Definitely Batman: The Animated Series
Definitely Batman: The Animated Series
Awakening: Gargoyles. It hasn't aged a day other than them stealing floppy disks.
I definitely agree with those who said Three's Company and the great Mary Tyler Moore first episodes.
The one first episode that immediately comes to mind is "Chuck" (the NBC show starring Zac Levi). I loved it! It got me hooked to the story right away. It's rare when a show does that.
I remember being fairly impressed by the first episode of Netflix's Lost in Space.
All the hows and whys are explained quite clearly and in an efficient fashion, the pacing is good, the acting is solid and you don't have yet that almost comical feeling that those poor people can't walk for two meters without having something terrible happening to them. (which is one of my main complain about the first season, that's kinda ridiculous actually how crazy **** just keeps happening to them)
Alias
Everything from the opening scene where Sydney, with her crazy red hair, was being tortured to the end where she finds out she is actually working for the enemy was amazing.
The Good Place. I liked that first episode and the initial set up so much, I was a bit worried about the next season when the twist was revealed. Fortunately, it continued to be excellent season after season.
"The White Queen welcomes you, TO DIE!"
I remember the SLIDERS first episode was really good! I really liked that show until the quality started to decline.
Also, STARGATE SG1!
That's a good one! (that show might have pioneered the "cold open at the most tense moment 3/4 through the episode then flashback to how it started" plot device)
-- "Firefly" (the real first episode)
-- "Miami Vice" (was the first a two-parter? Either way... "I can feel it / comin' in the air tonight...."
-- "Battlestar Galactica" (the reboot)
-- "The Shield" (how many shows shoot you in the head to cap their first ep?)
-- "EZ Streets". I doubt anyone remembers this crime thriller that barely lasted a season, but that first ep had me hooked.
-- "Crime Story", What can I say, Michael Mann was on fire at the time...