20 TV Show Pilots That Are Totally Flawless
13. My First Day - Scrubs
It's difficult to think of many sitcoms that started their run as confidently as Scrubs, a medical dramedy that followed the ins-and-outs of Sacred Heart Hospital with both increasingly wacky humour and poignant drama. The show's pilot finds its voice and tone instantly, and the results are fantastic.
Told through the narration and daydreams of Zach Braff's quirky medical intern J.D, the pilot spends a day in the life of the hospital as a new batch of interns attempt to survive their first shift. What follows is a frequently hilarious comedy of errors which ends with a moment of quiet contemplation and shock.
Like the rest of the series, Scrubs' pilot is a striking mix of hysterical weirdness and tragedy, and the way in which it introduces so many characters, establishes their relationships and reminds audiences the story isn't all sunshine and rainbows is seriously impressive considering it's only twenty minutes long.