30 Days of TV - Day 27

[next_to_normal]

Day 01 - A show that never should have been canceled
Day 02 - A show you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite miniseries
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale

Day 27 - Best pilot episode

I've actually posted about the best pilot episodes before, and my favorite hasn't changed. I still think The West Wing has the best pilot ever. It just works so incredibly well as an introduction to the show, with the teaser introducing each character individually as they get the call about the President's bicycle accident. It's also a great introduction to the White House (which is practically a character itself) as Leo takes that looooong walk winding through all the different offices and cubicles.

I love the contrast between the silly and the serious - the President rode his bicycle into a tree, but it turns out he did so because he was so angry about an extremist anti-abortion group targeting his granddaughter. Everyone's tense because Josh is about to get fired, but meanwhile Sam "accidentally" slept with a prostitute and embarrasses himself in front of Leo's daughter. There's a lot of joking among the staff about the Cuban refugees, but President Bartlet turns it into an inspiration: "With the clothes on their backs, they came through a storm. And the ones that didn't die want a better life. And they want it here. Talk about impressive. My point is this: Break's over."

And you pretty much know Josh isn't going to get fired in the first episode, but this just shows how close-knit this staff is, that everyone is pulling for him to keep his job, from Donna bringing him coffee for the first time ever, to Toby convincing him to go to the meeting, to Leo trying to talk the President down from firing him.

And then, of course, the best introduction of any character, ever. "I am the Lord your God. Thou shalt worship no other God before me," bellows the President of the United States, immediately commanding the attention of not only everyone in the room, but the entire audience as well. This is a President who totally pwns everyone with words, and I LOVE IT. 

Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death

Comments

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I. Love. This. Show.

:D

And now I've got the start of my icon collection for it!

[next_to_normal]

Woooo!!!

[silverusagi]

It does work well as a pilot. Also, there's not that cringeworthy sense you often get when you rewatch pilots, where you can tell that everyone from the actors to the writers don't quite have things down about where they're going yet. It doesn't feel different.

[next_to_normal]

Also, there's not that cringeworthy sense you often get when you rewatch pilots, where you can tell that everyone from the actors to the writers don't quite have things down about where they're going yet.

Exactly! This show just hits the ground running and is awesome all the way. (It's shows like this that make me scoff when people talk about Joss being a slow starter.)

[dragonflylady77.livejournal.com]

President Bartlet FTW.

[next_to_normal]

:)