What is a Pilot Episode
The pilot holds great importance for any show. It is the primary way to decide if the show is binge-worthy or not. It is similar to the first few pages of a book, because honestly speaking, the back synopsis doesn’t tell you much about the book anyways. Thus, pilots have this huge burden on their shoulders to make the right first impression. It often happens that a great show has a poorly written pilot, and it turns back many potential fans. On the other hand, a good pilot may just portray the show like something it is most of the time; this isn’t a problem.
The question then arises, what makes a pilot good? Everyone has their own take on what makes a show great or not as inherently any question regarding being good is a subjective one, but I will try anyway. First and foremost, we should be invested in the protagonist. This can be done by making them suffer a great tragedy, looking at Attack on Titan. Alternatively, you could just make the character eccentric and thus make him stand out.
Having mysteries that make sense is also a good way to get someone hooked, but not having them answered by the end of the season or no development on them is a jerk move. There is also a point of divergence on the story aspect of the pilot. Some shows want to have a self-contained story, while others choose a continuous one. Either is fine, and it mostly depends on the genre and type of show it is.
Pilots hold a special place in my heart cause re-watching them brings back all the reasons you love the show. It is like looking at old photos, knowing how the character grows and how they change. You also think back to the time you started the show, how different you were, and how the show changed you. Pilots are special cause they thrust you into a world you knew nothing about and gave a new set of characters who mean something special to you. They are beginnings, and all beginnings are fun because you don’t know what is to come.
