20 TV Show Pilots That Are Totally Flawless
10. Pilot - Homeland
After being rescued from an al-Qaeda compound, long-missing marine Nicholas Brody is returned home to his family, but his miraculous survival puts him in the crosshairs of determined CIA officer Carrie Mathison, who believes Brody has been turned into a sleeper agent for the infamous terror organisation.
Homeland spent its entire run thriving under the complexities of its character-driven mystery, and its pilot episode sets up every dramatic twist still to come, whether its Carrie's struggles with bipolar disorder, Brody's supressed memories, or the constant unpredictability of whose side he's truly on.
With a daring script from creators Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa and arresting performances from Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, the pilot is an arresting and constantly shocking journey into a world of international espionage and secrets, and one that makes sure never to give away too much, with fantastic results.