There's no set recipe for a successful sitcom, but a solid pilot episode isn't always necessary. Many successful comedies like The Office (US) and Parks and Recreation struggled to find their feet in their first seasons, with characters, storylines, and even actors changing as the show developed its identity.
Some shows manage to strike gold earlier than others — and some even do it from the very beginning. A strong sitcom pilot can mean many things, whether's that introducing plot points to develop later in the series, likable or interesting characters, or just plenty of laughs that leave audiences wanting more. From classics to contemporary fare to a hilarious Brit named Mr. Bean, which sitcom has the best pilot?
My Name Is Earl (2005-2009) — 8.4
As far as sitcoms go, My Name Is Earl has one of the most unique concepts. After winning the lottery and subsequently being hit by a car, petty criminal Earl Hickey (Jason Lee) discovers the concept of karma and decides to reform his life. Making a list of all his bad deeds, he soon sets out to right all his wrongs — by whatever means necessary.
All this happens in the first episode and more. The audience is also introduced to eccentric characters like his ex Joy (Jaime Pressly), her new man Darnell (Eddie Steeples), and Earl's sweet but naive brother Randy (Ethan Suplee), while Earl haphazardly tries to resolve the first big issue on his list. The pilot a quirky but weirdly heartwarming mess, and perfectly set the tone for a show that was later canceled in its prime.
Available to stream on Hulu and IMDb TV
Seinfeld (1989-1998) — 8.4
Fans lovingly embrace Seinfeld as the "show about nothing." The pilot episode — also known as "The Seinfeld Chronicles" — introduces a fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld. Nothing much happens; Jerry stresses about whether a woman he met is interested in him, dissecting her signals with his friends George and Kramer (Jason Alexander and Michael Richards).
This concept shouldn't work, but it does (although admittedly not as well as later episodes). The pilot introduces a whole new kind of sitcom — one that doesn't get caught up in sentimentality or character development. Interestingly, according to TV Guide, test audiences reacted extremely poorly to the pilot, but the show went on to become iconic with many Seinfeld quotes living rent-free in fans' heads.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) — 8.5
When The Mary Tyler Moore Show first aired in 1970, it was still a rarity to see a female protagonist who wasn't married or dependent on a man. The pilot sees Mary Tyler Moore's character Mary Richards be both. After a failed engagement she decides to move to Minneapolis, where she is unexpectedly hired as an associate producer at WJM-TV.
From the very beginning, the show makes it clear that it's not interested in vapid, disconnected comedic plots. It's about real people with real problems that just happen to also be funny. That's why the pilot still holds up today, especially the job interview scene — over 40 years later, women can still relate to the sexist line of questioning from Mary's new boss, Lou (Ed Asner).
Available to stream on Hulu
Scrubs (2001-2010) — 8.5
A lot of shows struggle to nail their tone in the pilot episode, but Scrubs is a rare exception. "My First Day" very aptly chronicles J.D.'s (Zach Braff) first day as an intern at Sacred Heart Hospital. J.D. has the makings of a great doctor — but he's also prone to bizarre daydreams, which frequently and hilariously play out on screen.
While it's definitively a comedy, the show never shies away from the realities of working in a hospital. The first episode of Scrubs tackles J.D.'s fear of performing simple procedures on patients, as well as his first patient death. This could easily have made the first episode too morbid, but it's balanced out by J.D.'s now-trademark sense of whimsy.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime
How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014) — 8.5
It's a shame it's overshadowed by its widely-panned finale because the pilot episode of How I Met Your Mother has all the makings of a sitcom classic. For the most part, it doesn't stray too far from the usual hangout sitcom — except for the format. The show's events are memories recounted by an older Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) to his children as he explains how he first met their mother.
The plot and characters of HIMYM have a habit of being unpredictable, and the show sets this precedent early on. When Ted meets Robin (Cobie Smulders), the usual sitcom convention would make her the mother. However, the episode's final moments reveal that the kids know her as Aunt Robin. It's a twist that confirms viewers are in for a long, wild ride — which is exactly what makes the show's copout finale so disappointing.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime
Frasier (1993-2004) — 8.6
Frasier is one of the most beloved sitcom spinoffs ever. Set six months after the finale of Cheers, it relocates psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) from Boston to his native Seattle, where his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) convinces him to take in their father, Martin (John Mahoney), a retired police officer who is unable to care for himself after being injured in the line of duty.
The show was a hit from the very beginning. The pilot establishes Frasier as being different enough from Cheers to stand on its own, with a sense of humor that's distinctively more intelligent and less reliant on slapstick comedy. A lot of the jokes still hold up today — and with a revival series expected on Paramount+ in 2022, time will tell if it can deliver the same magic twice.
Available to stream on Paramount+
Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000) — 8.7
If one comedy show was canceled too soon, it's Freaks and Geeks. Exploring two groups — the "freaks" and "geeks" — in a Detroit high school in the 1980s, the pilot episode sees Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) fall in with the former, much to the horror of her friends and family.
The show's cancellation came down to an erratic schedule, not the quality of the show itself. Right from the pilot, Freaks and Geeks is realistic about the lives of ordinary teenagers, but still incredibly funny. It boasted a stellar cast — including Cardellini, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and Busy Phillips — who all went on to successful careers. The show's legacy has never been forgotten.
Available to stream on Paramount+
Fawlty Towers (1975, 1979) — 8.7
Like most British sitcoms, BBC's Fawlty Towers had a shorter shelf life than their American counterparts. Airing just 12 episodes in the span of four years, it's centered on a fictional hotel run by the abrasive Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) and his wife Sybil (Prunella Scales) in the seaside town of Torquay.
Instead of weighing itself down with background or character development, the pilot dives right into the action: Basil tries to impress an aristocrat to elevate the tone of the hotel but manages to neglect all his other guests as a result. Although the script is quick and witty, what really makes the show's debut shine is Cleese's deadpan delivery.
Available to stream on Britbox or buy on Apple TV+
The Wonder Years (1988-1993) — 8.9
The legacy of The Wonder Years is so beloved that it even spawned a Don Cheadle-narrated reboot earlier this year. The original series premiered in 1988, depicting a suburban middle-class family in the late 1960s from the perspective of the youngest child, Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage).
It's the simplicity of the show that makes it so magical. The pilot is steeped in nostalgia, from the opening notes of The Byrds’ “Turn, Turn, Turn”, to the Arnold family's home movie footage. Sweet, funny, and — in its final scenes — emotional, it's a fitting tribute to the trials and tribulations of adolescence.
Available to stream on Hulu
Mr. Bean (1990-1995) — 8.9
Created, written by, and starring Rowan Atkinson, Mr. Bean is so simple yet so funny. Its character of the same name is essentially a big kid who struggles to carry out everyday tasks. The pilot episode sees him fumble a Maths exam, embarrass himself at the beach, and end the day at a church service where he keeps falling asleep.
Inspired by the slapstick comedy of silent films, fewca shows are as accessible as Mr. Bean. He rarely talks — and, when he does, it's mostly unintelligible — yet he's hilarious to viewers of all ages. Even in the pilot, Atkinson's wordless acting is magnetic, making Mr. Bean a true comedy icon.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime