Some of the best TV shows of all time do admittedly get off to strong starts, as can be seen with the likes of Lost, Breaking Bad, and The Sopranos. There are other shows where the opening episode is good, but not up there among the best of what the show is capable of. Still, the tone is established, and the characters are effectively introduced, as can be seen with the likes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Wire, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.