23 TV Pilots That People Knew Were Going To Be Incredible Just From The First Few Minutes

    "Someone's drawn a little heart right above today's date."

    Hannah Marder
    by Hannah Marder

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Recently, we asked the BuzzFeed Community what the best opening scenes are of any TV series ever. Here are some of their responses!

    WARNING: Some scenes include violence, sexual content, and suicide.

    1. Legion

    David growing up and playing sports, then later screaming and getting arrested and given medication by a doctor then later about to hang himself
    FX

    "The whole pilot is incredible, but even the first scene — the casting, the music choice, the plot setup — had me hooked immediately! That first season is still one of the best seasons of television ever, in my opinion."

    —stephlalala

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    FX / Via youtube.com

    2. The Boys

    A-Train runs through Robin and reduces her to blood and guts and says he can't stop then runs off as Hughie says "Robin?" with blood on his face
    Amazon

    "I don't watch a lot of TV, save for comfort viewing of the same things. But The Boys was must-see TV from the start. It's paused for breath a little in the second season but, holy shit, there's so much wildness in Season 1 to get your head around... Messed up."

    —thedeleted73

    "After that scene at the start, i was hooked."

    —alyssatate19

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Amazon / Via youtube.com

    3. Game of Thrones

    one of the Night's Watch sees some creature throw his friend's head at him and looks up in horror
    HBO

    "I had no idea what the show was about, but after that opening scene with the White Walkers, I was sold!"

    —norava8

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    HBO / Via youtube.com

    4. Lost

    Jack wakes up and discovers the plane wreckage
    ABC

    Lost has one of the best pilots of all time, and it hooks you right from the start by starting with Jack waking up in the jungle, randomly seeing a dog walk past, and then him discovering the wreckage, where we're introduced to all the other characters. It conveys the stress of the scene so well, and doesn't waste any time on setup.

    —hannahmarder

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    ABC / Via youtube.com

    5. The Umbrella Academy

    a woman gives birth and a man comes to buy her baby as the narrator describes that one day in October 1989, 43 women gave birth despite not being pregnant at the start of that day, and eccentric billionaire Reginald Hargreeves adopted seven
    Netflix

    "It starts with the wild Russian birth and then the first two lines from the narrator are, 'On the twelfth hour of the first day of October 1989, 43 women around the world gave birth. This was unusual only in the fact that none of these women had been pregnant when the day first began.' I mean, how could you not be totally intrigued after that? Add in the 'I Think We're Alone Now' dance scene and I knew I was completely hooked."

    —mollymcduck

    I can't find the scene on YouTube, but you can watch the episode on Netflix!

    6. Fleabag

    Fleabag narrates as a man comes over for a booty call and they do anal, and he thanks her earnestly the next day, and she spends the whole day wondering if she has a massive asshole
    BBC

    "Funniest and wittiest opening scene I’ve ever seen!"

    —haightashbury1967

    You can watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    BBC / Via youtube.com

    7. Twin Peaks

    Pete Martell finds Laura Palmer and calls the sheriff saying she's dead and wrapped in plastic
    ABC

    "Twin Peaks and its opening scene set the tone and the killer question for almost the entire rest of the show (in its original run): Who killed Laura Palmer?"

    —britneypeedonaladybug

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    ABC / Via youtube.com

    8. Derry Girls

    Sister Michael tells the students that their trip will be to Paris after a "dramatic pause" which she accidentally reads out loud instead of doing. She also says she isn't coming, because she despises the French
    Channel 4

    "It establishes who we're dealing with, what time they're in, and the character of everyone incredibly well without it feeling like you're setting up, even when introducing someone the girls don't know. ... It feels very much like the story started without you, but you're not lost."

    —shaywashere

    I can't find the full scene on YouTube, but you can watch the episode on Netflix or piece together the whole first scene if you watch 1:12–1:43, 4:56–5:16, and 6:02–6:30 below:

    View this video on YouTube
    Channel 4 / Via youtube.com

    9. Wandavision

    Wanda and Vision try to figure out what the heart on the calendar means, and Wanda suggests Vision forgot, to which he says he's incapable of forgetting
    Marvel / Disney+

    "The first episode alone was unlike anything the MCU had ever done before, and it really kept you on your toes with all the questions that gradually got answered in the episodes that followed. The way they executed the '50s sitcom style as well as the tonal shifts in the darker moments made that first episode a genuine masterclass in filmmaking."

    —vsoldf

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Marvel / Disney+ / Via youtube.com

    10. Lucifer

    Lucifer says the cop pulled him over to exercise his limited powers and punish him, and that he understands because he used to like to punish people
    Fox

    "The way he got out of the speeding ticket was hilarious. The show is so good that fans harassed a network line for dropping it until Netflix realized it was too good to pass up."

    —crazykid01

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Fox / Via youtube.com

    11. Breaking Bad

    Walt tells his family whatever he's done has been for them then raises his gun on the dirt road as sirens go off in the distance
    AMC

    It's such a great opening because it seems so strange — you can't imagine how this middle-aged, nerdy dude who loves his family ended up in an RV in the desert with a gun and no pants. Immediately, you need to know how Walt got to that point, and the show wastes no time in showing you.

    —hannahmarder

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    AMC / Via youtube.com

    12. Sex Education

    Aimee asks if Adam faked his orgasm and he says no but she grabs the condom and asks where the "spunk" is
    Netflix

    "Aimee and Adam had a sex scene within the first 20 seconds, and her iconic quote, 'Where's the spunk, Adam?'... Let's just say I knew it was going to be great."

    —writerhannah31

    I can't find the first scene on YouTube, but you can watch the pilot on Netflix!

    13. The West Wing

    Sam's date tells Sam to tell his friend POTUS that he has a funny name and should learn to ride a bike, and Sam said he would but POTUS is not his friend, he's his boss, and POTUS is a title standing for "President of the United States"
    NBC

    "The first few minutes introducing the characters are absolutely iconic. Leo walking through the office for the first walk and talk, everyone getting the pager message that the president crashed his bicycle into a tree, CJ asking what she can tell the press about POTUS’s accident and Leo responding that, 'While riding his bicycle he came to a sudden arboreal stop'...Iconic."

    —ginnygryffin

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    NBC / Via youtube.com

    14. The Newsroom

    Will explains how America isn't first in anything, but it used to be, and that the government used to be moral and that people cared about each other because they were informed by great men, but now america isn't the greatest country anymore
    HBO

    "The speech about America not being great is one of the all-time best scenes."

    —niallh459ac7a2b

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    HBO / Via youtube.com

    15. Gilmore Girls

    Lorelai tells Rory she has lip gloss in chocolate and other flavors and Rory asks if she has any that doesn't resemble a breakfast cereal — Lorelai pulls out one with no smell but that changes colors with your mood
    The WB

    "I was looking for another show to watch and thought to give it a go without expecting too much of it. The first few minutes perfectly describe it all. The relationship between Rory and Lorelai, cozy Star Hollows...[It was] sassy and funny."

    —s463b03bd4

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    The WB / Via youtube.com

    16. Supernatural

    Sam and Dean's father sees blood fall on baby Sam in his crib and looks up to see his wife dead and bloodied on the ceiling
    The CW

    "As an X-Files fan, I saw Kim Manners on the opening credits and that was it. I loved the scary/comedic stand-alone episodes of The X-Files the best, and the beginning of the pilot episode of Supernatural felt like that. Plus, Jensen Ackles being pretty as hell didn’t hurt. Add in the best soundtrack in TV and I was hooked immediately."

    —corrier42fca3844

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    The CW / Via youtube.com

    17. Fringe

    people start to turn to zombie-like creatures on the plane as everyone screams
    Fox

    "I thought, 'here we go, another sci-fi series.' But how wrong was I? After the plane and everyone were smushed, I realized [that] this wasn't your normal series. That had me hooked from the start."

    —tattoomummy1980

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Fox / Via youtube.com

    18. Bones

    homeland security asks Brennan to hand over the bag, which she does — the man opens it to see a skull and Brennan says "boo"
    Fox

    "It perfectly opens to how the show would go and it introduced the characters perfectly. You also got to see how much Brennan grew with her socialization!"

    —thebonelady

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Fox / Via youtube.com

    19. The Wire

    McNulty talks with a victim's friend about his nickname, Snot Boogie, saying it's sad that he was given that name by people, and the friend says "life just be that way, I guess"
    HBO

    "The opening scene with McNulty talking about Snot Boogie. Awesome. 'Life just be that way, I guess.'”

    —marclewisdegrace

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    HBO / Via youtube.com

    20. Sky Rojo

    Coral explains that explains that there's always a day when your life gets torn, and this was that day, but they didn't see it coming — she also explains that the brothel she works at is (strangely) closed due to bereavement, but for them it's a day off
    Netflix

    "It’s absolutely gripping from the start whilst painting a stark picture of the realities of prostitution. As each character is introduced, the narration hints at the story to come and gets you wanting to find out more about their motives. It’s entertaining, but also has some very powerful messages."

    —rosebudlola

    I can't find the scene on YouTube, but you can watch the episode on Netflix!

    21. Galavant

    the narrator sings that the adventure begins and is epic, wild, and a real butt-clencher
    ABC

    "That initial musical number (the title song) and humor were just perfection and totally sold the show."

    —zemt

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    ABC / Via youtube.com

    22. Teen Wolf

    Stiles tells Scott police found a body in the woods, and Scott asks if it was a dead body — Stiles jokes "no a body of water" then tells Scott they only found half the body
    MTV

    "The Stiles banter...'They found a body.' 'A dead body?' 'No, a body of water...YES, a dead body.' I just knew it was going to be fun."

    —justmeeeee

    Watch the scene here (it's just the first scene in the video):

    View this video on YouTube
    MTV / Via youtube.com

    23. And finally, Letterkenny

    Daryl: "You take your shirt off but leave your sunglasses on," Wayne: "What sort of backwards fucking pageantry is that?"
    Crave

    "First cold open of Letterkenny and I was hooked."

    —tonya40ce15c08

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Crave / Via youtube.com

    Submissions were edited for length and clarity.