10 Best Pilot Episodes Of HBO TV Shows, Ranked

Scripted television lives and dies by the strength of pilot episodes, making the most of their only chance at a first impression. HBO series are particularly good at this, with many of the best HBO original series of all time boasting some of the greatest pilots in the game. Whether it’s establishing a sweeping fantasy world full of political intrigue or introducing the petty squabbling between family members, these opening episodes lay out the stakes expertly. And while a good pilot episode provides the audience with the show’s mission statement, it also offers enough of a hook to entice them to keep tuning in.

We’re rounding up our personal favorite HBO original pilots and naming which is the best of them all. When revisiting these episodes, we were looking at how well these pilots serve as an introduction to their respective shows. But perhaps even more importantly, we’re looking at the episodes that just stand as the high-quality television that HBO is known for. These are the 10 best pilot episodes of HBO TV shows ranked, each setting the stage for their respective series magnificently.

10. Sex and the City (Sex and the City)

As one of the shows that cemented HBO’s status as a platform for prestige television, “Sex and the City” sets out with its best foot forward. The pilot brings in its quartet of friends as they celebrate being in their 30s while living in Manhattan. Protagonist Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her pals vow to embrace the sexual possibilities of being single rather than consciously searching for true monogamous love. However, Carrie finds herself drawn to a tall, dark, and handsome stranger around town known simply as Mr. Big (Chris Noth).

“Sex and the City” is one of the best TV shows set in New York City and the episode takes advantage of its Manhattan setting. The pilot feels like a time capsule for the borough around its 1998 premiere date, along with the fashion that Carrie and her stylish friends bring to the social scene. The episode also does a great job of capturing the idiosyncrasies of the main cast, contrasting the more promiscuous Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) with the reserved Charlotte York (Kristin Davis). Keeping things flirty and light, with some romantic intrigue in the form of Mr. Big, “Sex and the City” knows how to make an entrance.

9. Deadwood (Deadwood)

As a Western show that defined the genre, “Deadwood” introduces its namesake period piece town with merciless aplomb. The series sets the tone with its opening scene, as lawman Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) executes a condemned prisoner rather than seeing him killed by a rogue posse. Relocating shortly thereafter to make his fortune in the mining town of Deadwood, Bullock discovers the town is ruled with an iron fist by the smarmy Al Swearengen (Ian McShane). The murderous lengths that Swearengen will go are revealed along with his complicated relationships with the various figures in town.

One of the recurring hallmarks that you’ll see from several shows on this list is how well they can introduce an ensemble cast. With a series revolving around an entire community, “Deadwood” brings viewers into its hardscrabble frontier town immersively. The first episode is also punctuated by brutal violence to let audiences know that this is going to be the most graphic Western show at the time. An authentically lethal look at life in the Wild West, “Deadwood” highlights just how deadly the archetypal era could be.

8. Celebration (Succession)

The corporate backstabbing and family drama is firing on all cylinders throughout the opening episode of “Succession.” Making it clear that aging patriarch Logan Roy’s (Brian Cox) health is failing, his children plot how to succeed him with their family’s multimedia empire. The most active schemer is Logan’s second-oldest son Kendall (Jeremy Strong), who is trying to close a major acquisition involving a family rival. Kendall’s ambitions face the very real possibility of being derailed in the face of Logan’s alternate plans as his health takes a turn for the worse.

Revolving around Logan’s birthday, “Celebration” quickly makes it clear how much “Succession” is going to be fueled by petty squabbling. Kendall is such a slimy contrast to his siblings while his younger brother Roman (Kieran Culkin) brings his own immature edge to the family. This is all carried by the underlying feeling that this entitled ensemble is going to be taken down by their own infighting and ill-advised maneuvering. The daggers are out and sharpened for blood in the very first episode of “Succession,” drawing audiences in for more corporate intrigue and familial function to come.

7. The Target (The Wire)

“The Wire” redefined what a cop drama could be, offering a sweeping look at a modern American city suffering from urban decay. The show introduces Baltimore police detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) and his frustrations dealing with the Barksdale crime syndicate. The police place Cedric Daniels (Lance Reddick) in charge of a task force to investigate the Barksdales, more to appease concerned officials. The episode introduces the various members of Daniels’ unit, including his friction with the defiant McNulty, who isn’t interested in doing things by the book.

A crime TV show without a single bad season, “The Wire” invites audiences into its bleak exploration of Baltimore from the start. The series opens with McNulty investigating a local kid’s murder of a back alley game, alluding to the harsh environment where the story will unfold. The episode also masterfully brings in both the key members of the Barksdale outfit and the police who will primarily oppose them, at least for the first seasons. With the battle lines drawn and its grounded battlefield realized, “The Wire” makes it clear that this show won’t be pulling its punches with a superb series premiere. 

6. When You’re Lost in Darkness (The Last of Us)

“The Last of Us” is one of the best post-apocalyptic TV shows ever made and, like its video game source material, it opens with a depiction of said apocalypse. After a ’60s talk show prologue establishes that a pandemic stemming from fungal infections would be catastrophic, this prediction comes true in 2003. This portion of the episode introduces single father Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) as he tries to escape to safety when a rapidly spreading contagion turns the infected into zombie-like monsters. After failing to save his teenage daughter, an older Joel 20 years later is tasked with escorting a different teenager, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), across the ruins of civilization.

Right from the outset, “The Last of Us” lets us know that we’re going to feel feelings, and not in a particularly pleasant way. After its prologue provides concise exposition regarding the cause of civilization’s collapse, the pilot takes enough time to bring viewers into Joel’s domestic life before tearing it all down. This also informs his subsequent burgeoning dynamic with Ellie, which will quickly become the emotional core of the entire series. Ambitiously staged, particularly with its chaotic cataclysm, “The Last of Us” masterfully begins with the end of the world.

5. Fundraiser (Veep)

After already starring in two hit sitcoms, Julia Louis-Dreyfus came into the HBO series “Veep” as one of the most respected names in television comedy. She knocks those expectations out of the park in the series’ opening episode playing Vice President Selina Meyer, worlds different than any of her prior roles. The pilot episode is packed with faux pas committed by Meyer and her staff, thwarting her efforts to become a beloved and relevant politician. This ranges from one of Selina’s staffers signing the wrong name on a condolence card to Meyer making an off-color joke at a fundraiser.

Over the span of 30 minutes, “Fundraiser” showcases what “Veep” and its eclectic cast are all about. Selina just can’t seem to catch a break throughout the episode which is, frankly, right where we want the glory-chasing politician. This is a cringe comedy but staged in a way where the awkwardness isn’t too off-putting, with the gags coming fast and furious to organically fit within its economical runtime. As one of the best HBO sitcoms ever, “Veep” wastes no time in diving deep into the political chaos.

4. Winter Is Coming (Game of Thrones)

“Game of Thrones” is one of the best fantasy TV shows ever made and it starts off on a strong note. “Winter Is Coming” introduces the White Walkers right from its opening scene, signaling that an icy supernatural menace is coming for the medieval realm of Westeros. This is followed by the episode introducing many of its major power players to follow, including the incestous royals Cersei (Lena Headey) and Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). While visiting the northern kingdom of Winterfell, the siblings nearly kill young Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) when he discovers them having sex, ending the episode on a cliffhanger.

“Game of Thrones” quickly establishes that it’s unlike any high fantasy series on its scale that’s coming to American television before. With its sex and violence, including violence targeting children, the show lets audiences know this is going to be an unflinchingly mature take on the genre. The episode also brings in the multifaceted narrative touching on multiple perspectives into author George R.R. Martin’s world that will fuel the show’s expansive scope. “Winter Is Coming” became a refrain for the series for much of its eight-season run and with a solid beginning to the series, it’s easy to see why.

3. The Long Bright Dark (True Detective)

Among the best detective TV shows is “True Detective,” an anthology series that delved into different neo-noir tales each season. These moody thrills are established in the series premiere, “The Long Bright Dark,” as well as the show’s penchant for spinning crime yarns spanning multiple time periods. The episode revolves around police detectives Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) investigating a grisly murder in Louisiana in 1995. This is juxtaposed with the two being interrogated separately in 2012 over their professional rupture as the unidentified killer begins to resume their murderous activities.

“The Long Bright Dark” captures the unusual dynamic between Rust and Marty, while hinting that both men are deeply flawed in their own ways. This is juxtaposed by a disturbing murder mystery that forces the two detectives to work together, whether they want to or not. All the while, the sequences set in 2012 hint that this partnership will go poorly and that the inciting mystery will not be solved for 17 years. The first season of “True Detective” is its best and that elevated quality is clear from its opening episode.

2. Pilot (Six Feet Under)

“Six Feet Under” has been cited as an HBO show with one of best the series finales, but it also has an excellent pilot episode. Setting a tradition that would be followed by virtually every episode to follow, the series premiere begins with a death. In this case, it’s the accidental demise of patriarch and funeral director Nathaniel Fisher Sr. (Richard Jenkins), prompting his son Nate Jr. (Peter Krause) to return home. The dysfunctional tension between the family surfaces as they prepare for the subsequent funeral, with Nate Sr.’s ghost urging them to reconcile.

Life in the wake of constant death is the big prominent theme throughout “Six Feet Under,” something its pilot makes clear. Yes, the opening scene involves a major character prematurely shuffling off this mortal coil, but it’s the people he leaves behind that matter to the story. In particular, the dynamic between Nate and his younger brother David (Michael C. Hall), form the crux of the series. Darkly funny with a poignant edge, “Six Feet Under” ushers in the Fisher family with expert staging and pacing.

1. The Sopranos (The Sopranos)

“The Sopranos” presented audiences with a cinematic-level crime saga following mobsters in New Jersey, balancing their personal lives with their illicit activities. The series begins with mid-level mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) discreetly visiting psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) after he suffers a panic attack. As Tony begins to open up, we see the criminal actions that he and his associates are involved in, including a conflict brewing against a rival syndicate. This extends to murderous unrest within Tony’s family, particularly his tense relationship with his cruel mother Livia (Nancy Marchand).

Bringing in plenty of brutal mobland spectacle, “The Sopranos” fully delivers on expectations surrounding the genre. But between all the shootings and roughing up people with outstanding debts, it’s the volatile family stakes that distinguishes and elevates the story. It’s Tony’s unhappy relationship with his family that fuels his anxiety and, even just one episode in, we get to see why. “The Sopranos” brings in everything fans are hoping for and then some, offering crime show action but with an emotional grounding to it that makes those moments matter.