most sitcoms take a while to hit their
stride these are not those sitcoms we
don’t mean interrupts we live across the
hall
oh that’s nice oh we don’t live together
I mean we live together but in separate
heterosexual bedrooms welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top ten pilot
episodes of TV sitcoms you know I
thought you were like Bill Murray in any
of his films but you’re more like
Michael Douglas in any of his films yeah
yeah will you have Asperger’s for this
list we’re taking a look at the first
episodes of comedy shows that had
audiences laughing right out of the gate
no no aah
get down get your ass down right now
keep in mind we’re excluding shows that
are widely considered drama DS likes The
Wonder Years Paul and I decided that the
best way to prepare for junior high
school girls was to look at the naked
number 10 pilot How I Met Your Mother
okay moment of truth wish me luck
Ted’s gonna get it on with a TV reporter
it’s just in okay How I Met Your Mother
could have easily been just another
friends wannabe okay here’s the phone
bill oh my god
that’s our phone number however the
first episode established that this was
going to be something much more
inventive and wise yeah paid olives
two weeks ago Spanish bar on 79th Street
dish olives you had some what up it
accomplished this not only through a
clever framing device but also thanks to
characters we instantly fell in love
with kids I’m gonna tell you an
incredible story
it had take nine seasons for future Ted
Mosby to finally reveal how he met the
mother of his two extremely patient
children was it times a long difficult
Road but I’m glad it was long and
difficult because if I hadn’t gone
through hell to get there a lesson might
not have been as clear but the pilot was
full of so many laughs future in jokes
and surprises that we signed up for the
long haul wow that is one badass blue
French horn
yeah mm-hmm so it looks like a smurf
penis number nine first day The
Inbetweeners mr. Gilbert you seem an
intelligent man oh I seem intelligent
how lovely of you to say
well McKenzie might act like a bumbling
idiot on his first day of school but his
shows first episode hit the airwaves
with 100% confidence and competence oh
no is that your mom I told a nut stone
pick me up she’s fit
yeah I’d fuck her and this pilot only
gets funnier upon a second viewing part
of that’s because it flashes forward to
several hilarious highlights from future
episodes this is the story of how I made
new friends like him friend a brain and
him and him
but there are also so many quotable
lines that you can’t catch them all in
one sitting
Brett’s Clement yep you notice in
Australian driving licence yep see
Australian that’s right Mike so when’s
your birthday 1550 May 1989 it’s a
perfect introduction to these incredibly
awkward characters who somehow managed
to become even more awkward as the
series continues if you can believe it
just look around you everyone in this
bloody puppies under I was underage
she’s underage he looks a bit older cuz
he’s uglier but he’s in the year below
even me number eight the pants 10th Curb
Your Enthusiasm so not quite sure how to
tell you this but I think your friend
Nancy thinks she got me aroused in the
movie
speaking of uncomfortable comedy Larry
David proved himself to be the biggest
trouble magnet since George Costanza in
the Curb Your Enthusiasm pilot hold on
wait a minute how am I gonna get the Rye
bread into the apartment just put it
onto your shirt
I’ve never seen a schnitz is wrong it’s
huge which is apt as George was based on
the real-life Larry David are you mama’s
boy I am a mama’s boy and I’m proud of
ha ha ha
the opening shot of Larry’s pants tent
set the mood for the entire series as a
minor inconvenience surges to greater
problems it’s just material I know but
but really look at this pan I’ve seen
pants bunch up I have never seen a bunch
up like this in my life this is like a
five-inch bunch up I got here anyone who
was pining for Seinfeld to return to TV
got their wish with this spiritual
successor is that problem for you excuse
me
yeah excuse actly right it’s nice hear
about it a little bit nicer to make this
beast sigh I’m just trying to get by I’m
sitting here and you could enter the
other way you just move your legs
however where Seinfeld had to work
around network censors curb was up front
from the start that it would be much
more direct about taking it out that’s
easy what’s this this is why it’s funny
cuz you thought that I had an erection
fat times we’re in fuck
that’s what we’re saying number seven
the good son Frasier
hi can we go look around a nervous wreck
gonna do something to calm down
donal espresso please cheers was one of
those rare shows where everything
immediately clicked from the get-go and
it maintained that quality for 11
seasons still working on that novel like
oh yeah come on six years now I just
kind of feeling out my finish it tonight
you’re writing a novel no really one
given the high bar the Boston gang set
it was inconceivable that Lightning
would strike twice where the Frasier
Crane spin-off on top of that my
practice had grown stagnant and my
social life consisted of I’m hanging
around a bar a night after night Frasier
quickly distinguished itself as the
smartest comedy on television however
with its own unique identity you haven’t
heard a word I said I was recite I had
missed you know what it’s like to listen
to people prattling on endlessly about
their mundane lives to shake and on that
subject I heard your show today the
title character in particular stepped up
from being a fun supporting player to
being a compelling leading man
desperately trying to preserve his own
sanity while reconnecting with and
retconning his nuclear family
I’m originally from Manchester England
really did you hear that I’m three feet
away there’s nothing wrong with my hair
number six pilot Rockland nine-nine
Santiago boy Diaz get in here bring
everyone and a camera that’s not
necessary on paper a sitcom set in a
police precinct sounds pretty elementary
but Brooklyn nine-nine proved itself to
be anything but by-the-book $6,000 for a
ham jamon iberico is an amazing cured
ham from Spain they had at my uncle’s
funeral I gorged myself at that funeral
I mean I was constipated for three days
the premiere episode brought together an
unparalleled team of comedic talent with
Andy Samberg as the star graders dan
gore and Michael Shore of Parks and
Recreation penning the script and
directors Phil Lord and Christopher
Miller of 21 Jump Street behind the
camera there was an incident in a
department store
you okay you little chubby I’m fine I’m
fine
throw in a diverse supporting ahsanul
cast with instant chemistry and you have
one of the most arresting TV pilots ever
constructed that’s how we do in the
nine-nine sir catch bad guys and look
good doing me what’s wrong with you
never took off the speedo big mistake it
is inside me
number five pilot also known as good
news bad news and the Seinfeld
Chronicles Seinfeld
I avoided human contact all night to
watch this hey I’m sorry I you know I
thought you knew you got any meat if
you’ve seen Seinfeld in its entirety
revisiting the pilot is both fascinating
and jarring never get engaged you’re
engaged
for starters originally there was no
Elaine monks cafe wasn’t Jerry’s primary
hangout spot and what happened to Kramer
Kessler’s dog he really likes you George
well that’s flattering guys getting a
drink of water
it may be bare bones but the Seinfeld
Chronicles demonstrates the basis for
what made this comedy so funny and
unconventional material based on nothing
the second button literally makes or
breaks the shirt look at it it’s too
high it’s a no-man’s land you look like
you live with your mother a conversation
about button placement doesn’t seem
exhilarating but Seinfeld showed us that
sometimes the littlest things amount to
the biggest laughs your hug definitely
good hug is definitely great although
what if it’s one of those hugs where the
shoulders are touching the hips are
eight feet apart number four the pilot
also known as the one where Monica gets
a new roommate the one where it all
began and the first one friends
this guy says hello I want to kill
myself the reason so many pilots fail is
because the writers have yet to flesh
out their characters personalities
motivations and backstories oh I wish me
luck before I’m gonna go get one of
those job things this was not at all the
case with friends which fully
materialized as an ensemble piece from
its opening scene all of a sudden the
phone starts to ring and it turns out
it’s my mother
which is very very weird because she
never calls though it doesn’t closely
resemble the fast paced show it
eventually became by the episodes
conclusion the audience felt like they’d
made six new friends and the bond they
would share with them would last a long
time she should not be wearing those
pants I say push it down the stairs
whether dealing with failed marriages or
failed weddings these friends could
always confide in each other
and we could take comfort in them let me
tell you something Ross there’s lots of
flavors out there this rocky road and
cookie dough and bing cherry vanilla
number three pilot 30 rock no thank you
you know what this is for computer
classes Tina Fey makes it no secret she
thought the first 30 rock episode was a
mess what about Ray Romano can you do
right hey oh hey my brother’s home while
the series only went uphill over the
years it’s pilot still stands out as a
masterful launching point with one great
one-liner visual gag and character
moment after another he had to pretend
to be this old lady this honky grandma
be trippin everyone’s given a memorable
introduction from Liz Lemon’s
misadventure at a hotdog stand
to tracy jordan’s jedi breakdown – Jack
Donaghy’s triumphant first entrance
they should really give herself more
credit as most show runners could only
dream of producing a pilot this
hilarious okay
afraid up 2 p.m. I’m not dressed for
that you’re dressed for Burger King
should we make it Burger King
number two pilot Modern Family I’m Josh
Ryan’s day hi I’m Gloria Pritchett
Manny’s mother oh this must be your dad
her dad yeah no no that’s funny actually
no I’m her husband now among the most
popular and acclaimed comedies on
television everybody knows that the
Dunphy’s Pritchett Delgado’s and
Tucker’s are all one big happy clan come
in don’t worry that nothing gay going on
here
may I take your multicolored coat and
bejeweled cap yeah
what’s ingenious about the modern family
pilot is that it doesn’t reveal these
distinctive people are related
forthright honey do you have anything to
say to your daughter about her skirt
sorry oh yeah looks really cute
sweetheart
hey no at first it feels like three
completely different sitcoms crammed
into one Phil sweetie honey he is Dylan
and he is a senior just get him
let me meet this play up Phil Dunphy yo
although all these seemingly unconnected
stories are hysterical it’s the
unexpected way the families unite in the
final act that cements this pilots place
as one of televisions funniest and most
well thought out half-hours you come
into my house and you insult me and my
boyfriend who by the way is not that
dramatic and
before we tune in to our top pick here
are some honorable mentions hey what’s
going on up here oh not too much
Charlie’s using you to prove that he’s
not racist and then he asked me out on a
date the number of odds do not be fooled
by their job descriptions they are
absolutely mad all of them especially
that one I Got News for You Tom Hanks I
will never ever talk to a volleyball no
we have time do we have not buying it
balls aren’t people dude I know also for
fun you did steroids they make your
balls shrink oh you think that’s funny
how about I shave my balls right here
and you can tell me if they shrunk huh
no for information I have full sized
balls look who’s here will hey who is he
you don’t have a first name
you know I’m Lord Melbury I simply sign
Millbrae go away
number one Pilate Arrested Development
so why is Michael so happy because he’s
decided to never speak to these people
again talk about a show that fired on
all cylinders right off the bat captain
is my brother Joe why are you incredible
I’m having an incredible year
at upside in its first episode alone
Arrested Development exhibited more
brilliant comedic timing dialogue
build-up payoff foreshadowing callbacks
references and chemistry then most shows
have in their entire run going to be
good I’m hoping the universe provides a
path for me
Tobias recently lost his medical license
for administering CPR to a person who as
it turned out was not having a heart
attack
despite the pilot winning Emmys for
writing and directing mass audiences
didn’t seem to discover the Bluth family
until it was too late well I’m sorry
it’s just it’s too late I’m truly sorry
but I’m moving to Phoenix I got a job
nevertheless anybody who saw the
premiere when it initially aired knew
that they’d witnessed a comedic magnum
opus that transcended every other sitcom
on television setting a new standard
what an adventure gang oh I thought that
the homosexuals were pirates but it
turns out that most of them were actors
in the local theater do you agree with
our list no I can’t hear this this is
too sad what’s your favorite sitcom
pilot how could I make such a stupid
mistake for more entertaining top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com let’s have a word of a
fine master detective Jake Peralta
you
stride these are not those sitcoms we
don’t mean interrupts we live across the
hall
oh that’s nice oh we don’t live together
I mean we live together but in separate
heterosexual bedrooms welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top ten pilot
episodes of TV sitcoms you know I
thought you were like Bill Murray in any
of his films but you’re more like
Michael Douglas in any of his films yeah
yeah will you have Asperger’s for this
list we’re taking a look at the first
episodes of comedy shows that had
audiences laughing right out of the gate
no no aah
get down get your ass down right now
keep in mind we’re excluding shows that
are widely considered drama DS likes The
Wonder Years Paul and I decided that the
best way to prepare for junior high
school girls was to look at the naked
number 10 pilot How I Met Your Mother
okay moment of truth wish me luck
Ted’s gonna get it on with a TV reporter
it’s just in okay How I Met Your Mother
could have easily been just another
friends wannabe okay here’s the phone
bill oh my god
that’s our phone number however the
first episode established that this was
going to be something much more
inventive and wise yeah paid olives
two weeks ago Spanish bar on 79th Street
dish olives you had some what up it
accomplished this not only through a
clever framing device but also thanks to
characters we instantly fell in love
with kids I’m gonna tell you an
incredible story
it had take nine seasons for future Ted
Mosby to finally reveal how he met the
mother of his two extremely patient
children was it times a long difficult
Road but I’m glad it was long and
difficult because if I hadn’t gone
through hell to get there a lesson might
not have been as clear but the pilot was
full of so many laughs future in jokes
and surprises that we signed up for the
long haul wow that is one badass blue
French horn
yeah mm-hmm so it looks like a smurf
penis number nine first day The
Inbetweeners mr. Gilbert you seem an
intelligent man oh I seem intelligent
how lovely of you to say
well McKenzie might act like a bumbling
idiot on his first day of school but his
shows first episode hit the airwaves
with 100% confidence and competence oh
no is that your mom I told a nut stone
pick me up she’s fit
yeah I’d fuck her and this pilot only
gets funnier upon a second viewing part
of that’s because it flashes forward to
several hilarious highlights from future
episodes this is the story of how I made
new friends like him friend a brain and
him and him
but there are also so many quotable
lines that you can’t catch them all in
one sitting
Brett’s Clement yep you notice in
Australian driving licence yep see
Australian that’s right Mike so when’s
your birthday 1550 May 1989 it’s a
perfect introduction to these incredibly
awkward characters who somehow managed
to become even more awkward as the
series continues if you can believe it
just look around you everyone in this
bloody puppies under I was underage
she’s underage he looks a bit older cuz
he’s uglier but he’s in the year below
even me number eight the pants 10th Curb
Your Enthusiasm so not quite sure how to
tell you this but I think your friend
Nancy thinks she got me aroused in the
movie
speaking of uncomfortable comedy Larry
David proved himself to be the biggest
trouble magnet since George Costanza in
the Curb Your Enthusiasm pilot hold on
wait a minute how am I gonna get the Rye
bread into the apartment just put it
onto your shirt
I’ve never seen a schnitz is wrong it’s
huge which is apt as George was based on
the real-life Larry David are you mama’s
boy I am a mama’s boy and I’m proud of
ha ha ha
the opening shot of Larry’s pants tent
set the mood for the entire series as a
minor inconvenience surges to greater
problems it’s just material I know but
but really look at this pan I’ve seen
pants bunch up I have never seen a bunch
up like this in my life this is like a
five-inch bunch up I got here anyone who
was pining for Seinfeld to return to TV
got their wish with this spiritual
successor is that problem for you excuse
me
yeah excuse actly right it’s nice hear
about it a little bit nicer to make this
beast sigh I’m just trying to get by I’m
sitting here and you could enter the
other way you just move your legs
however where Seinfeld had to work
around network censors curb was up front
from the start that it would be much
more direct about taking it out that’s
easy what’s this this is why it’s funny
cuz you thought that I had an erection
fat times we’re in fuck
that’s what we’re saying number seven
the good son Frasier
hi can we go look around a nervous wreck
gonna do something to calm down
donal espresso please cheers was one of
those rare shows where everything
immediately clicked from the get-go and
it maintained that quality for 11
seasons still working on that novel like
oh yeah come on six years now I just
kind of feeling out my finish it tonight
you’re writing a novel no really one
given the high bar the Boston gang set
it was inconceivable that Lightning
would strike twice where the Frasier
Crane spin-off on top of that my
practice had grown stagnant and my
social life consisted of I’m hanging
around a bar a night after night Frasier
quickly distinguished itself as the
smartest comedy on television however
with its own unique identity you haven’t
heard a word I said I was recite I had
missed you know what it’s like to listen
to people prattling on endlessly about
their mundane lives to shake and on that
subject I heard your show today the
title character in particular stepped up
from being a fun supporting player to
being a compelling leading man
desperately trying to preserve his own
sanity while reconnecting with and
retconning his nuclear family
I’m originally from Manchester England
really did you hear that I’m three feet
away there’s nothing wrong with my hair
number six pilot Rockland nine-nine
Santiago boy Diaz get in here bring
everyone and a camera that’s not
necessary on paper a sitcom set in a
police precinct sounds pretty elementary
but Brooklyn nine-nine proved itself to
be anything but by-the-book $6,000 for a
ham jamon iberico is an amazing cured
ham from Spain they had at my uncle’s
funeral I gorged myself at that funeral
I mean I was constipated for three days
the premiere episode brought together an
unparalleled team of comedic talent with
Andy Samberg as the star graders dan
gore and Michael Shore of Parks and
Recreation penning the script and
directors Phil Lord and Christopher
Miller of 21 Jump Street behind the
camera there was an incident in a
department store
you okay you little chubby I’m fine I’m
fine
throw in a diverse supporting ahsanul
cast with instant chemistry and you have
one of the most arresting TV pilots ever
constructed that’s how we do in the
nine-nine sir catch bad guys and look
good doing me what’s wrong with you
never took off the speedo big mistake it
is inside me
number five pilot also known as good
news bad news and the Seinfeld
Chronicles Seinfeld
I avoided human contact all night to
watch this hey I’m sorry I you know I
thought you knew you got any meat if
you’ve seen Seinfeld in its entirety
revisiting the pilot is both fascinating
and jarring never get engaged you’re
engaged
for starters originally there was no
Elaine monks cafe wasn’t Jerry’s primary
hangout spot and what happened to Kramer
Kessler’s dog he really likes you George
well that’s flattering guys getting a
drink of water
it may be bare bones but the Seinfeld
Chronicles demonstrates the basis for
what made this comedy so funny and
unconventional material based on nothing
the second button literally makes or
breaks the shirt look at it it’s too
high it’s a no-man’s land you look like
you live with your mother a conversation
about button placement doesn’t seem
exhilarating but Seinfeld showed us that
sometimes the littlest things amount to
the biggest laughs your hug definitely
good hug is definitely great although
what if it’s one of those hugs where the
shoulders are touching the hips are
eight feet apart number four the pilot
also known as the one where Monica gets
a new roommate the one where it all
began and the first one friends
this guy says hello I want to kill
myself the reason so many pilots fail is
because the writers have yet to flesh
out their characters personalities
motivations and backstories oh I wish me
luck before I’m gonna go get one of
those job things this was not at all the
case with friends which fully
materialized as an ensemble piece from
its opening scene all of a sudden the
phone starts to ring and it turns out
it’s my mother
which is very very weird because she
never calls though it doesn’t closely
resemble the fast paced show it
eventually became by the episodes
conclusion the audience felt like they’d
made six new friends and the bond they
would share with them would last a long
time she should not be wearing those
pants I say push it down the stairs
whether dealing with failed marriages or
failed weddings these friends could
always confide in each other
and we could take comfort in them let me
tell you something Ross there’s lots of
flavors out there this rocky road and
cookie dough and bing cherry vanilla
number three pilot 30 rock no thank you
you know what this is for computer
classes Tina Fey makes it no secret she
thought the first 30 rock episode was a
mess what about Ray Romano can you do
right hey oh hey my brother’s home while
the series only went uphill over the
years it’s pilot still stands out as a
masterful launching point with one great
one-liner visual gag and character
moment after another he had to pretend
to be this old lady this honky grandma
be trippin everyone’s given a memorable
introduction from Liz Lemon’s
misadventure at a hotdog stand
to tracy jordan’s jedi breakdown – Jack
Donaghy’s triumphant first entrance
they should really give herself more
credit as most show runners could only
dream of producing a pilot this
hilarious okay
afraid up 2 p.m. I’m not dressed for
that you’re dressed for Burger King
should we make it Burger King
number two pilot Modern Family I’m Josh
Ryan’s day hi I’m Gloria Pritchett
Manny’s mother oh this must be your dad
her dad yeah no no that’s funny actually
no I’m her husband now among the most
popular and acclaimed comedies on
television everybody knows that the
Dunphy’s Pritchett Delgado’s and
Tucker’s are all one big happy clan come
in don’t worry that nothing gay going on
here
may I take your multicolored coat and
bejeweled cap yeah
what’s ingenious about the modern family
pilot is that it doesn’t reveal these
distinctive people are related
forthright honey do you have anything to
say to your daughter about her skirt
sorry oh yeah looks really cute
sweetheart
hey no at first it feels like three
completely different sitcoms crammed
into one Phil sweetie honey he is Dylan
and he is a senior just get him
let me meet this play up Phil Dunphy yo
although all these seemingly unconnected
stories are hysterical it’s the
unexpected way the families unite in the
final act that cements this pilots place
as one of televisions funniest and most
well thought out half-hours you come
into my house and you insult me and my
boyfriend who by the way is not that
dramatic and
before we tune in to our top pick here
are some honorable mentions hey what’s
going on up here oh not too much
Charlie’s using you to prove that he’s
not racist and then he asked me out on a
date the number of odds do not be fooled
by their job descriptions they are
absolutely mad all of them especially
that one I Got News for You Tom Hanks I
will never ever talk to a volleyball no
we have time do we have not buying it
balls aren’t people dude I know also for
fun you did steroids they make your
balls shrink oh you think that’s funny
how about I shave my balls right here
and you can tell me if they shrunk huh
no for information I have full sized
balls look who’s here will hey who is he
you don’t have a first name
you know I’m Lord Melbury I simply sign
Millbrae go away
number one Pilate Arrested Development
so why is Michael so happy because he’s
decided to never speak to these people
again talk about a show that fired on
all cylinders right off the bat captain
is my brother Joe why are you incredible
I’m having an incredible year
at upside in its first episode alone
Arrested Development exhibited more
brilliant comedic timing dialogue
build-up payoff foreshadowing callbacks
references and chemistry then most shows
have in their entire run going to be
good I’m hoping the universe provides a
path for me
Tobias recently lost his medical license
for administering CPR to a person who as
it turned out was not having a heart
attack
despite the pilot winning Emmys for
writing and directing mass audiences
didn’t seem to discover the Bluth family
until it was too late well I’m sorry
it’s just it’s too late I’m truly sorry
but I’m moving to Phoenix I got a job
nevertheless anybody who saw the
premiere when it initially aired knew
that they’d witnessed a comedic magnum
opus that transcended every other sitcom
on television setting a new standard
what an adventure gang oh I thought that
the homosexuals were pirates but it
turns out that most of them were actors
in the local theater do you agree with
our list no I can’t hear this this is
too sad what’s your favorite sitcom
pilot how could I make such a stupid
mistake for more entertaining top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com let’s have a word of a
fine master detective Jake Peralta
you
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