It isn't always a good idea to judge a TV show by its pilot episode. Some TV shows become huge hits even though their very first episode (and sometimes even the entire first season) aren't as great as the rest of the show. There are multiple reasons why this can happen.
Sometimes the show is lacking one vital character portrayed by a certain actor who only joins the cast later on and brings something new and fresh to the series. Sometimes it's all a matter of characterizing the heroes, discovering who they are as people. Whatever the reason, some of the best sitcoms ever had surprisingly weak pilot episodes, at least in comparison to the rest of the show.
7 The Simpsons
The Simpsons are now one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time but the very first episode isn't the best one. The animation aged a lot since its release, so the characters look a bit scary in the pilot. The story itself isn't as memorable, other than introducing the family's dog, it doesn't leave a strong impression.
Overall, it's a decent start but knowing what the audience knows today, the first episode of The Simpsons just doesn't cut it anymore. Many other, much better episodes came after it.
6 Blackadder
Rowan Atkinson is still best known for playing the silent Mr. Bean, but fans of British sitcoms will know his other role, Edmund Blackadder, as well. The first season takes place in the Middle Ages and Atkinson's Edmund is far less interesting or intelligent than his later versions (as each episode happens in a different time period and with a different character).
It's very hard to cheer on Edmund in the initial episodes, and the frequency of truly good jokes also isn't as high as later. The show truly gained its footing with the second season set in Tudor England, when Edmund went from a somewhat foolish person to a cunning and charismatic nobleman.
5 How I Met Your Mother
The first episode of the now legendary sitcom hasn't aged well as it contains some rather questionable jokes, especially from Barney's side. Ted also doesn't come across as the best person in the episode.
The characters haven't yet had the time to show who they really are, as Robin, for example, is only shown with Ted and doesn't even interact with the other main characters. As the series developed, so did the story and the heroes, who went on to become much more sympathetic than the first episode would suggest.
4 The Big Bang Theory
Another sitcom that took some time to establish the characters of its heroes is the iconic The Big Bang Theory. And most of all, the changes concerned the popular character of Sheldon played by Jim Parsons.
In the first episode, Sheldon is much more comfortable when it comes to dealing with women and talking about this topic which is very different from his behavior in the later episodes. That makes the series less consistent as a whole, so even though the first episode isn't entirely awful, the show's best moments were yet to come at this point. It also wasn't until later episodes that the sitcom showed that Penny was much smarter than the other characters originally mistakenly believed.
3 The Office
The Office is an American remake of a great British comedy show yet it only became truly great when it stopped copying its predecessor and created its own path. For example, Steve Carrell's Michael Scott is downright unlikeable in the first season. He becomes much more sympathetic later on, even though he's still a horrible boss most of the time.
The pilot's sense of humor is also hit-or-miss, but more often the second option. Fortunately for The Office, the creators realized by the end of season one they couldn't just do what the British original did before them and switched their approach, making The Office into a truly funny and intelligent show.
2 It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
It wasn't just the first episode, but the entire first season of this sitcom wasn't such a great hit with the audience. It only found its way when Danny DeVito joined the show as Frank in the second season. So even though it's good to watch the pilot in order to get to know the characters, the best in the series was yet to come in the first episode.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia currently has fifteen seasons, with the latest one having aired recently, in December 2021. It proves that a show can become a huge success despite a weaker start.
1 Community
Community is an excellent sitcom for everyone who remembers what it felt like going to school with a group of different people. However, the first episode takes some time to introduce the characters, and since there are so many of them, it isn't as fast-paced and funny as the future parts.
The series took a while to discover its unique sense of humor, but once it did, it became a truly excellent watch. Viewers can discover it for themselves on Netflix, where Community is currently streaming.