Topic: Pete's Pilots (Try 2)

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Pete's Pilots
This thread will be reviews of all the pilot episodes in my collection. I will be reviewing them in Alphabetical order... reviewing the pilot episodes of everything from 1st & Ten to The Zeta Project. Though this will be a slow moving review... as I do not have as much time for DVD watching as I previously had. Take note that any show that has a 2-part pilot I will watch both parts so that I can get the entire story watched and reviewed.

I Have Pilot Episodes For...

# (7 Series) - 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo - 1st & Ten - 21 Jump Street - 24 - 3rd Rock from the Sun - The 4400 - 8 Simple Rules A (17 series) - The Addams Family - The Adventures of Aquaman - The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. - The Adventures of Robin Hood - Adventures of Superman - ALF - Alias - Alien Nation - All in the Family - All New Super Friends Hour - All-American Girl - Ally McBeal - American Gothic - Angel - Aquaman - Ark II - Arrested Development B (28 Series) - Band of Brothers - Barney Miller - The Batman - Batman Beyond - Batman: The Animated Series - Battlestar Galactica - BeastMaster - Beverly Hills 90210 - Bewitched - Beyond Reality - The Big Bang Theory - The Bill Engvall Show - The Bionic Woman (1976) - Bionic Woman (2007) - Birds of Prey - Blade: The Series - Blood Ties - Blue Collar TV - The Bob Newhart Show - Bones - Booker - Bosom Buddies - The Brady Bunch - Broken Badges - The Bronx is Burning - The Buccaneers - Buck Rogers in the 25th Century - Buffy the Vampire Slayer C (20 Series) - C.S.I. - C.S.I. NY - The Cape - Challenge of the Super Friends - Chappelle's Show - Charles in Charge - Charlie's Angels - Charmed - Cheers - The Cisco Kid - Cleopatra 2525 - Clerks - Cobra - The Comeback - Commander in Chief - The Cosby Show - Crank Yankers - The Crow: Stairway to Heaven - Crusoe - Curb Your Enthusiasm D (22 Series) - Da Ali G Show - Dangerous Assignment - Dark Angel - Day Break - Dead Like Me - The Dead Zone - Defenders of the Earth - Dennis the Menace - Desperate Housewives - Dexter - Dharma & Greg - The Dick Van Dyke Show - Diff'rent Strokes - A Different World - Dinotopia: The Series - Dollhouse - Doogie Howser, M.D. - Dracula: The Series - The Drew Carey Show - Due South - The Dukes of Hazzard - Dungeons and Dragons E (6 Series) - Earth 2 - Eerie Indiana - Ellen - The Ellen Show - ER - Everybody Loves Raymond F (16 Series) - The Facts of Life - Fantastic Four - Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes - Fat Actress - Fear Itself - Firefly - The Flash - Forever Knight - Foxworthy's Big Night Out - Frasier - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - Friday the 13th: The Series - Friends - The Fugitive - Full House - Futurama G (8 Series) - Game of Thrones - Game Over - Get Smart - Ghost Whisperer - Gilligan's Island - Good morning World - Greatest American Hero - Grey's Anatomy H (18 Series) - H.R. PufnStuf - The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries - Harsh Realm - Haunted - A Haunting - Hawkeye: The First Frontier - Head of the Class - He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002) - Hearts Afire - Hercules: The Legendary Journey - Heroes - Highway to Heaven - Home Improvement - Hope & Faith - House, M.D. - How I Met Your Mother - The Hunger - Hunter I (3 Series) - I Dream of Jeannie - I Love Lucy - The Incredible Hulk - Invasion - The Invisible Man J (14 Series) - JAG - Jason of Star Command - The Jeff Foxworthy Show - Jeremiah - Jericho - The Jetsons - Joan of Arcadia - Joe 90 - Joey - Jon & Kate Plus 8 - Just Friends - Justice League - Justice League Unlimited - Justified

K (9 Series) - Kate & Allie - Kidnapped - Kindred: The Embrace - King of Queens - Kingdom Hospital - Knight Rider (1982) - Knight Rider (2008) - Kolchak: The Night Stalker - Kung Fu L (7 Series) - Land of the Lost - The Larry Sanders Show - Life on Mars (US) - Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman - The Lone Gunman - Lost - The Love Boat M (24 Series) - M*A*S*H - M.A.N.T.I.S. - MacGyver - Mad Men - Malcolm in the Middle - Married with Children - The Mary Tyler Moore Show - Masters of Horror - Masters of Science Fiction - Medium - Melrose Place - Mercy - Millennium - Miracles - Missing Persons - Monk - Monster Squad - Moonlight - Mork & Mindy - Mr. Bean - Murphy Brown - My Hero - My Own Worst Enemy - Mysteries, Magic and Miracles N (9 Series) - NCIS - The New Adventures of Superman - Night Court - Night Stalker - Nightmare Cafe - No Ordinary Family - Nowhere Man - Numb3rs - NYPD Blue O (3 Series) - The OC - Off the Map - One Day at a Time P (13 Series) - Painkiller Jane - Palace Guards - Party of Five - Picket Fences - Planet of the Apes - Point Pleasant - Police Squad - Police Woman - Poltergeist: The Legacy - Prison Break - Private Practice - Psych - Punky Brewster Q (1 Series) - Quantum Leap R (9 Series) - The Ray Bradbury Theater - Reaper - Reba - Rescue Me - Return to the Planet of the Apes - The Rookies - Roseanne - Roswell - Runaway S (43 Series) - S.W.A.T. - Sabrina: The Teenage Witch - Samantha Who? - Scrubs - Secret Diary of a Call Girl - The Secret World of Alex Mack - The Secrets of Isis - Seinfeld - Sex and the City - Shazam! - The She-Wolf of London - Sherlock Holmes - Significant Others - Silk Stalkings - The Simple Life - The Simpsons - Sledge Hammer! - Sliders - Smallville - Space Academy - Spider-Man (1967) - Spider-Man: The New Animated Series - Spin City - Sports Night - Square Pegs - Stacked - Star Trek - Star Trek: The Animated Series - Star Trek: The Next Generation - Stargate: Atlantis - Stargate SG-1 - Starsky and Hutch - Step by Step - Stingray - The Stockard Channing Show - Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show - The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians - Superboy - Superman: The Animated Series - Supernatural - Surface - Survivor: Borneo T (16 Series) - Tabitha - Tales from the Crypt - Tales from the Darkside - Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - That 70's Show - Three's Company - The Time Tunnel - Titus - Too Close for Comfort - Tracy Takes On... - Tremors: The Series - Tru Calling - True Blood - Twilight Zone (1959) - Twilight Zone (2002) - Twin Peaks U (2 Series) - Unsub - The Unusuals V (4 Series) - V: The Series - Vampire Diaries - Veronica Mars - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea W (9 Series) - The Walking Dead - The War at Home - Weeds - Werewolf - Wiseguy - Witchblade - Without a Trace - Wonder Woman - Wonderfalls X (2 Series) - The X-Files - Xena: The Warrior Princess Y (0 Series) Z (1 Series) - The Zeta Project

That is 305 series I have the pilot episode of. And I am sure I will be adding (probably several) more before I get through this list.


There will be many of these that will seem like I am going through them very fast... impossibly fast. But that is only because this is my second attempt at doing a thread like this So I already have many reviewed... where I will just be re-posting the review from the old thread.

[addicted2dvd]

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo
Super sleuths Daphne, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo are on the case for ghosts – real ghosts this time, 13 of the world’s meanest ghosts to be exact. Once banned to an enchanted Chest of Demons for eternity, all 13 spirits are now loose to wreak havoc on the world and only Scooby-Doo can recapture them because – ruh-roh! – he’s the one who unwittingly opened the chest and let them out! Joined by the pint-sized, fast-talking magician/con artist Flim-Flam and guided by the world’s greatest mystic Vincent van Ghoul (voiced and inspired by the incomparable Vincent Price), the gang causes mayhem hunting ghosts around the world while cracking fans up in the comfort of their home. Scare up this spooktacular 2-Disc Complete Series Collection for a haunting good time!

To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before
Forced to land their plane near a village of werewolves, Shaggy and Scooby are tricked into opening the Chest of Demons and releasing thirteen dangerous ghosts.

My Thoughts:
I found this to be a good start to the series. I liked that they got Vincent Price to lend his voice to this series. I also liked the idea of the series and the fact that in this series Scooby and the gang faces real ghosts and monsters in this series. I didn't like that they dropped Fred and Velma for this show. Flim Flam... the boy that they added is one of those characters that you just don't care for at first, but then he grows on you as you watch the episodes. At least that is how it worked out for me. Over-all an entertaining series I am looking forward to watching again after all these years.

My Rating:

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1st & Ten
Meet the California Bulls. They may not be the #1 football team in the league, but nobody does it better when it comes to outrageous exploits and sexy escapades. Join seductive owner Diane Barrow (Delta Burke) as she leads her team through a minefield of hilarious hijinks on and off the gridiron. And remember, whether the quaterback is getting sacked - or getting caught in the sack with a pair of cheerleaders, the object of the game is always the same: To Score!

By the Bulls (Pilot)
Diane Barrow gets her husband's football team, The California Bulls, as part of her Divorce settlement.

My Thoughts:
This is an old HBO series that aired from '84 to '91. I definitely seen better series out there... but this one does have an addicting something about it. Once you start to watch it you tend to want to continue till the end. Unfortunately most of the episodes in this complete series set is the cut syndicated versions... but thankfully the pilot episode (as well as all of season 1 I believe) is the complete original episodes. There is some nudity in the uncut episodes... but for the most part it gets cut for this DVD release.

My Rating:

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21 Jump Street
It all begins here, as baby-faced rookie Officer Tom Hanson (Johnny Depp) is assigned to an elite squad of young undercover cops - Judy Hoffs (Holly Robison Peete), Doug Penhall (Peter DeLuise) and Harry Truman Ioki (Dustin Nguyen) - to infiltrate high schools and fight crime. Frederic Forrest and Steven Williams co-star in this classic first season that also features such guest stars as Jason Priestley, Josh Brolin, David Paymer, Sherilyn Fenn and Blair Underwood in what became Fox's first runaway hit and remains on of the coolest cop shows in TV history!

Pilot (Part 1 & 2)
Although he graduated at the top of his class in the police academy, Tommy Hanson’s baby face has made him a liability to his partners. Faced with the prospect of reassignment to a desk job, Hanson’s only other option is to go back to high school – undercover – with a special unit of the police force investigating criminal activity.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed re-watching this pilot. They did a good job at introducing all the characters. I liked how it followed how Hanson got into the Jumpstreet program. I kinda wish it showed that for all the characters... but they had so a good and already full 2-part pilot episode that I can understand why they didn't. When I originally watched this show I never cared for the hippie captain of the Jumpstreet program. But I did get used to him. And no sooner I got used to him they replaced him. Go figure!

My Rating:

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24
Midnight. Jack Bauer, head of the CIA's Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit, is suddenly thrust into a chaotic and exhausting 24-hour marathon of death, deception and terror as he struggles to prevent the assassination of a presidential candidate, find the traitor within his own organization, and save his kidnapped wife and daughter.

12:00 AM - 1:00 AM
Moments after discovering his daughter Kimberly has snuck out of the house, Jack Bauer is called into work. As head of the CIA's Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit office, he's told that an assassination attempt will be made on the life of presidential candidate David Palmer and it's up to his team of agents to keep Palmer alive. Meanwhile, Jack's wife, Teri, also sets out to find their daughter.

My Thoughts:
This is a great start to the series. I really enjoyed every minute of watching it again. A good introduction to the characters and an interesting story. The main drawback to watching this type of series for this type of marathon is the fact that after watching the pilot episode you really don't want to stop.

My Rating:

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3rd Rock from the Sun
Four extra-terrestrials suddenly materialize in the college town of Rutherford, Ohio. Disguised as humans, they name themselves the Solomons – Dick, Sally, Tommy, and Harry.

On the surface, this family functions as normal as possible, but underneath they are out of sync with every person on the planet. Their mission from The Big Giant Head is to study a confusing planet and its confounding inhabitants while trying to gain acceptance on Earth. Welcome to Earth, Baby!

Brains and Eggs
Four aliens arrive in Rutherford, Ohio. To observe life on Earth, they assume the "human" identities of Dick, Sally, Harry and Tommy Solomon. Dick becomes a physics professor and finds himself strangely attracted to Dr. Mary Albright. Despite Harry and Sally's traumatic cooking experience and Tommy's puberty woes, Dick decides to extend their mission for further "experiments" with Mary.


My Thoughts:
This is a series I never thought a lot of... but until now only seen a few random episodes in reruns. Seeing the pilot episode (plus a few more since) today gives me a new view on the series. I found I enjoy it more then I thought I would. The pilot episode is pretty average.... but the series is growing on me the more episodes I watch.

My Rating:

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The 4400
Over the last century, thousands of people have gone missing. Suddenly and inexplicably, 4400 missing people are returned all at once, as they were on the day they vanished. Unclear what this world-altering event means, the government investigates the 4400 to piece together where they've been and why they've been returned. It quickly becomes apparent that their presence will change the human race in ways no one could have ever foreseen.

Pilot
Everyone on Earth is excited about a comet passing by, but as soon as its trajectory changes to a collision course everyone starts to panic. The comet turns out to be a giant ball of light that when explodes it leaves behind 4400 people. They are missing persons who have been gone from a few months to 60 years and none have aged a day. The 4400 are put in quarantine and eventually released. Some of the returnees begin to exhibit strange and uncontrollable new abilities. Tom Bishop and Diana Skouris, two Homeland Security agents, are appointed to find out what happened to the 4400.

My Thoughts:
This is one of those series that while it is good... it is not one I would call a favorite. As of yet I still only have the very short (5 episodes) 1st season set. I don't know what problem I have with it... as it is a good premise and for the most part the characters are likable. But for some reason I tend to get a little bored watching this show. And I never have the urge to watch the next episode right away when I watch one like I do on most series.

My Rating:

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8 simple Rules
Legendary sitcom stars John Ritter and Katey Sagal team up in 8 Simple Rules, ABC's hit family comedy that is laugh-out-loud funny.

"If you make my daughters cry, I'll make you cry." That is the rallying cry of Paul Hennessy. A little rusty in the parenting department, Paul is forced to meet fatherhood head-on when his wife Cate returns to work. Two teenage daughters and a wisecracking son make Paul's new situation daunting but never dull.

Cybill Shepherd, Jason Priestley and Terry Bradshaw are just some of the guest stars joining the fun in Season One. Experience all 28 episodes, plus exclusive bonus features, including a hilarious bonus reel, in this sensational 3-disc set.

Pilot
In the Pilot episode, Cate decides to return back to work while Paul tends with the family. Paul discovers that his oldest daughter, Bridget, is dating his co-worker's Tommy's son Kyle. Paul sees that Kyle might hurt his daughter's heart, and gives Kyle a little talk about the way he feels. Kerry, Paul's second daughter, is suspended for ditching school.

My Thoughts:
This is a great start to an excellent series. I enjoyed every second of it. The show has lots of laughs... and great star power with John Ritter (Three's Company), Katey Segal (Married with Children) and Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory). If you never seen this series I highly recommend checking it out. I just wish the third (final) season would get released!

My Rating:

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The Addams Family
They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, and now for the first time, they're on DVD! The Addams Family, America's first family of ghastly giddiness, are here in all of their ghoulish glory in the original TV series based on the delightfully demented imagination of Charles Addams. Tarantulas, torture racks, and tombstones have never been so much fun! Join Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Cousin Itt, and the rest of the gang for a fiendishly funny and altogether ooky experience. It's time to pay a call on...The Addams Family!

The Addams Family Goes To School
When Gomez and Morticia keep Wednesday and Pugsley home from school, the truant officer pays a visit with predictably ghastly results.

My Thoughts:
I always enjoyed this classic sitcom. Sure the characters are weird but of course they are meant to be. In this one the kids has their first day at school. Where they get upset over Grimm's Fairy Tales. So The Addams Family tries to rid the school of these fairy tales where there is cruelty to animals (Dragons slayed) and Nice old ladies pushed into ovens (Hansel & Gretal).

My Rating:

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The Adventures of Aquaman
Menace of the Black Manta/The Rampaging Reptile Men
When fiendish foes and marine menaces threaten the peaceful undersea world of the lost city of Atlantis, Aquaman, King of the Seven Seas, dives to the rescue! Aided by teen hero Aqualad and their aquatic frieds Tusky the walrus and sea horses Storm and Imp, these brave water warriors battle astonishing creatures like Volcanic Monster, Ice Dragon and Devil Fish. Using his superior strength, cunning wit and telepathic communications abilities, Aquaman faces evil villains like Black Manta and Vassa, Queen of the Mermen to fight for justice on the ocean floor. Plunge into this two-disc collector's edition featuring all 36 action-packed cartoons from the fantastic TV series in original airdate order!

My Thoughts:
Now this one is a blast from my past. It is one of the many superhero cartoons I used to watch when I was a kid. Even though it wasn't ever one of my favorites I did enjoy it. Each episode has 2 short stories... I enjoyed the first story with the Black Manta a little more then the second story. This series has the more clean cut version of Aquaman that I am so used to. I really don't like the look of the current version where he has a long beard and hook for a hand. It is just not the Aquaman I know... this one is.

This series was coupled with a Superman cartoon which unfortunately I do not have on DVD.

My Rating:

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The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
The world's favorite western/sci-fi/comedy/action cult hit rides again! Here on 8 discs is the complete series about Brisco (Bruce Campbell), a tough-as-rawhide cowpoke, debonair ladies' man and Harvard-educated smarty-britches who roams from Frisco to Jalisco in pursuit of outlaws who killed his father...and in search of a mysterious orb possessing out-of-this world powers. Hot lead and cool anachronisms await Brisco as he and his sidekicks - including Comet, the intellectual equine who doesn't know he's a horse - fight for justice in the way, way, way-out West. Put your boots in your stirrups, your tongue in your cheek and join the fun. Let's play cowboys and aliens.

Pilot
When U.S. Marshal Brisco County, Sr. is murdered by John Bly and his gang of outlaws, the robber barons of San Francisco's Westerfield Club hire Brisco County, Jr. as a bounty hunter to round them up. Brisco meets a lot of interesting people along the way, including rival bounty hunter Lord Bowler, and the Westerfield Club's stuffy lawyer, Socrates Poole. He also learns of a mysterious object which John Bly would do anything to possess, for the supernatural power it can give him.

My Thoughts:
This looks to be a fun series. Not exactly a straight forward Western. It adds both Comedy and Sci-Fi to the mix. This show has a couple familiar faces. Other then Bruce Campbell in the title role... it has Billy Drago (Charmed - Demon of Fear) and John Astin (Addams Family - Gomez). This is a show that I bought blind... but now look forward to checking out.

My Rating:

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The Adventures of Robin Hood
This classic television series ran from 1955 to 1960, featuring the tales of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. Richard Greene stars as our gallant hero who fought the forces of the evil Prince John, his local official the Sheriff of Nottingham and any aristocrat or ne'er-do-well who threatened the common people and loyal subjects of King Richard. Robin and his band lived in the shelter of Sherwood Forest, fighting their foes and hoping for the day when their beloved King Richard will return from the Crusades to rule once again.

The Coming of Robin Hood
Sir Robin of Loxley returns to England from fighting in the Crusades to discover that the notorious Sir Roger DeLisle has been given his family's lands and castles, and has had Robin declared an outlaw.

My Thoughts:
This is a good classic series that is filled with action.... and has a nice bit of comedy mixed in as well. Granted this is a cheap set so the image quality could be better. But it is definitely watchable.

My Rating:

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Adventures of Superman
The first superhero created for comic books, SUPERMAN leaped from radio to television when Adventures of Superman debuted in 1952. Produced by Robert J. Maxwell (who also produced the radio version) and Bernard Luber (a veteran of Hollywood serials), each first Seasson Episode screens like a classic crime movie, where danger and death lurk in the shadows. Working with some of the industry's best character actors, George Reeves plays the MAN OF STEEL with a genuineness that captivates viewers of all ages. Now, enjoy this legendary series as never before, digitally mastered from original film elements, in a soaring DELUXE 5-DISC SET WITH EXCITING EXTRAS.
- Allan Asherman, DC Comics Historian

Superman on Earth
Recounts Superman's flight from doomed Krypton, being raised by the Kents, his arrival in Metropolis, and getting hired as reporter Clark Kent at the Daily Planet when scooping Lois on Superman's debut.

My Thoughts:
This is another classic series I loved as a kid. I remember watching the reruns (I am old... but not THAT old!) after school every day. Of course they had to tell Superman's origin story for the pilot episode. It is a great start to the series... even if I am still not used to Clark's parents being named anything other then Jonathan and Martha. While I do understand they did this to match the early comics of the time... it just seems strange to me. I think all the actors did a great job at bringing the characters to life. Definitely a recommended series for any Superman fan!

My Rating:

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ALF
ALF, the impetuous alien who plummeted from outer space into the Tanner family garage back in '86 is now crash-landing on DVD! Earth has just not been the same without this cosmic superstar and his wisecracking antics!

Catch ALF in all 25 out-of-this-world episodes from the complete first season of his award-winning primetime TV hit.

A.L.F.
Gordon Shumway, last known survivor from the planet Melmac, crash-lands his spaceship into the Tanner family's suburban garage. Willie dubs him "ALF", short for Alien Life Form. After convincing a military officer that they are not harboring a space creature, the Tanners decide to take ALF in as a member of the family.

My Thoughts:
An entertaining sitcom... though not one of my favorites. I think it lost a little something for me over the years as I remember enjoying it more at the time it originally aired. The DVD release while looks good at first glance has is a let down when you realize that the episodes on this release is the syndicated versions instead of the full original episodes.

My Rating:

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Alias
Golden Globe Award-winning* actress Jennifer Garner is Sydney Bristow. Syd's not exactly your average grad student. Her life might appear normal, but she's hiding a secret life working as a spy for the CIA.

Sydney's world is turned upside down when she learns she may work for the very enemy she thought she was fighting. Now she's entangled in a covert lifestyle where she is forced to question the allegiances of everyone, including those closest to her.

Truth Be Told
Grad student Sydney Bristow's unique after-school job as an agent for SD-6, a top-secret division of the CIA, means hiding the truth. After being warned not to share her true identity with Danny, her fiancé, she tells anyway. Her life is spun sideways when he is murdered. If that weren’t enough, she discovers SD-6 is not part of the CIA, but an enemy of the United States, and her own father, Jack, might be a double agent.

My Thoughts:
This is a series I discovered on DVD about when season 3 was originally airing. I was addicted to it from the first episode. Matter of fact once I finished watching season 1 I immediately went online and ordered the second season. It is an excellent show with a great cast. And of course Jennifer Garner looking hot didn't hurt any either! This is another show that after watching the pilot I wanted to continue to watch the series.

My Rating: