Fantasy TV pilots must convey a lot of information in a relatively short amount of time, and shows that nail their openings do this while simultaneously investing viewers in the story. Many TV shows in the genre are set in completely different worlds, which means they need to explain at least some of the “rules” to get viewers interested. Even urban fantasy needs to set the stage for the extraordinary elements.

The best TV pilot episodes of all time provide enough detail to intrigue viewers while focusing on a few characters they can get attached to. Fantasy TV shows can be complex, but if there is enough excitement and great writing, the first episode can get away with being a little mysterious. Another great strategy is ending the pilot episode with a major plot twist.

All the best fantasy pilots utilize some combination of these strategies, setting their series up for success. Without their great openings, there’s no telling where these shows would be.

The Good Place

Title: “Everything Is Fine”

The Good Place is a genre-defying show with supernatural and fantasy elements. The pilot begins with Eleanor Shellstrop waking up in a waiting room and calmly being told that she has died but has gone to the titular version of heaven. This moment is played for kicks, but it sets up the fascinating ethical dilemma at the core of season 1.

Eleanor is not a good person, but she wants to be, and she is paired with the one person who could help her. This sets up The Good Place as a show that will hook viewers from beginning to end. Eleanor and Chidi’s situation is fascinating enough on its own, but the pilot keeps us engaged by showing that The Good Place is not all it seems.

Arcane

Title: “Welcome To The Playground”

Given the show’s quality, it’s not surprising that Arcane won the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program for both its seasons. The visual effects are stunning, and the pilot episode is not just beautiful; it’s genuinely intriguing. The pilot throws a lot at viewers, opening with a tragedy and then digging into the vast inequality between Piltover and Zaun.

Arcane had a very hard task, appealing to both fantasy lovers and fans of the League of Legends games that the show is based on. That said, Arcane is a perfect series from start to finish. From the jump, it’s set to a great soundtrack and nails the relationship between Vi and Powder. The pilot also expertly hints at the threats on the horizon.

The Umbrella Academy

Title: “We Only See Each Other At Weddings And Funerals”

The Umbrella Academy has one of the best soundtracks of any TV show, and the pilot episode uses this to great effect, with a fight montage that sums up each main character in seconds. The show has a quirky sense of humor that is not always present in other fantasy TV shows. This sets The Umbrella Academy apart from the pilot onward.

The Umbrella Academy‘s pilot episode foreshadowed major plot points while condensing years of character development and estrangement across seven people. It manages this without feeling rushed, and these excellent dynamics prove enough to hook viewers. Of course, the show also throws in a great wildcard when Number Five returns to warn his family about the impending apocalypse.

The Witcher

Title: “The End’s Beginning”

The Witcher is an action-focused fantasy show that throws its audience right in, with Geralt of Rivia immediately doing battle with the Kikimora, which still ranks as one of the best TV show monsters of all time. The Witcher was one of the most anticipated fantasy shows of all time, and Henry Cavill’s performance in the pilot showed that his casting was spot-on.

Within just 10 minutes, The Witcher establishes that the job of a Witcher is dirty and difficult, as well as thankless. This sets up the world and the lives of the main characters Geralt and Ciri. The show could easily have introduced itself as swords and sorcery without much substance. However, The Witcher avoids this by introducing intrigue and the question of destiny.

Stranger Things

Title: “Chapter One: The Vanishing Of Will Byers”