20 TV Show Pilots That Are Totally Flawless
12. Space Pilot 3000 - Futurama
What if you were cryogenically frozen and woke up a thousand years in the future? That's the premise for Futurama, which follows directionless pizza delivery boy Philip J. Fry as he wakes up in a world unlike his own, befriends a suicidal robot and slowly comes to terms with his place in the world.
From the mind of The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Futurama's pilot makes the most of its futuristic setting whilst it tells Fry's hilarious story, incorporating sharp social satire with awkward and downright bonkers characters and dialogue to paint a vivid portrait of the show's expansive, unpredictable setting.
As a show, Futurama had its ups and downs, but there's no denying it knew what it was aiming for from day one. The jokes fly at rapid pace, Fry, Bender and Leela instantly feel true and compelling, and everything about the story comes together beautifully with them.