10 Of The Greatest Ever TV Pilots — And 10 Of The Worst Finales

Recently, I decided to ask members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell me, in their opinion, which finale episodes almost ruined a show — and which pilot episodes were the best that ever happened. Here are their answers:

1.Amazing Pilot: "Arrested Development was one of the best to ever do it."

A hand holds a paper bag with a labeled note saying
A hand holds a paper bag with a labeled note saying
A man in a kitchen looks at a brown paper bag with a note attached
A man in a kitchen looks at a brown paper bag with a note attached

Fox / Via youtube.com

"And the greatness didn't stop in the pilot; it was amazing (almost) all the way through. It wasn't the same, but they tried their best with that final Netflix season. And it just gets funnier and funnier every rewatch, because I see stuff I've missed before."

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—Anonymous

2.Horrible Finale: "The Supernatural finale was an abomination."

Person with a surprised expression looking upward, wearing a collared shirt and jacket

3.Amazing Pilot: "I loved the West Wing pilot. The dialogue was smart, snappy, and funny. Plus Martin Sheen's entrance was perfection."

Person in an office setting, wearing a white shirt and dark tie, sits at a desk, appearing to be in conversation

4.Horrible Finale: "Game of Thrones."

—Anonymous

—Anonymous

HBO / Via youtube.com

5.Amazing Pilot: "The Sopranos."

Man standing in a pool with ducks nearby, wearing a wet jacket, smiling at the camera

6.Horrible Finale: "The final episode of How I Met Your Mother was an absolute travesty."

Two people sitting in a bar; man in a suit holding a drink, woman in a sleeveless dress, both smiling

7.Amazing Pilot: "What We Do In The Shadows has one of the best pilots!"

Two men in a convenience store, one in modern casual clothing and the other dressed as a vampire with a cloak, standing by a cash register

8.Horrible Finale: "Pretty Little Liars had the worst series finale on the planet in the history of, like, ever!!!

Group of five women outdoors, embracing in a close, supportive hug, looking content and peaceful

9.Amazing Pilot: "Derry Girls had a perfect pilot."

A woman in a school uniform sits at a desk, looking attentively forward with a pen in hand. Another student is seated behind her
A woman in a school uniform sits at a desk, looking attentively forward with a pen in hand. Another student is seated behind her
A woman with curly hair in a school uniform looks surprised. The Netflix logo is in the corner
A woman with curly hair in a school uniform looks surprised. The Netflix logo is in the corner

Channel 4 / Netflix / Via youtube.com

"It introduced the characters beautifully with all their different personalities and set the tone of the show. The detention scene is an absolute classic, and you knew after the pilot what you were getting into."

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10.Horrible Finale: "They never should have killed George on Grey's Anatomy."

Close-up of a person looking serious, with a blurred background

11.Amazing Pilot: "Bob's Burgers' pilot episode [is the] best there is out there! Nothing can outshine this one."

Animated characters sitting at a dining table with breakfast. A character in a pink hat is excited, with two others smiling nearby

—Anonymous

Adult Swim / Fox / Via youtube.com

12.Horrible Finale: "I loved The Flash when I was in high school, but its ending was horrible."

Person in superhero costume with lightning effects runs at high speed outdoors
Person in superhero costume with lightning effects runs at high speed outdoors
A person in a superhero costume with a lightning bolt emblem raises a hand while standing on a runway
A person in a superhero costume with a lightning bolt emblem raises a hand while standing on a runway

The CW / Via youtube.com

"I returned to the show when I was in college, and I was like, 'What happened?' The beginning of the show was great. The later seasons, not so much."

—Anonymous

13.Amazing Pilot: "Anyone who writes will tell you that Breaking Bad had one of the most impressive pilot episodes of all time."

Two people talking outside, one wearing a hoodie, the other in a casual jacket, with a caption, "Did you learn nothing from my chemistry class?"

14.Horrible Finale: "Friends."

Two people in a scene; one hugs the other from behind, wearing casual attire, looking concerned

15.Amazing Pilot: "I think my favorite show of all time that I could watch forever is Twin Peaks."

Person in a suit driving a car, speaking into a handheld radio device

16.Horrible Finale: "I know they were working with unforeseen circumstances, so I understand, but... House of Cards."

A person stands confidently in an office setting with a U.S. flag in the background, wearing a tailored suit jacket. Netflix logo shown

17.Amazing Pilot: "The pilot of The Walking Dead was awesome."

A person wearing bear-themed slippers picks up a teddy bear from the ground near a car tire
A person wearing bear-themed slippers picks up a teddy bear from the ground near a car tire
A person in a sheriff's uniform looks under a vehicle, appearing alert and focused, with a cowboy hat placed in front
A person in a sheriff's uniform looks under a vehicle, appearing alert and focused, with a cowboy hat placed in front

AMC / Via youtube.com

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"I came late to the party of The Walking Dead fandom. I was busy having my first baby when it premiered, and it took four years after baby number two for the show to even register on my radar. All I knew was that it was about zombies. I had no idea it began after the apocalypse had already happened and the protagonist was just as confused as me. LOL, epic."

—Anonymous

18.On the other hand... Horrible Finale: "The Walking Dead's final few episodes were such a letdown."

A rugged bearded man with a serious expression looks into the distance. Subtitles read: "Man: Come on, Rick."

19.Amazing Pilot: "This Is Us had both a stellar pilot as well as finale. They stayed strong throughout."

Two people sit side by side, one older and one younger with a beard, sharing a moment. The younger person looks intently at the older person

—Anonymous

NBC / Via youtube.com

20.And a final Horrible Finale: "For me, not only the finale but ALL of the last season of Sex and the City sucked."

A woman in a fur coat walks away from a car with a man looking out the window

So, agree or disagree? Tell me what you think down below!