Best First Episodes of a TV Show
03-24-03, 03:08 PM
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Best First Episodes of a TV Show
I was introducing one of my friends to The Shield on dvd and afterwards we were talking about just how good the first episode of that show was. So we got to thinking, which shows have had really good first episodes?
Just off the top of my head:
The Shield
Sports Night
The Sopranos
The West Wing
Six Feet Under
Oz
Futurama
Sex and the City
Murder One
Twin Peaks
American Gothic
Lots of HBO shows listed here. Hmm...
Just off the top of my head:
The Shield
Sports Night
The Sopranos
The West Wing
Six Feet Under
Oz
Futurama
Sex and the City
Murder One
Twin Peaks
American Gothic
Lots of HBO shows listed here. Hmm...
03-24-03, 03:21 PM
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This is a very good question.
I do recall that NYPD Blue's opener was very good. The Sopranos and Oz openers were very good of course.
Friends had a strong opener.
I do recall that NYPD Blue's opener was very good. The Sopranos and Oz openers were very good of course.
Friends had a strong opener.
03-24-03, 03:50 PM
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NYPD Blue (an alcoholic Sipowicz gets gunned down while in bed with a hooker)
Twin Peaks
Murder One
Brooklyn South (AMAZING shoot-out to open the ep)
Hill Street Blues (when I saw the premiere ep 20+ years ago, I thought it was possibly the best show I had ever seen on TV)
Strange, I can't think of any sitcoms for the list. Guess they take longer to find themselves......
Twin Peaks
Murder One
Brooklyn South (AMAZING shoot-out to open the ep)
Hill Street Blues (when I saw the premiere ep 20+ years ago, I thought it was possibly the best show I had ever seen on TV)
Strange, I can't think of any sitcoms for the list. Guess they take longer to find themselves......
03-24-03, 04:51 PM
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Originally posted by Jobronie
Strange, I can't think of any sitcoms for the list. Guess they take longer to find themselves......
Strange, I can't think of any sitcoms for the list. Guess they take longer to find themselves......
Seriously though, I think that's a good rule of thumb for sitcoms. I'm way into "Seinfeld" and "The Simpsons," but I often find the *very* earliest episodes are.........not that funny.
03-24-03, 05:07 PM
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I don't like the early episodes of the Simpsons. They are too awkward and almost seem to be aimed directly at kids, instead of a more general audience.
I thought "Gilmore Girls" had a very strong series premiere. I also loved "Sex and the City" from the begining, but I only got to see on DVD. "Buffy" was another good first episode, and "Cheers" as well.
I thought "Gilmore Girls" had a very strong series premiere. I also loved "Sex and the City" from the begining, but I only got to see on DVD. "Buffy" was another good first episode, and "Cheers" as well.
03-24-03, 05:36 PM
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Originally posted by JNielsen
I agree with Smallville & Oz, both of those hooked you with the 1st ep.
Another one for me, though I'm starting to go away from it, was John Doe.
I agree with Smallville & Oz, both of those hooked you with the 1st ep.
Another one for me, though I'm starting to go away from it, was John Doe.
I will also thrown out Sportscenter!
03-24-03, 10:37 PM
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The first episode of Dallas may not be the best, but it's an eyepopper. A surreal 60 minutes of everyone drinking hard liquor to get over their problems and an outdoor party with black stereotypes serving the Ewings and their guests. The show began taking a different feel the very next episode, which is a good thing because it wouldn't have lasted 2 months otherwise.
03-24-03, 10:38 PM
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Originally posted by Jobronie
Hill Street Blues (when I saw the premiere ep 20+ years ago, I thought it was possibly the best show I had ever seen on TV)
Hill Street Blues (when I saw the premiere ep 20+ years ago, I thought it was possibly the best show I had ever seen on TV)
Also, Homicide: Life on the Street, which I think is the best cop show in the history of TV and if FOX had shown it in its original production order, Firefly.
03-25-03, 12:29 AM
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Sopranos
Sienfeld
Futurama
and I only watched the first three or so seasons but the first episode of E.R. was great (kinda suprised no one mentioned it yet)
Sienfeld
Futurama
and I only watched the first three or so seasons but the first episode of E.R. was great (kinda suprised no one mentioned it yet)