@TVGMMattRoush
Question: When I watched the first episode of Designated Survivor, I was thrilled. I also knew it was a candidate for “pilot-itis,” wherein a series with a great pilot slowly (or sometimes suddenly) drops off in quality. I’m sorry to see that my diagnosis was correct. A different strain of pilot-itis occurs when the first episode of a series is mediocre, but it turns terrific later on. What are some of your favorite examples of each pilot-itis strain? — Ryan
Matt Roush: My own definition of “pilot-itis” is when a new show tries to pack too much into the first episode, leaving you clueless as to what a normal episode might look like. But your question plays to another truism about pilots: that they can be either the very best episode of a series, or the worst. While I’m still enjoying Designated Survivor, I agree the pilot has yet to be equaled. Other pilots that were among the best of a fall crop, where the show fell apart almost immediately afterward: Fox’s Lone Star (by episode 2, I could see it didn’t work as a series) and ABC’s The Nine come first to mind. Among the shows that underwhelmed me at first but went on to become favorites, the most notable include Grey’s Anatomy (the voice-overs in the pilot were so incessant I couldn’t appreciate the quality cast) and The X-Files (didn’t realize how many kinds of paranormal cases they’d be handling).
To submit questions to TV Critic Matt Roush, go to: tvinsider.com
