With the fall season approaching and a plethora of new shows on the horizon, I thought I’d revisit some of my favorite television pilots over the last ten years. What are your favorites?
Disclaimer: This post will contain spoilers. If there’s a show on here you plan to watch via DVD, Netflix, Itunes, etc, please read at your own risk. But, seriously, read it cause it’s good!
Everwood-“Pilot”-September 16, 2002
I don’t think there’s a show I miss more than Everwood. Four years just wasn’t enough exploring the lives of these incredible characters. This episode (narrated storybook style by one of the secondary characters) introduces us to Andy Brown, a renowned NYC neurosurgeon, who after the death of his wife moves his two children to the small town of Everwood to start a new life, open a new medical practice, and (my personal favorite) grow a new beard. The complicated relationship between Andy Brown and his son, Ephram, made this a family drama I wanted to invest in. We’re not in 7th Heaven anymore, Toto.
Veronica Mars-“Pilot”-September 22, 2004
A 17 year old female PI trying to solve her best friend’s murder? I’m so in. Who killed Lily Kane? We’d have to wait 22 episodes for the answer, but the pilot episode planted all of the seeds for an incredible season long mystery.
Lost-“Pilot”-September 22, 2004
The very first shot of Jack Shepherd’s eye opening (which is all the more poignant having watched the final shot of the series finale) immediately drew us into this incredible series. This monumental episode (the most expensive pilot ever made at that time) had the feel of something suited for the big screen and certainly lived up to all the hype we’d been fed for weeks. Forever shrouded in mysteries, this episode introduced us to several, the biggest of which was uttered by Charlie, “Guys? Where are we?”. We wondered right along with him.
How I Met Your Mother-“Pilot”-September 19, 2005
This one’s kind of an odd entry for me, but it’s fresh in my mind since I just went through seasons 1-5 pretty quickly on DVD. HIMYM kind of perked my interest back when it started not only because it marked Alyson Hannigan’s (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) return to TV, but also because it sounded like a traditional sitcom with the arc of a dramatic series. I kind of liked the sound of that. And the pilot episode didn’t disappoint on my initial thoughts. We spend the entire episode watching Future Ted tell his kids the story of how he met the perfect woman, the woman he wants to marry, etc., only to find out in the very last line of the episode “that’s how I met your Aunt Robin”. So who is the title mentioned “mother”? Six seasons later, it’s still anyone’s guess. The arc continues…
Friday Night Lights-“Pilot”-October 3, 2006
I initially wrote this series off because I thought it would be too much football for me. But, I had to give it a shot on DVD after hearing so many wonderful things about it season after season. The pilot episode was both a shocking and heartwarming introduction to these characters and this town. Jason Street’s dreams dashed in an instant set the stage for an amazing first season as we watched a town grieving for the star he once was, Matt Saracen having to fill his big shoes, and Coach Taylor trying to mend his team’s spirit. I get goose bumps just thinking about this one.
