When it comes to TV shows, first impressions are everything. While some started off average and then got better, others hit the ground running from the first watch. Let’s take a look at 18 TV shows that made a fantastic first impression and set the bar high for all episodes that followed.
Breaking Bad
Walter White’s fall from mild-mannered chemistry teacher to druglord started with underwear and a Winnebago. This opener perfectly set up the show’s high stakes and dark humor. By the time you see Walter in his tighty-whities, you’re already prepared for the moral spirals and chemical chaos.
The Office (US)
With a stapler covered in Jell-O, this show immediately lets us know its take on quirky humor and awkward office relationships. It was clear from the start that we were in for a series of cringe-worthy yet heartwarming moments! This prank, simple yet genius, was our first hint that office life was about to be anything but mundane.
Game of Thrones
The moment you witnessed White Walkers in the chilling opening, you knew this wasn’t your average medieval fantasy. It promised brutality and a hint of supernatural that hooked viewers instantly. The frostbitten scene was a cold opener in every sense, chilling us to the bone and letting us know that this was a pretty unique show.
Stranger Things
A game of Dungeons & Dragons, a mysterious lab, and a child mysteriously disappearing – if that didn’t get you hooked from the first watch, we don’t know what will! It promised and delivered a nostalgic, supernatural adventure that was impossible to resist. The mix of ’80s nostalgia and a sci-fi mystery made this show one to watch.
The Simpsons
America’s favorite yellow family made their debut chasing each other around
the living room. This chaotic intro was a sign of the unusual humor and satire that we would come to know and love about this show. The moment you saw Homer strangling Bart, you knew this was not your average family sitcom.
Friends
The one where it all began, with a runaway bride and a joke about a “dead woman’s” shoe. It was the perfect introduction to the group’s dynamic and the humor that would make them iconic. It sowed the seeds for some of the plot threads that the show would pick up later, namely the ‘will they, won’t they’ between Ross and Rachel.
Mad Men
This show kicked off with Don Draper doodling on a napkin in a smoky bar, thinking about how to sell cigarettes. It introduced us to the glamorous and morally ambiguous world of 1960s advertising. However, the twists and turns in the episode (namely between Don and Rachel) made it clear that this wasn’t your regular period drama.
Westworld
The haunting theme and the eerie opening with a synthetic host being created promised a mix of Western and sci-fi genres. And, boy, did they uphold that promise! The first episode was equally thought-provoking and visually stunning. This mix of the old West with futuristic tech was our first hint at the philosophical questions yet to come.
The Crown
With a foggy London backdrop and a young Queen Elizabeth struggling with the weight of the crown, the show made it clear that it was going to explore the personal and political dramas of the British monarchy. From the very get-go, it was clear this show wasn’t going to just be about royal scandals but the emotional weight of being a ruler, too.
Sherlock
Sherlock Holmes meets John Watson in 21st century London. What could go wrong? This was the beginning of a legendary bromance that completely changed brainpower. The first episode showed off the show’s clever writing and unique interpretation of the legendary characters. This meeting began the numerous intellectual gymnastics that were to follow!
Fargo
This show pulled us in with the deceptive calm of snowy Minnesota, but we stayed for a “true crime” story. Within the first episode, the writers made the show’s dark humor and quirky, violent twist on the American Midwest clear. The image of blood on snow was our first taste of the show’s chilling humor.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Fargo’s opening scene is more than a simple ‘true crime’ story. It’s the start of an intriguing exploration of politeness and psychopathy, hidden under a heavy coat of Minnesota nice and snow. From the first episode, it was clear that each of the next ones was going to be as unsettling as the next.
Lost
Imagine a tropical vacation with a twist – the airline lost your luggage and the whole plane! “Lost” isn’t your typical castaway story – it was more like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing, set in a place where polar bears and smoke monsters replace beach bunnies and suntan lotion. The island’s lush mystery immediately hooked us in and didn’t let us go for six seasons.
Dexter
Dexter Morgan, Miami’s favorite blood-spatter analyst by day and vigilante serial killer by night, introduces us to a world where the bad guys might just end up on a slab. Dexter’s dual life both confused and intrigued us, making us question our own sense of justice with every slice of his knife. It was a killer of a first episode!
Arrested Development
The Bluth family saga kicked off with a yacht party gone wrong and a family member on the run from the law. In this universe, financial literacy doesn’t exist, turning every attempt to save the family business into a joke. From the get-go, the show’s genius is in how it layers jokes so that every re-watch reveals a new punchline you swear wasn’t there before.
Twin Peaks
In “Twin Peaks,” the discovery of Laura Palmer is the start of a new perspective on life, among other things. The first episode feels like the start of a journey where dreams offer clues and red rooms shift the narrative. Lynch crafts a world where each character revolves around the mystery, creating a story that’s as compelling as it is utterly, wonderfully weird.
The Mandalorian
Sure, the first episode of “The Mandalorian” introduced us to a lone ranger and his soon-to-be sidekick. But it also launches into a galaxy of danger and droids with questionable programming! When Mando meets the Child, it’s a clash of destinies as part of a plot that promises space battles, moral dilemmas, and the occasional babysitting gig!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
From the moment Buffy Summers stakes her first vampire, it’s clear Sunnydale High isn’t your ordinary town. Buffy’s balancing act between cheerleader tryouts and cemetery patrols gives up a high school experience that makes SATs seem like a walk in the park. It’s a delicious mix of action, wit, and heart. The scariest thing is finding where you fit in!
