10 Best TV Pilots Ever

4. Arrested Development - Pilot

Arrested Development Pilot
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Arrested Development's first episode doesn't play by the conventional rules of what a TV pilot should do, but then that's fitting for a series that consistently defied all convention across its initial three-season run.

Pilot plunges viewers into the dysfunctional world of the Bluth family, starting jokes that would soon become running, and introducing us to each character and all of their alarming traits in turn.

Taking place at George Bluth's retirement party, it's a perfect example of crafting a TV comedy; the gags themselves come thick and fast, while immediately giving us a sense of each character, but the true craft is seen when rewatching it, learning just how much foreshadowing and setup there is in this first episode. The second instalment may be an all-time great, but the DNA of the show is right here from the off.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.