5 Gold-Standard Pilots That Sucked Us Right Into Their Stories

Television has a rich history filled with remarkable shows that consistently top viewers' and critics' lists. While many of these masterpieces took time to find their audience, a few stand out as they managed to capture our attention from the very start. What's more, even years after premiering, their first episodes still have that hypnotic effect on new viewers.

Here are five unforgettable pilot episodes that still stand out as some of the best on TV, earning a perfect 10/10 from the majority of fans.

Pilot (The X-Files)

Release date: September 10, 1993

Yes, the name of the episode is not very creative, but it was the perfect way to launch Chris Carter's sci-fi series. In the pilot, we witness the very first encounter between Agents Scully and Mulder, and the chemistry between the two is hard to miss, making you want to see how their relationship will develop in the future.

Plus, the series kick-starts its legendary mytharc part, showing the agents investigating alien activity in a small town in Oregon.

Pilot (Lost)

Release date: September 22, 2004

The two-part episode, which depicted the chaos and terror of a plane crash in addition to being stranded on a mysterious island, was one of the most expensive in television history, using an actual decommissioned plane as the wreckage of Flight 815. And it was one of the most riveting.

In the midst of all the madness, J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof managed to place key points, raise intriguing questions and, of course, introduce the ensemble cast in a way that would keep viewers hooked for years to come.

The Long Bright Dark (True Detective)

Release date: January 12, 2014

True Detective will forever remain a special show for millions of fans, largely thanks to its first season, starting with the pilot. The interrogation scenes that put Matthew McConaughey's Rust Cohle and Woody Harrelson's Marty Hart at the center of an investigation into the murder of a young woman are so memorable that they have become part of the public subconscious.

The Crocodile's Dilemma (Fargo)

Release date: April 15, 2014

Another iconic crime drama to premiere in 2014 is Fargo. Its pilot episode goes from 0 to 100 in a matter of minutes, starting with the arrival of Billy Bob Thornton's antagonist in a Minnesota city and ending with a gruesome murder by Martin Freeman's Lester Nygaard.

Those 60 minutes are a wild ride. But to be fair, Noah Hawley's show is consistent in having stunning pilots for each new season.

1:23:45 (Chernobyl)

Release date: May 6, 2019

Craig Mazin's miniseries about the 1986 Chernobyl disaster is a true masterpiece where every detail matters. The pilot episode is a horror movie in itself. Your blood freezes as you watch a huge nuclear power plant explode and the executives try to cover it up, but you just can't stop watching.

The series is designed so that the finale brings the story full circle, and right after the credits roll, you can tune back in to the pilot. The second time will feel even more intense than the first.