TV Pilots that show the protagonist when s/he was a child?
May 24, 2017 7:13 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for examples of television pilots that show the audience the series' protagonist when they were a child or teenager. It can be via a flashback or a prologue. (All I can think of is the first episode of "Pushing Daisies!") Note: only interested in a first episode of television, and only interested in series that feature an adult protagonist.
Believe Psych has a flashback to Young Sean in the pilot.
(on non-preview: beaten to it!)
posted by eponym at 7:19 PM on May 24, 2017
(on non-preview: beaten to it!)
posted by eponym at 7:19 PM on May 24, 2017
Jane the Virgin, for the same logic as Psych.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:21 PM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:21 PM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
I _think_:
Supergirl (in the intro)
Imaginary Mary
posted by amtho at 7:42 PM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
Supergirl (in the intro)
Imaginary Mary
posted by amtho at 7:42 PM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
crazy ex-girlfriend
posted by mirileh at 7:52 PM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by mirileh at 7:52 PM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
Star Trek: Enterprise
posted by Automocar at 7:57 PM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Automocar at 7:57 PM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
FX's Legion
posted by OmniPrincess at 8:31 PM on May 24, 2017
posted by OmniPrincess at 8:31 PM on May 24, 2017
Hmm good question. Definitely Crazy Ex-Girfriend
Look into Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt..she has childhood flashbacks but I'm not sure if she does in the pilot. Same with Liz Lemon in 30 Rock (almost sure not in the pilot but maybe I'm wrong).
Orange is the New Black? Unreal? Again I can think of flashbacks but don't remember if they're in the pilots.
Does Smallville or Veronica Mars count? Not adults, but older teen protagonists with childhood back stories in the pilot.
posted by hellameangirl at 9:06 PM on May 24, 2017
Look into Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt..she has childhood flashbacks but I'm not sure if she does in the pilot. Same with Liz Lemon in 30 Rock (almost sure not in the pilot but maybe I'm wrong).
Orange is the New Black? Unreal? Again I can think of flashbacks but don't remember if they're in the pilots.
Does Smallville or Veronica Mars count? Not adults, but older teen protagonists with childhood back stories in the pilot.
posted by hellameangirl at 9:06 PM on May 24, 2017
Supernatural
posted by eeek at 9:09 PM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by eeek at 9:09 PM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: As I'm watching it right now, Marvel's Daredevil, repeatedly.
posted by figurant at 9:12 PM on May 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by figurant at 9:12 PM on May 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
The ahead-of-its-time dark 90s drama Profit has an end-of-ep1 reveal of a significant aspect of the anti-hero's childhood that (presumably) influenced his character as an adult.
posted by matildaben at 10:18 PM on May 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by matildaben at 10:18 PM on May 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
The opening credits of Amazon's The Patriot show the main character and his brother as kids.
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 10:19 PM on May 24, 2017
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 10:19 PM on May 24, 2017
The Flash! Young Barry Allen was there.
posted by amtho at 10:26 PM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by amtho at 10:26 PM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ally McBeal! I remember she and Billy, as children, sniffing each other's posteriors, like dogs. There's a blink-and-you'll miss it flashback to the pilot scene in this later season ep with Jon Bon Jovi.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 11:29 PM on May 24, 2017
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 11:29 PM on May 24, 2017
Best answer: The Last Kingdom pilot shows Uhtred as a child, transforming to adult in a really slick move at the end of the episode.
posted by honey-barbara at 12:38 AM on May 25, 2017
posted by honey-barbara at 12:38 AM on May 25, 2017
Revenge
posted by mama casserole at 4:26 AM on May 25, 2017
posted by mama casserole at 4:26 AM on May 25, 2017
Transparent
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:46 AM on May 25, 2017
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:46 AM on May 25, 2017
Roswell shows tiny Liz and tiny Max to introduce the plot of "the cupcake dress". Liz sees flashbacks of her younger self while Max does his mystical alien healing of her gunshot wound.
posted by a fiendish thingy at 6:11 AM on May 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by a fiendish thingy at 6:11 AM on May 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
Invisible Man (the 2000 show that aired on SciFi)
posted by current resident at 8:50 AM on May 25, 2017
posted by current resident at 8:50 AM on May 25, 2017
Sense8 shows some scenes from various of the leads' childhoods, primarily Will but the others as well.
Edit: possibly not in the pilot, I am not sure. But there are flashbacks throughout the series.
posted by bile and syntax at 9:22 AM on May 25, 2017
Edit: possibly not in the pilot, I am not sure. But there are flashbacks throughout the series.
posted by bile and syntax at 9:22 AM on May 25, 2017
Fringe!
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 6:58 PM on May 25, 2017
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 6:58 PM on May 25, 2017
I know that the pilot episode of the X-Files includes Mulder describing his sister's disappearance, but I don't remember whether it is shown. I think it might be, though!
posted by cp311 at 10:09 PM on May 25, 2017
posted by cp311 at 10:09 PM on May 25, 2017
Jane the Virgin features Young Jane in the pilot, and throughout the series. The show does tons of flashbacks with most of the main characters at various points in their lives.
posted by odayoday at 8:20 AM on May 26, 2017
posted by odayoday at 8:20 AM on May 26, 2017
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posted by The otter lady at 7:18 PM on May 24, 2017 [6 favorites]