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Some shows start off well enough, becoming great over time. Mad Men, The Wire—both classics whose first episodes are solid. There are some pilots that are so attuned to the show’s aesthetic and rhythms that it’s hard to imagine how they could do better at drawing in the audience. The White Lotus is exceptionally funny from the start; Stranger Things kicks off with its combination of ’80s nostalgia, endearing characters, and heart-thumping horror; Twin Peaks does what Twin Peaks does.
The greatest debuts of all time are masterpieces, but the following list isn’t a comment on any of these shows as a whole. Just because the first episode was top-notch doesn’t mean that the rest of the series would sustain that level of storytelling. At least a couple of programs below definitely degrade in quality over the years, as is what happens with most television shows of any era or genre. However, that cannot diminish the incredible craft on display in the debuts. How do you even rank these? But try we must, based on their pace, emotional intensity, tension, humor (if applicable), and overall ability to spark the viewer’s imagination. (No miniseries allowed here: only shows that were made to last at least a few seasons.)
10
“Celebration”
‘Succession’ (2018–2023)
Succession‘s very first scene foreshadows this premiere’s final scene: media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox) wakes up confused and pees on the rug. His second-oldest son, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), is supposed to be taking over the media empire, but he isn’t the most professional guy in the world. Logan sees that, so he pulls the rug out from under Kendall. When the old man is hospitalized, the question of who takes over Waystar Royco is officially up in the air—and so the conflict begins.
“Celebration” sets the tone for what we can expect throughout this satirical dramedy. Kendall’s troubled past is thrown in his face more than once, he is easily tricked by his own father into signing a bad contract, and we get some practical insight into the business world: “Sometimes it is a big d–k competition.” Along with trademark zingers from Roman (Kieran Culkin), a softball at-bat with ridiculously high stakes, and cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) puking out of a mascot costume’s eyeballs, we’ve got ourselves a debut for the ages.
9
“The Sopranos”
‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)
A man is waiting in a therapist’s office. We don’t know why, as “The Sopranos” is enticingly structured in a way that makes us realize gradually what is stressing Tony (James Gandolfini) out to the point of collapse. Meanwhile, the man is obsessed with ducks, which is such a wholesome contrast to his usual demeanor. As this mob boss drives after a man in broad daylight to ’50s music, anyone who likes Goodfellas or The Godfather (both mentioned in this pilot) has already signed on for more.
It’s essential to note that The Sopranos begins with lots of humor, found in lines like “My uncle adds to my general stress level” or in Tony’s wife Carmela (Edie Falco) telling him he’s going to hell. Then there’s the way Tony’s mother gives him another anxiety attack at the senior residence; the cut to him back in therapy with his face in his hands is priceless. The point is, this show proved that it was arguably funnier than the films it took inspiration from. Of course, the drama was very promising too.
8
“Days Gone By”
‘The Walking Dead’ (2010–2022)
Seeing that something was written and directed by Frank Darabont is a very good sign, and he would go on to make sure The Walking Dead started off very much alive. Sure, that opening scene isn’t necessary, but it’s so brief that it hardly undermines the shock of what’s to come. Officer Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) gets shot twice in a shootout, leaving him in the hospital. Fading in and out at first, this poor guy eventually wakes up in hell. As Rick stumbles out of bed, asking for help with none coming, we behold just how much could change in a few weeks.
That walk through the hospital is absolutely spine-tingling. Every shot is a work of art: the hands reaching through the locked double doors, the shot of Rick’s legs with all those bodies on either side of him, the remaining upper half of a zombie crawling through otherwise idyllic grass, a man trying to shoot his wife, the famous shot of Rick on the horse. It’s beautiful, it’s horrible, it’s more than just another zombie show. The final tank sequence practically guaranteed that this cultural juggernaut would go on for 11 seasons.
7
“Pilot”
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)
It is so much fun to watch a grown man in his briefs lose his cool outside his crashed RV and angrily throw his mask into the desert. Now we hear sirens, poor Walter (Bryan Cranston) makes a farewell video, and then he prepares for a gunfight with the authorities. What in the world is happening? As Breaking Bad‘s “Pilot” jumps back in time to fill in the blanks, and we piece together what went wrong, we appreciate more and more this legendary episode’s ability to juxtapose the mundane with bizarre outbursts of violence.
So many details to highlight: the veggie bacon spelling out “50,” Walter changing the color of that fire in class, a newly diagnosed Walter throwing lit matches into the pool, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) falling off a roof in the middle of a DEA raid. In short, this first hour brings the laughs, the characters, and the invigorating sense that Walter White will no longer tolerate his previously feeble existence.
6
“Good News About Hell”
‘Severance’ (2022–Present)
You’ve got to love Severance‘s first overhead shot of a woman passed out on a table in an office room. In that same scene, the camera is placed at the center of the table and spins around the room as Helly (Britt Lower) frantically tries to escape. It’s just her and the guy on the intercom, and, as she realizes she has no idea who she is, the mood darkens further.
What a chilling introduction, and what a cool move to replay that scene from Mark’s (Adam Scott) perspective. He sounds much less confident, much less intimidating, and amusingly less competent this time around. As “Good News About Hell” unfolds, the audience sees how this balance between psychological sci-fi thriller and comedic satire is fundamental to Severance‘s unique charm. In the meantime, Mark’s tragic backstory, puzzling present (with the arrival of a former, “unsevered” colleague), and nosy next-door neighbor make this peculiar, mysterious world utterly mesmerizing.
5
“Pilot”
‘Homeland’ (2011–2020)
Homeland had eight seasons, but the first was undoubtedly the greatest. A prisoner whispers something in Carrie’s (Claire Danes) ear as she’s taken away by guards. Then we cut to 10 months later, when we learn those words were “an American prisoner of war has been turned.” Unable to take no for an answer, Carrie is so confident that Sergeant Brody (Damian Lewis) is working for terrorist Abu Nazir that she has the guy’s house illegally bugged.
At this point, we get an intimate and intriguingly ambiguous glimpse into this traumatized man’s response to returning home. It’s heartbreaking to see Jessica (Morena Baccarin) discover the permanent marks on her husband’s body. When his son shakes his hand, a bit of humor somehow makes its way through what is an earth-shaking familial situation. It’s an emotionally complicated, disturbing, eye-swelling scenario, and all the actors bring it vividly to life. Along with Carrie’s secret pills, “Pilot” proves an intense opener to one of the best thriller series of all time.
4
“Chapter 1”
‘House of Cards’ (2013–2018)
When it comes to House of Cards, people have to separate the art from the artist because of Kevin Spacey; but that doesn’t mean that we need to dismiss the excellent work of director David Fincher, creator Beau Willimon, or the many other artists associated with this brilliant premiere. “Chapter 1” has the pace of Fincher’s then-fairly-recent The Social Network.
Such style in how House Majority Whip Frank Underwood (Spacey) breaks the fourth wall, the clever dialogue and the slick direction that makes political maneuvering surprisingly taut with suspense. When Frank welcomes us to Washington and that bassline comes in, Netflix viewers all over the world were already captivated before anything even happened. Meanwhile, it’s hilarious how Representative Russo (Corey Stoll) pretends the president-elect is on the phone. The determined Zoe (Kate Mara) is engaging from the start, and Claire (Robin Wright) telling her husband that he doesn’t apologize further underscores this fantastic first impression.
3
“Winter Is Coming”
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
The beginning of a global phenomenon. Game of Thrones wielded all the potential in the world when it opened to that White Walker attack 15 years ago. Interestingly, the rest of “Winter Is Coming” has no magical elements, reminding fans just how powerful the show was when it was largely political. We’re also reminded that Ned Stark’s (Sean Bean) early death was so shocking because his presence as the protagonist worked so well. “The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword” is one of many excellent lines from this wise ruler.
The pilot is also arguably the only episode in which Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) is brimming with personality, from begging his father to save the puppies to climbing as many walls as he can. (Quite a stark difference from what he’ll become.) It’s compellingly odd to see the Lannisters in Winterfell, which sets up as many interesting power dynamics as the troubling Dothraki wedding. That final scene is the first of many shocking twists, making it near-impossible to resist the next episode.
2
“When You’re Lost in the Darkness”
‘The Last of Us’ (2023–Present)
With the runtime of a feature film, “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” has enough time to give this debut to The Last of Us the care and deliberate pace that it deserves. The beginning of the Cordyceps pandemic is nothing less than harrowing, electrifying, and stunningly rendered. The production value is off the charts. Joel (Pedro Pascal) attempts to flee to safety with his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) and brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna), leading to a defining tragedy and one of Joel’s most important scenes.
When we cut to the future, humanity is terribly disjointed and dangerous—even in places that are zombie-free. Ellie (Bella Ramsey) appears to be the source of a cure, establishing the stakes for this hazardous adventure. Meanwhile, she and Joel don’t get along, and the latter is more interested in finding his brother somewhere west. This is all subjective, of course, but “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” contains the emotional magnitude to attract viewers who aren’t even keen on post-apocalyptic stories.
1
“Pilot”
‘Lost’ (2004–2010)
Oh, Lost‘s pilot—back when confusion was a good thing. We open with the famous super close-up of a man’s eye. Then a POV shot of trees, and the sky above. The build-up to the wreckage of a devastating plane crash culminates in possibly the greatest opening scene in television history. “Pilot” is a double episode, which means it gets to pack a ton of material into this astonishing debut.
As Jack (Matthew Fox) struggles to help as many survivors as he can, the audience is completely immersed in this overwhelming, disorienting ordeal. So many moments to love: Jack and Kate’s (Evangeline Lilly) first conversation, the exhilarating introduction to the smoke monster’s siren, the search for the transceiver. That radio signal reveal at the end leaves the audience asking so many questions in the best way. Ah, if only Lost had ended as well as it started.
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https://collider.com/best-tv-series-premiere-episodes-all-time-ranked/
J.S. Gornael
Almontather Rassoul
