In almost any series, the initial episode, or pilot, is going to be weaker than the more typical episode.
I would state the opposite.
Its true one can sometimes spot actors being still uncomfortable with their parts. Alan Alda during the start of M*A*S*H comes to mind.
However many shows take priority in getting a good opener - and I think thats a good idea, get the people interested while you can.
Becker for example has an awesome first scene and the whole first episode stays strong after that.
Buffy the vampire slayer does the same. The first double episode starts and never stops having hold. While many of the other episodes of the first season are kind of cheap monster of the week episodes. Granted, they still have the great characterization and dialogue and humor, but they arent as strong in the story.
The first Sabrina the teenage witch episode is probably one of the best Sabrina episodes in total. Especially considering that after the first three seasons, the show takes an extreme nosedrive into ever lower quality. And actually that first episode showed promise that never got realized later. Namely somehow Sabrina never again showed the ability to know things she shouldnt know.
One could argue how good the first episode of Dark Matter really is, but it certainly tried to archieve having a good opener and its definitely in the better half of episodes of that season.
The first Star Trek episode is also one of the best episodes of the whole show. While many other episodes are kind of repetitive, the first episode captures a sort of unique theme, a human turning superhuman.
Star Trek Voyager certainly had a truely weak first episode. It also had an incredibly weak last episode. It also wasnt that great of a show.
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A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me.
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