The Fall TV season is upon us, and it's coming with a great number of new shows that are about to premiere their very first episode. The first impression is very important, it will be a key factor in the show success; if people like the show it will stick, if not it will probably be cancelled. Over time many Pilot episodes have been made and they have either won our hearts or came to be hated.
The SpoilerTV team decided to look back at the beginning of some of our favorite shows and their pilots: what made them so great? Are they underrated gems or very deserved hits?
In this article, some SpoilerTV members will talk about what is the best pilot ever made in their opinions and we hope you can share with us what are your favorite pilots too. Without further ado, these are the ones we picked.
Lost Pilot- air date: September 22, 2004. Chosen by:
Robert Fruin: This was a very tough choice between Grey’s Anatomy , LOST and The Walking Dead. I decided that I have watched the LOST pilot the most which makes it my favorite. LOST without a question is my favourite show of all time , the pilot set the tone for the whole season. The idea of it was just perfect , a group of survivors forced to live and work together if they are going to survive. It was a simple idea , made into perfection. The pilot was thrilling , mysterious , moving , well directed and well acted from top to bottom , which is all I could want from a pilot. For me to keep watching a show it has to interest me in the pilot , and LOST did within the first 5 minutes.
Runners-Up: Grey’s Anatomy, Fringe, The Walking Dead, Person of Interest, The Middle, Smallville and Charmed.
Daniël: I think the greatest pilot I have watched so far is LOST. It was unique, beautifully directed, mysterious and the acting was spot-on. Introducing the viewers to the characters was done in a way that was probably never done before. A pilot that instantly hooked me on the show.
Friends Pilot- air date: September 22, 1994. Chosen by:
Laura M: The 20th year anniversary is coming and it was the first show that really made me think about tropes and as I grow up I discover new jokes and layers to analyze. Friends was my first sit-com, and the pilot is really well written, not only because it sets the tone for the whole series, but because it has a way of introducing the characters that makes the viewer know them from the very beginning. And not a lot of comedies achieve this during its pilot.
Runners-Up: Lost, Arrow, The Walking Dead, Gilmore Girls, Orange is the new Black, Orphan Black, Twin Peaks and Community.
Orphan Black Pilot- air date: March 30, 2013. Chosen by:
Jamie Coudeville: I went through all of my shows and the pilot I was most impressed with was the one of Orphan Black. It managed to grab my attention within the first few minutes, which is rare for me. It usually takes me a few episodes to decide whether or not I’ll continue watching but in this case I made up my mind instantaneously. The entire episode was fast paced, and gave us a pretty good insight into the characters and the story. This pilot showed me that this show would be special.
Desperate Housewives Pilot- air date: October 3, 2004. Chosen by:
Gavin Hetherington: A pilot I have re-watched countless times is the Desperate Housewives pilot. I cannot express how much I loved this show back in the day, and I still do. The pilot was perfect. The writing was fantastic - witty and dark, but so entertaining. I was absorbed by the plot and the characters. Right from the first scene, I believe Desperate Housewives has had the best introduction of a show ever. “In truth, I spent the day as I spent every other day, quietly polishing the routine of my life, until it gleamed with perfection. That's why it was so astonishing when I decided to go to my hallway closet and retrieve a revolver that had never been used…” BANG! Amazing. Being introduced to Mary Alice Young, who then shocks us by killing herself, then narrates the lives of four amazing women who are very fun to watch. To me, it’s the best Pilot I have ever seen of a show. Plus, the ending was very great too and really made me want to continue watching the show, which I did with no regrets.
Runners-up: Lost, Supernatural, Charmed, The Walking Dead, Grey’s Anatomy, Eastwick, Once Upon a Time, Revenge
The Walking Dead Pilot- air date: October 31, 2010. Chosen by:
Bradley Adams: I really can’t see past The Walking Dead’s pilot. It started right where it wanted to continue - intense drama and story. It roped me in so quickly. The opening scene with Rick shooting the little girl is one of, if not the most, memorable image from the show, even now after four seasons.
Runners Up: Breaking Bad, LOST, 24
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Pilot- air date: August 27, 1993. Chosen by:
Geo N: When I was asked to write about my favorite pilot I thought to myself that it would be a difficult decision to choose just one. I have so many favorite programs, all of which have excellent pilots. The Walking Dead, LOST, Game Of Thrones, and Breaking Bad pilots are just to name a few. I have watched LOST at least a dozen times and the pilot probably twice as much. Game Of Thrones and The Walking Dead pilots I have watched a handful of times and not far behind is that of Breaking Bad. So, I decided that I would choose a pilot that helped launch my love of television and science fiction narratives. It is still one of my favorite all-time series and, at age 14, I would watch the reruns over and over again and have since purchased the DVD Collection. So, my favorite is the two-hour pilot of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. It was created by Jeffrey Boam and Carlton Cuse (yes, the same Cuse of LOST fame) and starred none other than Bruce Campbell as the eponymous Brisco County, Jr. I was instantly glued to the TV and watching it quickly became one of favorite things to do in my free time, which I had plenty of at age 14. For thos of you who do not remember this show, it is essentially a Western, with Sci-Fi elements, and wry humor that only Bruce Campbell could deliver. The pilot was two hours and I love pulling out my DVD of the first season every now and then and playing it. Intelligent, satirical, and completely set apart from other shows, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. helped shape what I watch on TV (and read and write) to this day and for that I am forever grateful for it.
Runners Up: LOST, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, The Event, Earth 2 (another old series, but great), Firefly.
Pushing Daisies Pilot- air date: October 3, 2007
Pablozky21: It’s really hard for me to choose in a world where we have standout pilots such as the pilot of Fringe, Lost, The Walking Dead, Battlestar Galactica, among many others. “Pie-lette” came on top mostly because of how beautifully it built its unique aesthetic, something amazingly different from any other show I’ve ever seen on television. Filled with colors and cheerfulness, the Pushing Daisies’ pilot was able to engage me from the word go; the dialogue was fun, the acting was great, and the episode managed to be cute without becoming completely cheesy. I’d say it’s the closest thing I’ve ever come to love at first sight. From the moment I started watching the pilot I knew I would love this show, and I did, intensely, which is way its cancellation hurt me so much.
Pushing Daisies is to day my favorite comedy ever made, and possibly my favorite show of all time along with Fringe and the pre-finale How I Met Your Mother, and part of that is because the pilot was bewitching and even on its own it’s a perfect circle to a great story.
Runners Up: Fringe, Lost, Homeland, The Walking Dead, Battlestar Galactica, The Killing, Futurama.
We all wish we could have picked more than just one pilot, but a favorite is a favorite, so we had to go with just one. There are way too many great pilots to count, so now it's your turn! Tell us about your favorite pilot ever made! Was it listed above? Or was it left out? Be sure to tell us!
About the Author - Pablo
I'm currently studying Psychology while also writing fantasy books (one already published in my home country, Chile, you can check it out on the facebook icon). I watch many different types of shows, including my favorites Revenge, Game of Thrones, Once Upon a Time and about 23 more. Currently writing reviews for Once Upon a Time, The 100, Community and Marry Me
