The Best Pilots and Finales

Best Pilots

1. The Walking Dead (One and a half hours of pure television entertainment. That final scene absolutely hooked me…and here i am, four seasons later.)
2. The West Wing (The opening “walk and talk” scene –  an almost 5-minute continuous shot that exemplified the brilliance of the writing and acting the show had over 7 seasons.)
3. Lost (At the time, it was the most expensive pilot ever made, and rightfully so. JJ Abrams created a movie-calibre pilot that drew you in from the opening seconds.)
4. 24 (Such a unique approach to television season: “The following takes place between midnight and 1.00 a.m. on the day of the California Presidential Primary”. Awesome.)
5. Stargate: Atlantis (I must have seen “The Rising” at least 20 times. A great segue from SG1 to Atlantis.)

JJ Abrams and Matthew Fox filming the Lost pilot

Best Finales

1. Friends (She got off the plane!!)
2. Dawson’s Creek (Skipping a few years into the future gave the show an honest and more “realistic” ending. Michelle Williams gave us a heart wrenching performance and a great sneak peek into how she would become an Oscar nominee… And finally the Joey/Dawson/Pacey love triangle was put to rest. Joey and Pacey 4lyfe!)
3. Sex and the City (New York AND Paris? Its a no brainer.)
4. Buffy (The slayers are all awoken and the Hellmouth collapses. Just another day in Sunnydale.)
5. The Sopranos (That final scene…)

After 10 seasons, the Friends cast in the finale