20 TV Show Pilots That Are Totally Flawless
8. City Of - Angel
After leaving Sunnydale at the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's third season, Angel relocated to Los Angeles to front his own show and escape his past. In City Of, he comes into contact with a demon, Doyle, who can occasionally see the future, and reconnects with fellow Sunnydale alum Cordelia Chase.
Sporting a much grittier tone than Buffy, the spin-off starts by brilliantly separating itself from the image of what came before, focussing not on romantic teen drama but the hard-hitting realities of the supernatural. It's like Buffy, only darker, moodier, and the bad guys are a law firm.
With great new characters and the odd but welcome pairing of Angel and Cordelia, City Of is one of the finest episodes of the series, as well as a perfect testament to the worldbuilding and character-driven melodrama of the franchise. From the first scene, Angel proved it could be just as good - if not better - than its predecessor.