of pedigree & right from the get-go too. And I agree it's only gotten better imo.
I’ve convinced multiple people of watching invincible by just showing them the first episode. Most captivating first episode I think I’ve seen along with breaking bad
I was going in completely blind, and the first 3/4 were...fine. Then the title card came and I thought "yeah, it's not groundbreaking, but I could watch some more episodes". And then... I was completely shocked, speechless and left with my mouth open. I don't think I'll ever experience something like this again.
X-Files. Excellent pilot episode, sets up the characters, dynamics, tone and intent very clearly. Also, seeing The Cigarette Smoking man in an background role with no dialogue is pretty astonishing! Very, very strong first season as well; confidently plotted, doesn't drag, isn't rushed and it's smart, well-made and distinctive right off the bat.
Same can be said for the first 3 seasons, really! It felt like they kinda ran outta steam after the first movie, and the following seasons had too much fluff, but I felt like they hit their stride again in the last season, unfortunately. Doggett was done dirty as a character by the network, as they were doing some excellent character development with him right at the end. Damn, just typing out that little bit got me hankering. Whelp, seems like it's time for another rewatch of the show!
@Luciry123 Yep. The actor was gutted, he was sure the other guy would stay on, he had the dialogue and everything. Instead CBD Spender became one of the most iconic characters in sci-fi villainy! The story of how Giancarlo Esposoto made the 'one-line' role of 'The Chicken man' into legendary kingpin Gus Fring is a similarly incredible tale!
The first episode of Fargo (Season 1) is, to me, pitch perfect writing. It introduces the main character Lester with a lot of humanity, setting him up as this loser that gets beating down by life - but it also knows how to interlink different sub-plots. The antagonist is introduced in the first scene, perfectly summing up what to expect thorough the story: it's surreal, brutal, but oddly funny.
"Into the Ring" is the perfect pilot to the show Daredevil. Just the first episode shows how well it balances everything, Matt Murdock as a character and his faith, his job as a lawyer, and his persona as a masked vigilante. All while also showing at least a little bit how his powers work. I would say some other shows that are super good, like 24, Better Call Saul, or the Clone Wars, but the pilot's arent as good as some of the later episodes.
i think dexter should've made the list it was the best pilot i watched in a while it got me hooked to the series.(and if sitcoms could've made the list brooklyn nine-nine would be the best pick, it had the best pilot episode in all of the sitcoms i've watched)
When i was a kid i sat down with my parents to watch a movie we were clicking through channels. We landed on amc and watched the walking dead premiere, we thought it was a movie and were shocked when it ended. It definitely hooked us in
To me, The Shield is the best pilot episode. You see Vic going around, thinking typical rulebending cop and he and Reed Diamond a battle of wits...and then the final shot (literally) changes everything and makes you realize this is not a typical cop show.
The shield is absolutely legendary no episodes wasted at all. The first episode is important to the last episode. It’s one of the ten best shows I’ve ever watched.
This was so cool!!! I'm glad Heroes got on the list! I would potentially add Supernatural to that list of pilots, although maybe not as gripping as newer media...it definitely holds up from the Kripke Era.
I've seen 60+ TV shows in my time and I would say my absolute favorite Pilot episode would be for the show Silo on Apple TV. It plays almost like a short film and sets up an amazing mystery and twists, along with introducing the fascinating setting for the story. Cannot recommend it enough!
@ Yeah, there's streaming shows in the video so I followed his example. At this point in life pilot episode doesn't mean the same thing that it used to
I feel like the Sci-Fi series Eureka had a pretty good pilot, myself. The show as a whole gets rightfully clowned on a lot, as the whole show is basically "Jump the Shark: The Series", but that pilot was a ton of fun and a great setup! Also, I might be biased as I loved watching it as it released as a kid, but I feel like Psych had a pretty strong pilot and first season. They did a hella good job setting up up all the main characters' motivations and backstories, and had a lot of fun doing it!
A pilot episode isn't just a 'first episode' a pilot is a test for the studio to get a feel for the show and see if they want to continue with the show beyond the one episode. Some shows don't have pilot's, they just start shooting the whole show from day 1 if the idea is really good or most streaming shows for example
I know alot of people don't like the show for a multitude of reasons but i genuinely think the first episode of Glee is great. It sets up all the initial characters really well
I don't think the pilot episode is a completely lost art, even with the "bingewatching" model. There are still shows made that while, yes, they focus on the overall quality of the season (which isn't a bad thing), they still realize that the first episode has to, at least, get the viewer interested enough in coming back. The first season of Daredevil was a good example of this. If the first episode failed, imo, the first season would've been the only one. Another good example would be the current series, "Silo." The first episode had enough mystery and creativity that I wanted to keep going. I'm glad I ended up doing so, cause I'm now looking forward to season 2.
I think Lost has the greatest Pilot episode of all time. I would also mention The Americans pilot episode. Not enough people talk about that show anymore, it’s truly one of the goats.
Never really see 24 on these types of list but based on the listed criteria it absolutely belongs in the category. I'm at least 3 for 3 at showing someone the pilot and they either immediately want to watch ep 2 or continue when they go home
i absolutely agree severance is the best thing since lost. i hope we get 4 or 5 seasons of this...hopefully the third season comes quicker this time since they had a writers strike after season 1 aired.
Heroes had the potential to be the best TV SHOW about superheroes and villains. It could've be like a combination betwen classic heroes and parodies like the boys
THANK YOU. All 6 seasons of Lost are AMAZING, even when I first watched/rewatched it I found it very hard to even rank the seasons cause they werw all so closely great.
I would add The Mentalist pilot, its not out of the ordinary and its pretty simple, but it sets up the Red John mistery PERFECTLY. The characters feel real and you can feel how their bond isnt stroung yet but they trust each other. The ending is also amazing leaving Jane staring at the ceiling in the room his family was killed. It sold the show to me inmediately and i think it matches the criteria down to a T.
I agree with you about Dark's pilot. It's strange to think about early season 1's slow building momentum compared to the lightning fast pace of S3. When I saw the pilot for the first time I didn't watch any further; only Friendly Space Ninja's recommendation got me to give it another go. Sadly that's the same fate suffered by the showrunner's other Netflix project, 1899, which got canned after one season. Apparently everyone (myself included) turned it off before finishing the season, which goes to show that their biggest flaw is just hooking viewers.
its weird that 1899 got instantly canceled despite dark being one of netlixs poster shows. even tho it was quite meh, with an ending that was awful, it is still weird for netflix to do that. anyway, dark s3 ruined everything
Wayward Pines, and Eureka had great pilots from what i remember, as well as Fringe, but LOST is definitely my favourite, and one of the earliest serialised drama's i remember watching growing up.
The X-Files has the best pilot episode of the 90's. Spooky cold open. Introduces the world and concepts through the eyes of a newcomer. Tells an emotionally satisfying complete story. Leaves a bit of mystery at the end (who is the smoking man and what is the big storage facility under the pentagon?) Perfectly calibrated pilot episde.
It really amazes me how many new shows now don't seem to put any effort into making their first episodes exciting to grab the audience. Same with comic books actually. It's like they can't be bothered.
I got curious about what the heck Dexter is, I watched the first episode and realized that im hooked. I felt the same about Monk, and very rarely does a network TV series hook me this hard.
One of my favourite pilot episode and openings that isn’t on this list, is The Blacklist. From the start when Reddington walks into The FBI Headquarters as the most wanted fugitive and surrenders himself to them and then starts listing things he wants, even gives the FBI another most wanted a dead man who’s alive, he was in so much control. I’d never seen anything like that and I thought that was absolutely brilliant
From has an amazing pilot episode! I have t seen anything like it in a long time. Pulled me in immediately and made me excited to hit next episode. Also from the creators of lost, so a mystery box type show!
@@minxxoxo Neither of them are the creators of Lost. That just gives the wrong impression. Jack Bender was a director on Lost. He's a good director, but TV isn't a director driven medium. Jeff Pinkner also didn't have that much to do with Lost.
ER's pilot had me hooked. Shows the characters well, has a great twist part way through and really gets you attached to people, especially to Mark and Carter
This is going to sound silly because its such a junk food show, but the first Bridgerton episode sets everything up pretty perfectly imo. We're introduced to the two main families, the society theyre in, the expectation on Daphne's shoulders, Lady Whistledown and her nagging influence on the queen, and Simon and Daphne strike their deal. If i had to wait a week between episodes like classic tv, I would've been just as fascinated for it.
now this is a kdrama, so it might not interest everyone watching this particular episode, but when I think of a great pilot episode, I think of While You Were Sleeping. That first episode absolutely blew me away. I miss really good pilot episodes, it's sad that it is so much less of a thing now, with streaming and all.
I’m still binging through your vids, so I don’t know if you’ve covered it yet, but “argue with a wall” or however you said it, made me lol for real. Also, if you haven’t, I’d love a season by season series on Lost from you! I have a feeling you actually understand the ending (they weren’t always dead!). It drives me insane as how many don’t get it.
An absolutely AMAZING show with an equally AMAZING pilot is Patriot on Amazon Prime. Criminally under the radar show that deserved so much more fanfare imo
Welp, I started watching this video 3 days ago, got to the part where you mention Severance, and was so intrigued after the first few sentences that I watched the entire thing in 3 days. I'm so excited for season 2, it's unreal
The Pilot episode of Legion is also incredible. It works pretty much perfectly as a film in its own right, but it becomes clearer and clearer as the episode goes on that there are larger forces beyond Clockworks and David. I really wish I could say anything more without spoiling it.
Babylon 5 - S1E1 (Midnight on the Firing Line) sets up seasonal stories, series arcs, and so much in an efficient story. You hardly realize how much is seeded and foreshadowed until you finish the show.
It’s not super well known, but Pushing Daises has a great pilot episode - titled “Pie-lette” - that really sets up the tone of the show; introduces the characters and how they relate and interact with each other; some of the over arching themes and obstacles the will occur throughout the show; and leaves you wanting more. Right from the get go you know Ned the Pie Maker can bring dead things back to life and the series deals with death in a bright humorous way.
I'm not sure if it fits these specific criteria, but I think the first episode of The Afterparty, "Aniq", works perfectly for introducing the show's concept. It immediately establishes the murder mystery element, before explaining the gimmick of the show through a couple lines of exposition and a really short flashback. Then the episode perfectly lays out only the first half of the night of the murder, before introducing the secondary problem that Aniq, the POV character for this episode, is the suspected killer.
What you said about being the age of pilots and shows being canceled is totally true. Right after lost ended, many of the main characters got their own shows and almost every one of them didn't make it past the first season. And really made me wary about getting into new shows because I like so many of them and they all got canceled. The two best examples would be Sawyer and colony which made it to the third season and never got a final season and Juliet and v, which I believe got two seasons and never got an ending, both of which were amazing shows
Mine definitely are as followed (not in any order): Hannibal, Supernatural, Walking Dead, Gravity Falls, Phineas & Ferb, Wizards of Waverly Place, Yellowstone, and Breaking Bad (with Better Call Saul as well). With Breaking Bad, Hannibal, and Gravity Falls objectively being the best pilots out of my list.
Thank you for both mentioning how great Dark is but also acknowledging that the pilot did make it seem like a Stranger Things ripoff. I love Dark but couldn't get into Stranger Things 😅
in my eyes nothing beats Mr. Robot's pilot.. so much is introduced in what feels like a feature film.. and yet the show keeps surprising you so much after that point
Pilot episodes are still a thing and still pretty damn good on certain shows. But the way pilots worked back then were far different than now in this age of streaming on apps that are guaranteed to give you a full season or signed on for multiple. pilot episodes used to be a coin toss for a lot of shows that were unsure of being fully made i think the “lost art” is kind of a myth rather it has just been shifted into a different meta of filmmaking
Like LOST. They made the pilot episodes and then had to scramble to finish the season after the audience reception to them. The network was VERY unsure of how the show might do, so that was a true pilot through and through.
Entire show is a masterpiece. Start to finish there’s not many shows that did it better. Especially the ending of season 2 into season 3, I love how the show morphs and becomes a different beast every season
Related to this topic (but not thaaat much) is the lost art of mashup commercials for movie channels, where they had to find a common thread between a couple of movies in order to be able to announce them together as a block
I know most people probably dislike this show or just maybe dont know about it. But the Hazbin Hotel pilot was very influential here on youtube. When it came out It was so successful racking up 100 milljon view a of now. The speculation it created and public reaction really put indie animation on the map here on youtube. It became so popular and successful it became a show on Amazon. So i think thats something impressive.
I came here to say The Penguin's recent pilot is fantastic. Within Oz's second scene, we get a whole idea of his behavior, insecurities, goals & how he'll get there. Then, starting immediately after, we see how that manifests for the remainder of the hour.
I always love when Heroes gets talked about, it was such a good show (in the beginning at least) and it most definitely has one of the best single seasons in tv history. "Save the cheerleader, save the world". Another show that I think meets the criteria for having a pretty good pilot episode is How to Get Away with Murder. Before it got all repetitive, that first season and specifically that first episode really hooks you in by flipping back and forth between the future and the present so you meet all characters and are shown the problem the season is trying to tackle of who killed so-and-so character.
yeah that was the whole point of a pilot, to hook you in by giving you an explanation of what it is about and a preview of more excitement to come. Now is all so rushed because they want to condense series in so few episodes that it feels like it needs more and you don't really get to know the characters closely.
I would agree with some people wrote here, like The X-Files, Futurama and Twin Peaks. But one that comes to mind, and I think is essential televisión is the one from The Sopranos (I might say as well Columbo’s directed by a pre-Jaws Steven Spielberg). Another one that is actually good and comes from a Netflix show is Stranger Things’).
The pilot of 24 should be on this list. It might not be the best the series has to offer, but it does subvert expectations well, establish its main characters well, and leaves us on a great cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more!
Game of Thrones' pilot is amazing but it's so dense that as a first time watcher most of it goes over your head. When you rewatch it, it blows your mind how much they set up in just one hour.
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Scentbird owner is horrible! And runs a dangerous cult!
Ohh pilot episode... Will there be boobs?
The chills you get when you hear Glenn speaking for the first time when Rick is in the tank is a thrill I'll forever seek again
Hey you, yeah you, dumbass in the tank!
why exactly tho?
@Exel3nce you don't expect it, it changes the expected outcome, it introduces a new character in a unique and fun way, it's a high stress situation, it's high production, etc.
"Rose" from the 2005 reboot of Doctor Who is one of my all-time favourite pilot episodes. It introduced the viewer well to who the Doctor is and what they do and does it all from the companion's perspective. It's honestly really well done. It's also a great show, so if aliens, history and time travel are your kinda thing, give it a shot!
Absolutely agree, it's on my top list of fave pilots and shows too!
I liked Billie Piper
Definitely agreed. Some eps like Eleventh Hour work as good intros too but this is the true beginning for the revival.
is it the best doctor who show?
@@Exel3nce That's subjective but it's the most accessible.
Don't dead open inside
Open inside, dead don't
Dead open, don’t inside
Inside open, Don’t Dead
That is technically right. @@carolomella
Coralll!
I think the current streaming model of 'bingewatching' has more or less stifled the concept of pilot episodes. Pilot episodes usually are just singular episodes meant to hook the audience and pitch the show's idea to garner attention and financial support. Nowadays, a whole season is just released at the same time and show writers have to worry more on making the entire season consistently good instead of putting it all into the very first episode. Netflix cancelling shows after the reception of a first season, no matter how good the first episode may be, is also another reason.
I would even add to this and say that it seems like we are instead getting "pilot seasons" now. With the unfortunate downside being cliffhangers that never get resolved due to early cancellation.
The best example of this IMO is the walking dead, quality of show aside it came out before streaming services, and very clearly switched to the "every episode is a cliff hanger until the season finale" model of story telling. I say this because as a TWD fan and someone who still watched week to week until the end, it nearly feels like a different (better) show binged in the later seasons, while watching the episodes on their week to week release was PAINFUL
Great summary. Having to sell the pilot to the distributor to then be able to sell an audience I think was vital to most compelling pilots and now just isn't focused on since whole seasons will clear anyways.
The Bear is a recent example of how a great pilot conveys their message and story in a matter of moments that keep you engaged. Fell in love with the show because of it
cant even remember the pilot episode. need to rewatch it again
would ya ever cover the whole series of lost?
PLEASE^
that would be dope
I second this
no god no we dont want another billiam with this
PLEASE
Can't wait for the second season of Severance.
I still remember the day I watched the first episode when it came out. At first I kept my expectations low but after the first few minutes I was hooked.
I think it might actually be the most perfect show I’ve ever watched
@KC-2049 A lot of the plot points were set up for season 2. I think the show would be much better for you if you wait until it finished all seasons first and then you watch it, you'll end up appreciating the setup and foreshadowing at the start of the show
who are you?
The Penguin just had an amazing pilot episode
I totally agree. I have only watched the pilot and I'm waiting for my dad to get back in town in 2 weeks so we can watch the rest of the episodes and I can't wait.
@@reaver1414enjoy it only gets better
@reaver1414 every episode is better than the last, actual peak fiction
@reaver1414 a couple times u will think "hmm I wish the show explained that abit better" but other than that the show is fantastic and so far the years best show so enjoy
I came here to mention it! It's fantastic & refreshing to see a comic-book show on this level of pedigree & right from the get-go too. And I agree it's only gotten better imo.
Invincible, has one of the best pilot episodes I’ve ever seen.
I’ve convinced multiple people of watching invincible by just showing them the first episode. Most captivating first episode I think I’ve seen along with breaking bad
I was going in completely blind, and the first 3/4 were...fine. Then the title card came and I thought "yeah, it's not groundbreaking, but I could watch some more episodes". And then... I was completely shocked, speechless and left with my mouth open. I don't think I'll ever experience something like this again.
@@Atlas_TyrThat's just coz of the "twist"
@@Atlas_Tyrimo the two best pilots go to lost and yellowstone but invincible pilot is phenomenal. Breaking bad has just a good pilot imo.
Watched it only just recently because of the meme (you know what I'm talking about) and my god, it's an incredible show.
X-Files. Excellent pilot episode, sets up the characters, dynamics, tone and intent very clearly. Also, seeing The Cigarette Smoking man in an background role with no dialogue is pretty astonishing!
Very, very strong first season as well; confidently plotted, doesn't drag, isn't rushed and it's smart, well-made and distinctive right off the bat.
Same can be said for the first 3 seasons, really! It felt like they kinda ran outta steam after the first movie, and the following seasons had too much fluff, but I felt like they hit their stride again in the last season, unfortunately. Doggett was done dirty as a character by the network, as they were doing some excellent character development with him right at the end.
Damn, just typing out that little bit got me hankering. Whelp, seems like it's time for another rewatch of the show!
That's all the Cigarette Smoking Man was meant to be originally just a background Extra.
For better they decided to have him return
@Luciry123 Yep. The actor was gutted, he was sure the other guy would stay on, he had the dialogue and everything. Instead CBD Spender became one of the most iconic characters in sci-fi villainy! The story of how Giancarlo Esposoto made the 'one-line' role of 'The Chicken man' into legendary kingpin Gus Fring is a similarly incredible tale!
Also Prison Break has an Amazing Pilot.
24 as well
@@MackmichealsYes to both
For real
I couldn't get through the first few episodes so I stopped trying to watch it 😂
Twin Peaks Is A Masterclass in pilot episodes.
Was looking for this comment, Dale Coopers introduction is one of the best ever
Twin peaks pilot is very good but it’s a got a weird tone that isn’t really followed with the rest of the show
Mr Robot pilot is also just incredible. It's feels almost like a movie.
The best show I've ever seen !!
The first episode of Fargo (Season 1) is, to me, pitch perfect writing. It introduces the main character Lester with a lot of humanity, setting him up as this loser that gets beating down by life - but it also knows how to interlink different sub-plots. The antagonist is introduced in the first scene, perfectly summing up what to expect thorough the story: it's surreal, brutal, but oddly funny.
"Into the Ring" is the perfect pilot to the show Daredevil. Just the first episode shows how well it balances everything, Matt Murdock as a character and his faith, his job as a lawyer, and his persona as a masked vigilante. All while also showing at least a little bit how his powers work.
I would say some other shows that are super good, like 24, Better Call Saul, or the Clone Wars, but the pilot's arent as good as some of the later episodes.
@@Ihavetheraygun not a pilot
@Robin-be1zm I respectfully disagree. It fulfills what a pilot is supposed to do even if it was released with a binge watch model on Netflix
i think dexter should've made the list it was the best pilot i watched in a while it got me hooked to the series.(and if sitcoms could've made the list brooklyn nine-nine would be the best pick, it had the best pilot episode in all of the sitcoms i've watched)
Dexters intro was such a grabber, I had to click the next episode. Such a great show
@@RedAnimal100his opening monologue is absolutely legendary.
Daredevil's pilot was so good it got me hooked onto the whole series.
This im so glad someone has the same opinion as me crazy how 1 ep of the dd pilot hooked me imo
@@ShiroyashaVince Glad to see. That ep was literally structured like a movie.
"I'm not seeking penance for what i've done father, i'm asking forgiveness... for what im about to do"
I was so emotionally invested after just one episode, besides hooked, it was fenomenal
When i was a kid i sat down with my parents to watch a movie we were clicking through channels. We landed on amc and watched the walking dead premiere, we thought it was a movie and were shocked when it ended. It definitely hooked us in
To me, The Shield is the best pilot episode. You see Vic going around, thinking typical rulebending cop and he and Reed Diamond a battle of wits...and then the final shot (literally) changes everything and makes you realize this is not a typical cop show.
The shield is absolutely legendary no episodes wasted at all. The first episode is important to the last episode. It’s one of the ten best shows I’ve ever watched.
How to get away with murder. The pilot 🔥🔥🔥
Also, I’m glad you included OMITB
This was so cool!!! I'm glad Heroes got on the list! I would potentially add Supernatural to that list of pilots, although maybe not as gripping as newer media...it definitely holds up from the Kripke Era.
I've seen 60+ TV shows in my time and I would say my absolute favorite Pilot episode would be for the show Silo on Apple TV. It plays almost like a short film and sets up an amazing mystery and twists, along with introducing the fascinating setting for the story. Cannot recommend it enough!
@@big-fish1199 great show, not a pilot episode though
Absolutely
@@Robin-be1zm Exact semantics don't matter, best first episode of a show that I've seen
@@big-fish1199 fair, the video was supposed to be about pilot episodes but is also just about first episodes
@ Yeah, there's streaming shows in the video so I followed his example. At this point in life pilot episode doesn't mean the same thing that it used to
TWD has the best pilot episode ever. I’ll die on this hill
type shi
I’m still waiting on SUPERNATURAL retrospectives 😢
Also love that u put omitb it’s such a great series
i’ll never forget watching the pilot of lost… no other introduction of a show has made me feel so immediately immersed
I feel like the Sci-Fi series Eureka had a pretty good pilot, myself. The show as a whole gets rightfully clowned on a lot, as the whole show is basically "Jump the Shark: The Series", but that pilot was a ton of fun and a great setup!
Also, I might be biased as I loved watching it as it released as a kid, but I feel like Psych had a pretty strong pilot and first season. They did a hella good job setting up up all the main characters' motivations and backstories, and had a lot of fun doing it!
Dead Like Me had an amazing pilot, just a genius introduction to all the characters and the situation.
A pilot episode isn't just a 'first episode' a pilot is a test for the studio to get a feel for the show and see if they want to continue with the show beyond the one episode.
Some shows don't have pilot's, they just start shooting the whole show from day 1 if the idea is really good or most streaming shows for example
Sad to see nobody mention "The Shield". One of my favorite pilot episodes I've ever seen. Got me hooked instantly.
I know alot of people don't like the show for a multitude of reasons but i genuinely think the first episode of Glee is great. It sets up all the initial characters really well
I remember the pilot episode of your channel - well, in my view it was..and ever since then, I've enjoyed coming back here
I don't think the pilot episode is a completely lost art, even with the "bingewatching" model. There are still shows made that while, yes, they focus on the overall quality of the season (which isn't a bad thing), they still realize that the first episode has to, at least, get the viewer interested enough in coming back. The first season of Daredevil was a good example of this. If the first episode failed, imo, the first season would've been the only one. Another good example would be the current series, "Silo." The first episode had enough mystery and creativity that I wanted to keep going. I'm glad I ended up doing so, cause I'm now looking forward to season 2.
I think Lost has the greatest Pilot episode of all time. I would also mention The Americans pilot episode. Not enough people talk about that show anymore, it’s truly one of the goats.
Never really see 24 on these types of list but based on the listed criteria it absolutely belongs in the category. I'm at least 3 for 3 at showing someone the pilot and they either immediately want to watch ep 2 or continue when they go home
The Futurama pilot is one of my personal favorites
2:33 I love it when they call it pilot and it actually is about flying or a pilot
The first episode of invincible really work for me
I would add prison break and Dexter . Some of the best pilot episodes although LOST was on a league of its own
i absolutely agree severance is the best thing since lost. i hope we get 4 or 5 seasons of this...hopefully the third season comes quicker this time since they had a writers strike after season 1 aired.
Avatar: The Last Airbender has a great pilot that masterfully brings you into the world without confusing you
I always tell people to avoid the 1st episode of black mirror and go back later if you like it.
Heroes had the potential to be the best TV SHOW about superheroes and villains. It could've be like a combination betwen classic heroes and parodies like the boys
THANK YOU. All 6 seasons of Lost are AMAZING, even when I first watched/rewatched it I found it very hard to even rank the seasons cause they werw all so closely great.
thats wrong and everyone knows it
I would add The Mentalist pilot, its not out of the ordinary and its pretty simple, but it sets up the Red John mistery PERFECTLY. The characters feel real and you can feel how their bond isnt stroung yet but they trust each other. The ending is also amazing leaving Jane staring at the ceiling in the room his family was killed. It sold the show to me inmediately and i think it matches the criteria down to a T.
was the resolution to Red J. any good?
I agree with you about Dark's pilot. It's strange to think about early season 1's slow building momentum compared to the lightning fast pace of S3. When I saw the pilot for the first time I didn't watch any further; only Friendly Space Ninja's recommendation got me to give it another go. Sadly that's the same fate suffered by the showrunner's other Netflix project, 1899, which got canned after one season. Apparently everyone (myself included) turned it off before finishing the season, which goes to show that their biggest flaw is just hooking viewers.
its weird that 1899 got instantly canceled despite dark being one of netlixs poster shows. even tho it was quite meh, with an ending that was awful, it is still weird for netflix to do that.
anyway, dark s3 ruined everything
Wayward Pines, and Eureka had great pilots from what i remember, as well as Fringe, but LOST is definitely my favourite, and one of the earliest serialised drama's i remember watching growing up.
The X-Files has the best pilot episode of the 90's. Spooky cold open. Introduces the world and concepts through the eyes of a newcomer. Tells an emotionally satisfying complete story. Leaves a bit of mystery at the end (who is the smoking man and what is the big storage facility under the pentagon?) Perfectly calibrated pilot episde.
I'm so glad you mentioned Heroes, I grew up with it but I never hear anyone talking about it
It really amazes me how many new shows now don't seem to put any effort into making their first episodes exciting to grab the audience. Same with comic books actually. It's like they can't be bothered.
Before the pilot of Lost, I considered the Pilot episode of ALIAS to be the absolute best
Dexter had a great pilot as well.
The shield has a great pilot and it’s brought up a lot throughout the rest of the series.
Yellowstone and prison break both had really captivating pilots. Great video
I got curious about what the heck Dexter is, I watched the first episode and realized that im hooked. I felt the same about Monk, and very rarely does a network TV series hook me this hard.
One of my favourite pilot episode and openings that isn’t on this list, is The Blacklist. From the start when Reddington walks into The FBI Headquarters as the most wanted fugitive and surrenders himself to them and then starts listing things he wants, even gives the FBI another most wanted a dead man who’s alive, he was in so much control. I’d never seen anything like that and I thought that was absolutely brilliant
From has an amazing pilot episode! I have t seen anything like it in a long time. Pulled me in immediately and made me excited to hit next episode. Also from the creators of lost, so a mystery box type show!
It's not from the creators of Lost. It's by John Griffin, who never worked on Lost.
@ A quick google search would show that two of Lost's executive producers, Jack Bender and Jeff Pinkner, are also involved with From.
@@minxxoxo Neither of them are the creators of Lost. That just gives the wrong impression. Jack Bender was a director on Lost. He's a good director, but TV isn't a director driven medium. Jeff Pinkner also didn't have that much to do with Lost.
@@kuhpunkt understood
ER's pilot had me hooked. Shows the characters well, has a great twist part way through and really gets you attached to people, especially to Mark and Carter
This is going to sound silly because its such a junk food show, but the first Bridgerton episode sets everything up pretty perfectly imo. We're introduced to the two main families, the society theyre in, the expectation on Daphne's shoulders, Lady Whistledown and her nagging influence on the queen, and Simon and Daphne strike their deal. If i had to wait a week between episodes like classic tv, I would've been just as fascinated for it.
0:42 tf is Kanye doing there
Ik that's what I was thinking 😭😭
Let's just ignore OJ Simpson 😂
I’m sooo happy you put Heroes on the list.
Sure Stranger Things kind of fell off but damn did it have a good pilot episode it set the atmosphere up greatly and felt unsettling in a way
now this is a kdrama, so it might not interest everyone watching this particular episode, but when I think of a great pilot episode, I think of While You Were Sleeping. That first episode absolutely blew me away. I miss really good pilot episodes, it's sad that it is so much less of a thing now, with streaming and all.
I'd have to throw in Firefly pilot, Rescue Me and The Shield had great ones. Deadwood's was awesome too
I’m still binging through your vids, so I don’t know if you’ve covered it yet, but “argue with a wall” or however you said it, made me lol for real. Also, if you haven’t, I’d love a season by season series on Lost from you! I have a feeling you actually understand the ending (they weren’t always dead!). It drives me insane as how many don’t get it.
An absolutely AMAZING show with an equally AMAZING pilot is Patriot on Amazon Prime. Criminally under the radar show that deserved so much more fanfare imo
Welp, I started watching this video 3 days ago, got to the part where you mention Severance, and was so intrigued after the first few sentences that I watched the entire thing in 3 days. I'm so excited for season 2, it's unreal
The Pilot episode of Legion is also incredible. It works pretty much perfectly as a film in its own right, but it becomes clearer and clearer as the episode goes on that there are larger forces beyond Clockworks and David. I really wish I could say anything more without spoiling it.
Babylon 5 - S1E1 (Midnight on the Firing Line) sets up seasonal stories, series arcs, and so much in an efficient story. You hardly realize how much is seeded and foreshadowed until you finish the show.
Great video. And I love that everyone’s commenting other great pilot episodes for other shows. Got bunch of shows to check out now.
I had totally forgotten about heroes. Man I remember my father and I watched it together and we where indeed hooked. Awesome show
Some pilots that impressed me were:
- The Shield
- Damages
- Cobra Kai
- Prison Break
- Arrested Development
It’s not super well known, but Pushing Daises has a great pilot episode - titled “Pie-lette” - that really sets up the tone of the show; introduces the characters and how they relate and interact with each other; some of the over arching themes and obstacles the will occur throughout the show; and leaves you wanting more. Right from the get go you know Ned the Pie Maker can bring dead things back to life and the series deals with death in a bright humorous way.
I tried watching the Wire. Didn't finish watching it.
BSG episode 1 season 1 just hooks you perfectly. You just feel how screwed they are and how they can't win straight up brawls.
I'm not sure if it fits these specific criteria, but I think the first episode of The Afterparty, "Aniq", works perfectly for introducing the show's concept. It immediately establishes the murder mystery element, before explaining the gimmick of the show through a couple lines of exposition and a really short flashback. Then the episode perfectly lays out only the first half of the night of the murder, before introducing the secondary problem that Aniq, the POV character for this episode, is the suspected killer.
What you said about being the age of pilots and shows being canceled is totally true. Right after lost ended, many of the main characters got their own shows and almost every one of them didn't make it past the first season. And really made me wary about getting into new shows because I like so many of them and they all got canceled. The two best examples would be Sawyer and colony which made it to the third season and never got a final season and Juliet and v, which I believe got two seasons and never got an ending, both of which were amazing shows
Mine definitely are as followed (not in any order): Hannibal, Supernatural, Walking Dead, Gravity Falls, Phineas & Ferb, Wizards of Waverly Place, Yellowstone, and Breaking Bad (with Better Call Saul as well). With Breaking Bad, Hannibal, and Gravity Falls objectively being the best pilots out of my list.
Thank you for both mentioning how great Dark is but also acknowledging that the pilot did make it seem like a Stranger Things ripoff. I love Dark but couldn't get into Stranger Things 😅
I am actually a developer on a new game and this helped us alot!
Even though its a different medium!
Thx my dude ! 💪😎
Finally I see someone talking about heroes, it really is great, I love it
in my eyes nothing beats Mr. Robot's pilot.. so much is introduced in what feels like a feature film.. and yet the show keeps surprising you so much after that point
Pilot episodes are still a thing and still pretty damn good on certain shows. But the way pilots worked back then were far different than now in this age of streaming on apps that are guaranteed to give you a full season or signed on for multiple.
pilot episodes used to be a coin toss for a lot of shows that were unsure of being fully made
i think the “lost art” is kind of a myth rather it has just been shifted into a different meta of filmmaking
Like LOST. They made the pilot episodes and then had to scramble to finish the season after the audience reception to them. The network was VERY unsure of how the show might do, so that was a true pilot through and through.
hannibal’s pilot is masterfully done.
Entire show is a masterpiece. Start to finish there’s not many shows that did it better. Especially the ending of season 2 into season 3, I love how the show morphs and becomes a different beast every season
@@JeremysPointOfViewyeah mizumono is a top two episode I’ve ever watched in any tv show. Hannibal is a masterpiece I agree
This is Us has an amazing pilot too!
One pilot that hooked me in the the show was Sons Of Anarchy
Related to this topic (but not thaaat much) is the lost art of mashup commercials for movie channels, where they had to find a common thread between a couple of movies in order to be able to announce them together as a block
I know most people probably dislike this show or just maybe dont know about it. But the Hazbin Hotel pilot was very influential here on youtube. When it came out It was so successful racking up 100 milljon view a of now. The speculation it created and public reaction really put indie animation on the map here on youtube. It became so popular and successful it became a show on Amazon. So i think thats something impressive.
Yellowjackets is my fave pilot episode of a TV show. It hooked me right from the get go. Can't wait for season 3 ❤
Twin Peaks has one of the best pilots ever
I came here to say The Penguin's recent pilot is fantastic. Within Oz's second scene, we get a whole idea of his behavior, insecurities, goals & how he'll get there. Then, starting immediately after, we see how that manifests for the remainder of the hour.
Love the boys and I'm sorry but homelander has 90's zach morris haircut from saved by the bell😂
I always love when Heroes gets talked about, it was such a good show (in the beginning at least) and it most definitely has one of the best single seasons in tv history. "Save the cheerleader, save the world". Another show that I think meets the criteria for having a pretty good pilot episode is How to Get Away with Murder. Before it got all repetitive, that first season and specifically that first episode really hooks you in by flipping back and forth between the future and the present so you meet all characters and are shown the problem the season is trying to tackle of who killed so-and-so character.
yeah that was the whole point of a pilot, to hook you in by giving you an explanation of what it is about and a preview of more excitement to come. Now is all so rushed because they want to condense series in so few episodes that it feels like it needs more and you don't really get to know the characters closely.
I would agree with some people wrote here, like The X-Files, Futurama and Twin Peaks. But one that comes to mind, and I think is essential televisión is the one from The Sopranos (I might say as well Columbo’s directed by a pre-Jaws Steven Spielberg). Another one that is actually good and comes from a Netflix show is Stranger Things’).
Honestly I was shocked that Dexter wasn’t on here. Thats one of the most perfect pilots of any show
The first episode of Severance was AMAZING!
The piolet to penguin is one of the best I've ever seen. Also got hooked on invincible first episode and breaking bad.
The pilot of 24 should be on this list. It might not be the best the series has to offer, but it does subvert expectations well, establish its main characters well, and leaves us on a great cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more!
Game of Thrones' pilot is amazing but it's so dense that as a first time watcher most of it goes over your head. When you rewatch it, it blows your mind how much they set up in just one hour.