Ambush : That’s one of the ones I referred to in my post above, and the best of the three attempts Roddenbery had at basically the same idea.
Another vote for Twin Peaks. In my opinion the absolute gold standard for television.
A more obscure one: Anyone remember the early '90s sitcom Flying Blind with Tea Leoni and Corey Parker? The series didn’t hold up – ended up as a typical screwball sitcom, repressed guy dates non-repressed woman – but the pilot was exceptional. I still remember the last shot 14 years later.
Andy Richter Controls the Universe
although it never went anywhere, I laughed my butt off.
Twin Peaks was possibly not just the best pilot but might have been better than any movie that came out that same year. I still remember the first line:
“She’s dead. Wrapped in plastic.”
I don’t know about “best,” but the most memorable pilot for me was called The World Beyond (1978).
It was to have been a series about a man who investigates paranormal things based on voices from the dead. It was actually the second of two pilots, but this is the one people remember, and it never actually made it to a series.
You might not remember the title, but if you were a teen watching TV on January 21, 1978, you definitely remember that scary-ass “Mud Monster” that had an aversion to salt.
The Shield
Deadwood
The Wire
Alias
Law & Order
NYPD Blue
Murder One- Pilot and first season were good.
Agree with The West Wing and Firefly. Another short-lived show that had a pilot that did a good job introducing its characters and setting up the series was Dead Like Me. In the sitcom category, I thought NewsRadio and Taxi established themselves very well.