‘Parks and Recreation’ Heads List Of Hits That Had Low Pilot Scores
A new study has named Parks and Recreation as the most popular TV series with the lowest-rated pilot episode, with a rating of 6.9 out of 10 on IMDb.
The casino comparison website Instant Casinos analyzed data from IMDb to rank each show mentioned on Variety and Rolling Stone’s lists of the 100 greatest TV series of all time. The shows with the lowest-rated pilot episodes on IMDb determined the ranking.
The study names Parks and Recreation as the beloved TV series with the lowest-rated pilot episode, with the show’s debut receiving a score of 6.9 out of 10 on IMDb. While the series is now championed as one of the most beloved comedies of all time, its first episode was met with mediocre reviews, failing to win over critics. It has since been embraced as a familiar favorite and has been celebrated for its impressive cast, featuring stars like Amy Poehler, Aubrey Plaza, and Chris Pratt.
The HBO series Girls is revealed to have the second-lowest rated pilot episode, receiving a score of 7 out of 10 on IMDb. Girls, which starred Lena Dunham as the show’s central character, was hailed as a modern remake of Sex and the City. However, the show was ultimately deemed controversial by many critics and faced backlash for its all-white cast and lack of representation.
BoJack Horseman’s pilot episode received the third-lowest rating, 7.1 out of 10 on IMDb. Despite exploring many hard-hitting themes, including addiction and depression, the episode was criticized for being slow-paced and lacking depth.
Veep and Russian Doll are both in fourth place, with each show’s pilot episode receiving a score of 7.2 out of 10. Veep accumulated a large fanbase during its seven-year run. However, the political satire’s pilot episode, “Fundraiser”, was panned by audiences for its lack of plot and for introducing too many characters at once.
Russian Doll was celebrated by audiences for its fast-paced and exciting plot, but the 2019 series also faced criticism for its unlikable characters and cliché themes, suggesting that the show’s pilot episode was not for everyone.
The top 5 most popular TV shows with the lowest-rated pilots:
|
Rank |
TV Show |
Pilot rating /10 |
|
1 |
Parks and Recreation |
6.9 |
|
2 |
Girls |
7 |
|
3 |
BoJack Horseman |
7.1 |
|
=4 |
Veep |
7.2 |
|
=4 |
Russian Doll |
7.2 |
|
=5 |
Scandal |
7.3 |
|
=5 |
Sex and the City |
7.3 |
|
=5 |
The Office (U.S.) |
7.3 |
Scandal, Sex and the City, and The Office (U.S.) all appear in fifth place, with each show’s pilot episode receiving an IMDb score of 7.3 out of 10. Variety celebrated the 2012 drama series for its fast-paced and impressive monologues. However, the show’s pilot episode failed to make Scandal stand out from the crowd.
While Sex and the City has since been celebrated across generations, the 90s series has faced criticism in recent years for having outdated ideologies. The show’s pilot episode, which featured interview snippets of the series’ cast, failed to reflect the narrative pace seen throughout the later episodes.
The American version of The Office has since been hailed as a comedic classic, but the show’s pilot episode was panned for being a copy-and-paste of its British counterpart. The show later went on to establish its own unique characters and plot which ultimately earned the series a dedicated fanbase.
Other iconic TV series that appear in the ranking include Black Mirror and The Office (UK), with both pilot episodes receiving a score of 7.6 out of 10.
Despite being one of the most celebrated TV shows in recent years, Succession also appears in the ranking, with its pilot episode scoring 7.8 out of 10. In contrast, the episode “Connor’s Wedding”, from the show’s fourth season, received a near-perfect score of 9.9 out of 10.
The study also reveals that Fargo has the highest-rated pilot episode in the ranking, with the 2014 show receiving a score of 9.3 out of 10.
Other high-ranking series include Lost, with a score of 9.1, and Breaking Bad, which received a score of 9 out of 10 for its debut episode in 2008.
Kenneth Moore, the Editor-in-Chief of Instant Casinos, commented:
“While pilot episodes are effective at introducing characters and the show’s central plot, they rarely encapsulate the overall tone of a TV series, which is gradually developed over the course of a few seasons.
“It’s fascinating to see how many successful TV shows have started with mediocre episodes that fail to reflect their long-term potential.
“It’s fairly standard for TV shows to undergo change while they figure out what works best, but the recent wave of cancellations on streaming platforms has prevented some shows from being able to do this.”
The complete ranking:
|
TV Show |
Pilot rating /10 |
|
Parks and Recreation |
6.9 |
|
Girls |
7 |
|
BoJack Horseman |
7.1 |
|
Veep |
7.2 |
|
Russian Doll |
7.2 |
|
Scandal |
7.3 |
|
Sex and the City |
7.3 |
|
The Office (U.S.) |
7.3 |
|
South Park |
7.5 |
|
Community |
7.5 |
|
The Office (UK.) |
7.6 |
|
Black Mirror |
7.6 |
|
Orange Is the New Black |
7.7 |
|
Fleabag |
7.7 |