37 TV Shows That Hooked People From The Very First Episode

"It introduces all the characters perfectly, and I was so surprised at the end to learn Don Draper was married."

—kates4eb4bc65e

"It was so surprising, and yet it made so much sense how they're all connected."

—kates4eb4bc65e

"I have never been a huge television watcher, but it sucked me right in. The magic between the original interns is just something that can never be replicated."

—nicy2

"I typically don't like pilot episodes, but Watchmen's first episode is an absolutely perfect first hour of television. It brilliantly establishes its world and characters while introducing the series' long-running themes and visual language. The stunning first 10 minutes are not only absolutely gutting on their own, but they're also totally integral to the show in ways that are revealed and developed more and more as the show goes on. It's brilliant."

—pkstarstorm

"I was hooked on the show immediately."

—lexia4ca317c5f

"The pilot of The Vampire Diaries is perfect from start to finish. I mean, just Damon's iconic 'Hello, brother' line is the best. When the episode started playing 'Never Say Never' by The Fray, I was hooked."

—courtneyc4fa30a7b5

"From the wordless opening scene with Mando to the very end when he reaches out to Baby Yoda, it's a perfect episode of TV. You just know he’s going to do anything to protect this creature, even if he doesn’t know it himself yet. Every single second of this episode is riveting. I haven’t been so focused on a show in years."

—lastparismango22

"This first episode made me, a person who never watches sports, jump and cheer during the game. Also, it's so heartbreaking and the acting is extraordinary."

—calviny3

"It perfectly sets everything up. I just rewatched it and I am shocked by how many hints there were to the twist. It's masterful and tells you a lot about the rest of the show while giving absolutely nothing away. Also, it's super funny."

—tigresssss13

"When you rewatch the first episode, it really shows how early the separate storylines started to be developed. Seeing how Bran being pushed from the window triggered literally every event to come was wild. Also, there's just so much foreshadowing."

—gailr457b6572c

"I was captivated during the very first scene. I loved how they used it as a cold open and then transitioned back in time to explain what had led up to it. It's actually one of my favorite episodes of the whole series."

—evp722

"I watched the first episode and was immediately hooked. They capture the coziness of Stars Hollow and introduced every character perfectly."

—stephanieeckhardt33

"I always tell people that How to Get Away with Murder has the best pilot episode. You get well-developed characters and a twist ending that makes you want to keep watching."

—maddisonc4f618bc97

"The way they set up the plot, characters, and setting is perfect. On top of that, it’s probably one of the most hilarious TV episodes I’ve ever seen. I've rewatched it so many times and it never fails to make me cry laugh."

—eris494

"Killing Eve had the best pilot. In fact, it had the best opening scene of any TV show ever. It was completely different to anything I had ever watched. You realize instantly that Villanelle is unlike any other character on TV."

—sanahakhtar231

"The writers did an incredible job of laying out the storylines, introducing the characters, and getting you to fall in love with Midge. This all happened in a single hour of TV, which is amazing."

—azizzad

"I watched the pilot with my mom and we were hooked instantly. Honestly, the entire first season was amazing. Our jaws would drop at the end of every episode."

—tracy110302

"I fell in love with Jake and Amy's relationship from Day 1."

—gitachitras

"You can feel the chemistry between Jamie and Claire from the first time they meet."

—lhochman1991

"The opening scene is so iconic and then the episode just doesn't let up from there."

—tkgm

"The first episode of The Newsroom is perfection. It’s funny and dramatic, and the cast is phenomenal. I rewatch it all the time!"

—emilyj48bded056

"As soon as I saw Tom Ellis rolling down the streets of LA in his black sports car with Cage the Elephant playing in the background, I knew I was going to like this show a lot."

—m448cb58d4

"I couldn’t stop watching after the first episode. It was so good and breathtaking."

—isek1980

"The Walking Dead is one of my favorites. Waking up alongside Rick in the hospital and 'together' you find out what happened and what's going on. It's very well done."

—jaynifa

"The pilot of Glee still gives me chills. I've watched it at least 20 times. It was cool having to learn so much about everyone, like a new kid on the first day of school. When New Directions sang 'Don't Stop Believin' Together' for the first time, I got emotional. The rest of the show did end up holding up, but this episode remains flawless."

—rayaligal

"I was in once I watched the pilot of Dead to Me. It was really well done and we got to know the characters, the dynamic, and also the twist. I had to keep watching."

—madal03

"It’s incredibly well done. It's scary but not gory, and it drops viewers into a world that is entertaining, but has a lot of mystery. The actors are all incredibly talented."

—nataliam465cf8ad5

"The iconic one-on-one game between Lucas and Nathan will forever be legendary."

—triciacareyy

"It's a gripping intro to the story of two brothers and what they are up against. Between Dean finding Sam after so many years to Sam's girlfriend getting killed, there's lots of thrills."

—mahammumtaz94

"It introduces the characters so perfectly by showing their complexities and flaws. I cared for them so quickly. It's exciting, funny, and fast-paced, but still has emotion. I knew I was hooked right from the start."

—strawberrylumps22

"The introduction to each character is so perfect. The scene with Cam bringing out baby Lily to meet the family is pure gold. Say what you will about where the show is now, but that first episode still makes me laugh out loud."

—mandystubblefield

"The first episode perfectly introduces all of the family members and gets you hooked on their wild dynamic. It also sets up plots for the rest of the season."

—crdav090

"The pilot for Firefly is first class in how to introduce characters, conflicts, mood, and a new setting. By the end, you have a clear picture of each character's place on Serenity, their relationships with each other, and you also have a fun, action-packed story that leaves you pumped for the next episode."

—colleend9

"It was super simple and it showed us all of these characters as if they were our best friends and we already knew everything about them."

—joelleybaloo

"I couldn’t stop at just one episode and I had to continue."

—kathleenw46c840f1a