10 Best TV Sitcom Pilot Episodes

3. How I Met Your Mother

Whatever you may think of the way the show ultimately ended, there's no denying that the very first episode of How I Met Your Mother featured everything that sitcom afficianados would desire from a pilot.

A clear direction for the show? Check. Likeable characters? Check. Funny and quotable dialogue? Check. The start of running jokes? Check. This one had it all.

While some could have easily initially dismissed HIMYM as just another Friends wannabe, the resulting pilot showed that there was a very different and more intelligent show being planned here, with a style and framing device unlike any other comedy show we'd seen before. The simple but brilliant twist at the end of the episode set up nine seasons of the show and even foreshadowed the series' ending.