Producing a TV series takes a lot of time, hard work, and money. Development stages can often take years to complete and, therefore, suffer some unexpected changes. For this reason, the greatest satisfaction that a TV show's team can have is to see it succeed and become a hit worldwide. But this does not always happen. There are productions that, regardless of the teams' efforts and having recorded footage, sometimes get canceled before they even air an episode.
Such was the case with The Dictator, per TV Line, the CBS series that would have starred Christopher Lloyd as Joseph Paul Domingo, a dictator exiled in New York. Meanwhile, some shows make it to the premiere, but after a few episodes, or even seasons, they get canceled for different reasons, which usually leaves viewers feeling disappointed.
There is one fundamental element that can fully influence the destiny of a TV series: its pilot episode. While many series take some time to establish themselves and start building their fan base, others manage to do so from the very beginning, successfully introducing their themes and characters. The responsibility laid on the pilot episodes is exceedingly heavy because, in a short amount of time, they have to deliver loads of content and convey the essence of what the show is going to be like.
If a pilot episode flops, the series itself may not achieve as much hype as its production expects. But when they do succeed, they set the stage for what is expected to be a great show, and often rank among the best episodes of the entire series. Check out some of the best pilot episodes in TV history.
Updated April 20, 2023: If you're a fan of television and are in search of exceptional shows to binge, you'll be happy to know this article has been updated by Micah Bailey with additional content.
17 Mad Men — Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, the pilot episode of Mad Men, goes the opposite way of the rest of the pilots: rather than answering some of the questions surrounding the main character, it raises many more. This episode, written by creator Matthew Weiner in 2000, is set in 1960 and features Don Draper (Jon Hamm), a genius ad man from New York City, his girlfriend, and the rest of Sterling Cooper's employees. Just to prove that Draper is truly an enigma, the episode wraps up by introducing the man's wife and children, who were never mentioned before. To this day, Mad Men is widely considered one of the best TV series of all time.
16 The Good Place — Everything is Fine
The Good Place is a series created by Michael Schur that revolves around Eleanor (Kristen Bell), a young woman who dies and is received in the Good Place, a heavenly utopia for those who do some good deeds in their lifetime. But something doesn't seem right: Eleanor was a horrible person when she was alive, so she must reformulate her behavior if she intends to maintain her spot in the Good Place. The pilot episode Everything is Fine premiered in September 2016 and made it to 8.04 million household viewers.
15 Mr. Robot — eps1.0_hellofriend.mov
May 2015 witnessed the release of eps1.0_hellofriend.mov, the pilot episode of Sam Esmail's series Mr. Robot. It features Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), a cybersecurity engineer diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and clinical depression, who works at a company called Allsafe. But this man is hiding a big secret: at night he works as a computer hacker. When he is recruited by the mysterious Mr. Robot, Elliot is forced to choose between fulfilling his desires or protecting his stability and his company's interests.
14 Orange is the New Black — I Wasn't Ready
I Wasn't Ready, the opening episode of Jenji Kohan's Orange is the New Black series, follows Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), a woman who is forced to leave her home and fiancé Larry because she was sentenced to 15 months in prison on a decade-old drug trafficking charge. Once in her new home, Litchfield Penitentiary, she must adapt and learn the rules quickly if she wishes to protect herself from other inmates. This pilot episode premiered in July 2013 and was highly acclaimed by audiences and critics.
13 Glee — Pilot
Glee is one of the most popular teen series in history. Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, the series premiered on May 19, 2009, with a pilot episode that nicely introduces the main characters, the students of William McKinley High School, and how they formed the Glee Club, letting people know that throughout the series they would deal with issues that deeply affect teenagers.
12 The X-Files — Pilot
On September 10, 1993, the pilot episode of The X-Files premiered, presenting two characters that went against the established stereotypes: special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who teamed up to work on the X-Files. Mulder strongly believes in all things paranormal and otherworldly, while Scully is skeptical and considers that everything can be scientifically explained. The pilot of this Chris Carter series was very well received, and quickly built up a huge fan base that turned it into a cult series.
11 Game of Thrones — Winter is Coming
"Winter is Coming". The title of Game of Thrones' pilot episode couldn't have been more spot on. This series, created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, conquered audiences right from the start. The first episode, released in April 2011, introduces the main noble Houses of Westeros and Essos, and with them, a major part of the cast. A lesser-known fact about the series is that its pilot episode was filmed twice, per EW, as the first version did not quite convey the essence of the show.
10 Breaking Bad — Pilot
Vince Gilligan was in charge of writing and directing the pilot episode of Breaking Bad, and from the very first moment, the tension and chaos that reigns in the lives of its protagonists becomes palpable. Breaking Bad revolves around Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a chemistry teacher who, upon discovering that he has inoperable cancer, decides to team up with Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), one of his former students, to produce and distribute crystal meth to provide for his family after he dies. The pilot episode received very good reviews and even nominations.
9 Twin Peaks — Northwest Passage
In April 1990, Twin Peaks changed the history of television with its pilot episode, originally known as "Northwest Passage". In it, the audience is transported to the quiet town of Twin Peaks, where the peace is completely disrupted when Laura Palmer's (Sheryl Lee) body is found in a lake. The man in charge of solving the case is Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), who is about to dig up some of the town's darkest secrets. In case the series was ultimately not put into production, another version of the pilot was shot including additional footage to be released as a TV movie.
8 Lost — Pilot
Lost is one of the landmark productions in the history of television. The pilot episode was divided into two parts and premiered in September 2004, attracting 18.6 million viewers. After a series of unusual events, Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashed on an unknown isolated island. The surviving passengers must now figure out how to adapt to this new environment while waiting to be rescued, and to do so, they need to establish alliances. But they soon discover that the island hides many more secrets than they anticipated.
7 The Sopranos — "The Sopranos"
David Chase's The Sopranos is one of the most acclaimed shows of the 21st century. Boasting exceptional writing, brilliant acting performances from the principal and supporting cast, and realistic depictions of mental health, the show took audiences by storm when it premiered on January 10, 1999. Even though The Sopranos is a crime drama featuring Italian-Americans, it goes against the grain in that Tony Soprano, the show's protagonist, has a therapist.
This would normally be a death sentence for the mobster, but he does an excellent job separating his professional and personal lives. The late James Gandolfini was perhaps the show's biggest standout as he appeared in all eighty episodes, and received three Primetime Emmy Awards for his work as the family patriarch.
6 The Wire — The Target
Yet another HBO show, The Wire faced cancelation throughout the entirety of its five-season run due to poor ratings. Despite the ever-looming threat of a premature end, David Simon's The Wire persevered and has received retroactive praise for its attention to detail, realistic acting performances, and uncompromising visionary storytelling.
Considering audiences aren't even introduced to every main or even supporting character in the pilot, The Wire is unique because the city of Baltimore, Maryland is the protagonist rather than any singular character. The Wire's commitment to showing its audience what's likely to happen to a city when its legal and educational institutions fail its citizens was risky, but it made for compelling TV.
5 Better Call Saul — Uno
Better Call Saul was the highly anticipated follow-up to the critically acclaimed Breaking Bad. The prequel series is set six years before the events in Breaking Bad and focuses on fan-favorite Saul Goodman. One thing that makes a prequel compelling is its ability to provide audiences with additional context to the world they've become attached to. In Breaking Bad, we quickly learn that celebrated criminal lawyer Saul Goodman is so good at his job, that he could probably sell salt to a snail.
However, Better Call Saul shows fans just how Saul (or Jimmy depending on who you ask) became the man that Walter and Jesse met. Saul's pilot episode works so well because it introduces us to a beloved character, shows us how he developed his skills, and ends on a cliffhanger that introduces us to yet another fan-favorite.
4 Atlanta — The Big Bang
Donald Glover's Atlanta was an instant classic when it debuted in 2016. Despite its subject matter appealing primarily to an African-American audience, the show still resonated with critics and fans of diverse backgrounds. Earnest, Al, Darius, and Van were all relatable in some way and each character's desires were clearly expressed from the beginning.
As the show progressed, it covered more engaging topics such as racial identity and reparations, but we're willing to bet most people's fond memories of the show stem back to the pilot when Earn, Al, and Darius were simply trying to get a record deal.
3 Snowfall — Pilot
FX's 1980s crime drama Snowfall follows South Central Los Angeles resident Franklin Saint as he navigates through the crack-cocaine epidemic of the mid-80s. As of this writing, the show is currently in its sixth and final season, but the show has come a long way. The pilot episode introduces audiences to the characters in an engaging way, clearly sets the stakes for these characters, and ends on a cliffhanger that compels audiences to want to keep watching the show.
2 Primal — Spear and Fang
Adult Swim's Primal is possibly the most unique entry on our list. Not only is it the only animated show to appear, but it is also the only pilot episode to feature no spoken dialogue. Written and directed by Dexter's Laboratory and Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky, Primal had big shoes to fill when it premiered on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in 2019.
Despite the unconventional protagonists (a Neanderthal named Spear and a T-Rex named Fang), the pilot was successful as the show's emotional storytelling and exceptional animation endeared audiences to Spear and Fang. A show about bonding through tragedy, the pilot's conclusion makes you want to see what kind of story can be told when the storytellers are a caveman and a dinosaur.
1 Abbott Elementary — Pilot
ABC's Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary sitcom that follows the teachers of the eponymous Abbott Elementary. Featuring performances from an all-star cast of actors, Abbott Elementary was immediately beloved when it debuted in 2021. Witty, charming, and hilarious, Elementary's pilot works well because the show immediately endears its audience to its cast. Everyone from the intelligent and optimistic Janine Teagues to the conspiracy theorist custodian Mr. Johnson feels relatable on some level.