10 TV Shows Where The First Episode Was The Best
3. Battlestar Galactica
Though 2004's Battlestar Galactica reboot technically kicked off with a prelude mini-series the year prior, the first episode proper, "33," is one of the best slivers of small-screen sci-fi ever produced.
A gut-wrenchingly tense follow-up to the mini-series, the episode follows the Galactica and its civilian fleet as they're forced to pull off faster-than-light jumps every 33 minutes in order to evade the pursuing Cylons.
This ensures we're introduced to most of the show's principal characters amid major turmoil, bonding them to the audience near-instantly.
While most TV shows are afraid to get too bleak in their opening hour, Battlestar Galactica had no shame about its dark, deep-dish storytelling, which combined with terrific visuals and excellent performances set a perfect foundation for the rest of the show.
And Battlestar Galactica was, for the most part, a great sci-fi series, even if it never quite bettered that superb pilot - something even series creator Ronald D. Moore agrees with.