IMDb Top 250 TV: Where It All Began
These are first episodes of the top 35 highest rated non-documentary TV Series from the IMDb Top 250 TV.
Which of these do you think brought the most amazing start for a TV Series?
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Note: TV Mini-Series and Talk-Shows are not included.
Which of these do you think brought the most amazing start for a TV Series?
Discuss the poll here
Note: TV Mini-Series and Talk-Shows are not included.
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35 titles
- DirectorTimothy Van PattenStarsSean BeanMark AddyNikolaj Coster-WaldauEddard Stark is torn between his family and an old friend when asked to serve at the side of King Robert Baratheon; Viserys plans to wed his sister to a nomadic warlord in exchange for an army.
- DirectorVince GilliganStarsBryan CranstonAnna GunnAaron PaulDiagnosed with terminal lung cancer, chemistry teacher Walter White teams up with former student Jesse Pinkman to cook and sell crystal meth.
- DirectorClark JohnsonStarsDominic WestJohn DomanIdris ElbaBaltimore Det. Jimmy McNulty finds himself in hot water with his superior Major William Rawls after a drug dealer, D'Angelo Barksdale who is charged with three murders, is acquitted. McNulty knows the judge in question and although it's not his case, he's called into chambers to explain what happened. Obviously key witnesses recanted their police statements on the stand but McNulty doesn't underplay Barksdale's role in at least 7 other murders. When the judge's raises his concerns at the senior levels of the police department, they have a new investigation on their hands. Lt. Cedric Daniels is put in charge with Kima Greggs as the lead detective. As for Barksdale, he finds himself demoted to a low-level dealer after his arrest and he obviously has to prove himself yet again.
- DirectorJustin RoilandStarsJustin RoilandChris ParnellSpencer GrammerA strangely eccentric genius scientist and inventor moves into the home of his daughter and her family and begins to strongly influence his young grandson.
- DirectorDavid ChaseStarsJames GandolfiniLorraine BraccoEdie FalcoA mobster passes out at a family barbecue and seeks therapy to understand why.
- DirectorPaul McGuiganStarsBenedict CumberbatchMartin FreemanRupert GravesWar vet Dr. John Watson returns to London in need of a place to stay. He meets Sherlock Holmes, a consulting detective, and the two soon find themselves digging into a string of serial "suicides."
- DirectorJoss WhedonStarsNathan FillionGina TorresAlan TudykMal has second thoughts after discovering that two boxes of Alliance goods his crew has been hired to steal are full of badly needed medical supplies headed for the mining town of Paradiso.
- DirectorRobert StevensStarsEarl HollimanJames GregoryPaul LangtonMike Ferris finds himself alone in the small Oakwood town and without recollection about his name, where he is or who he is. Mike wanders through the town trying to find a living soul.
- DirectorCary Joji FukunagaStarsMatthew McConaugheyWoody HarrelsonMichelle MonaghanIn 2012, former detective partners Rust Cohle and Martin Hart recap one of their very first cases together involving a serial killer, back in 1995.
- 2009–201024mTV-147.6 (2.9K)TV EpisodeDirectorTakahiro IkezoeYasuhiro IrieStarsRomi ParkRie KugimiyaKôichi YamaderaThe Elric brothers adjust to military life and take part in a manhunt for Isaac the Freezer, a former State Alchemist bent on ending the reign of Fuhrer Bradley.
- DirectorAdam BernsteinStarsBilly Bob ThorntonAllison TolmanColin HanksA ruthless, manipulative man meets a small-town insurance salesman and sets him on a path of destruction.
- 1992–199522mUnrated7.7 (3.2K)TV EpisodeDirectorKevin AltieriStarsKevin ConroyBob HastingsAdrienne BarbeauCatwoman steals a valuable necklace to fund the purchase of land for a mountain lion preserve but is thwarted by a group of terrorists.
- DirectorTetsurô ArakiNorimitsu SuzukiKei TsunematsuStarsMamoru MiyanoAi SatôNobuko MiyazakiBrilliant but bored high school student Light Yagami discovers a Shinigami's notebook and plans to use it to create a better world.
- DirectorJonathan NolanStarsEvan Rachel WoodThandiwe NewtonJeffrey WrightThe park staff begin to notice strange behavior from the hosts; A mysterious Man in Black roams the park, wreaking havoc.
- DirectorShingo NatsumeShin'ichirô UshijimaStarsMakoto FurukawaYukitoshi TokumotoTakuma SuzukiSaitama is a guy who's a hero for fun. After saving a child from certain death, he decided to become a hero, training hard for three years.
- DirectorYoshiyuki TakeiShin'ichirô WatanabeMary Elizabeth McGlynnStarsKôichi YamaderaUnshô IshizukaRintarô NishiSpike and Jet pursue an outlaw who is smuggling a reflex-enhancing drug.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsKevin SpaceyRobin WrightKate MaraCongressman Francis Underwood has been declined the chair for Secretary of State. He's now gathering his own team to plot his revenge. Zoe Barnes, a reporter for the Washington Herald, will do anything to get her big break.
- DirectorIan MacNaughtonJohn Howard DaviesStarsGraham ChapmanJohn CleeseEric Idle'It's Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart', Famous Deaths, Italian Lesson, Whizzo Butter, 'It's the Arts', Arthur "Two-Sheds" Jackson, Cycling Race, and The Funniest Joke in the World.
- DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsJason BatemanPortia de RossiWill ArnettAfter his father fails to promote him within the family business, Michael accepts a job in Arizona -- until his dad is arrested for shady bookkeeping.
- 2016–202547mTV-148.5 (27K)TV EpisodeDirectorMatt DufferRoss DufferStarsWinona RyderDavid HarbourFinn WolfhardAmerican scientists, working without oversight in an obscure laboratory in a backwater town, have managed to bring about the total destruction of mankind.
- DirectorOtto BathurstStarsRory KinnearLindsay DuncanDonald SumpterPrime Minister Michael Callow faces a shocking dilemma when Princess Susannah, a much-loved member of the Royal Family, is kidnapped.
- DirectorJames BurrowsStarsJennifer AnistonCourteney CoxLisa KudrowMonica and the gang introduce Rachel to the "real world" after she leaves her fiancé at the altar.
- DirectorArt WolffStarsJerry SeinfeldMichael RichardsLee GarlingtonJerry and George argue whether an overnight visitor Jerry is expecting is coming with romantic intentions.
- DirectorMartin ShardlowStarsDavid JasonNicholas LyndhurstLennard PearceDel employs younger brother Rodney as a member of Trotters' Independent Traders, despite warnings from his business colleagues. When Rodney decides to become the Trotters' financial adviser - monitoring the accounts and keeping Del's dodgy dealings in check - Del has second thoughts about their partnership. Cracks show in the partnership when Rodney inadvertently bungles a deal with Trigger. But despite Del's anger, it turns out that Rodder's advice would have prevented the purchase of 25 briefcases that are locked with the serial number inside. Del and Rodney have yet another row and 'Little Bruv' plans a career change. Desperate to make his mark on the world, Rodney decides to leave for Hong Kong - a great plan, if only he'd remembered his passport.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanMichael OntkeanMädchen AmickThe small northwest town of Twin Peaks, Washington is shaken up when the body of the Homecoming Queen, Laura Palmer, is discovered washed up on a riverbank, wrapped in plastic.
- DirectorJosé PadilhaStarsWagner MouraBoyd HolbrookPedro PascalChilean drug chemist Cockroach brings his product to Colombian smuggler Pablo Escobar. DEA agent Steve Murphy joins the war on drugs in Bogota.
- DirectorJake KasdanStarsLinda CardelliniJohn Francis DaleyJames FrancoIn 1980, a group of high school students face various social struggles. Wealthy "brain" Lindsay wants to rebel. Her geeky freshman brother Sam and his two friends are targeted by a bully.
- DirectorJohn AoshimaStarsKristen SchaalJason RitterAlex HirschAfter finding a strange book in the forest, Dipper begins to learn about the dark side of Gravity Falls, and suspects that Mabel's new boyfriend is a zombie.
- DirectorRichard BodenStarsRowan AtkinsonTony RobinsonStephen FryCaptain Blackadder spots an opportunity to get away from the trenches when General Melchett announces a painting competition for the cover of "King and Country" magazine.
- DirectorJohn Howard DaviesStarsJohn CleesePrunella ScalesAndrew SachsBasil is delighted when a member of the aristocracy chooses to stay at the Fawlty Towers, snubbing the normal guests who frequent the hotel. What Basil does not know, however, is that the man is not a Lord but a confidence trickster who attempts to steal his collection of rare coins. As Basil's desperation to keep such an 'upstanding' guest increases, he becomes increasingly tolerant towards the man's behavior, only to have the guest arrested in a police raid on the hotel.
- DirectorMichael AptedMikael SalomonStarsKevin McKiddRay StevensonPolly WalkerIn Gaul in 52 B.C., two Roman soldiers, Legionary Titus Pullo and Centurion Lucius Vorenus, are tasked with recovering Julius Caesar's personal Eagle, stolen from his camp in the dead of night. With his campaign in Gaul coming to a successful conclusion, Caesar's popularity is continuing to grow. He's saddened however when he receives news from his good friend Pompey Magnus that his daughter, Pompey's wife, has died in childbirth. In the Senate, Pompey must defend the prolonged absence of his friend and co-Consul Caesar against charges of corruption and of waging an illegal war. It's all a ruse however as he is plotting to eliminate him. Meanwhile, Atia of the Julii sends her son Octavian to Gaul deliver a gift of a beautiful stallion to his great uncle Julius Caesar. He is taken prisoner along the way. Fortunately, Vorenus and Pullo rescue him and as a result, both receive Caesar's favor.
- 2005–200823mTV-Y77.9 (6.8K)TV EpisodeDirectorDave FiloniStarsZach Tyler EisenMae WhitmanJack De SenaThe legend of the Avatar is told. Katara and Sokka find a strange boy within an iceberg.
- DirectorKen KwapisStarsSteve CarellRainn WilsonJohn KrasinskiThe premiere episode introduces the boss and staff of the Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania in a documentary about the workplace.
- DirectorOtto BathurstStarsLobo ChanCillian MurphyBenjamin ZephaniahThomas Shelby plans to fix a horse race; some guns turn up stolen.
- DirectorDarnell MartinStarsErnie HudsonTerry KinneyHarold PerrineauIn the 'Emerald City' experimental unit of Oswald State Penitentiary, we meet some of the diverse inmates who exist in a pecking order of Gangbangers, Latinos, Muslims, Westies, Aryans and Wiseguys.