History EstablishingCharacterMoment / LiveActionTV

* ''Series/{{Sanctuary}}'':
** John Druitt aka Jack the Ripper aka Helen Magnus' ex-fiancé is first seen as murdering a prostitute (very subtle, show, ''very subtle'') after which he longingly looks at an old photo of Helen. Cue the crazy, romantic serial killer.
** Helen in her first scene accidentally hits Will with her car while chasing an abnormal, her second one is performing an autopsy while casually chatting about her weekend plans, but her true moment is when she proudly shows off her Sanctuary to Will. ForScience, indeed.

'''John''': [[JumpedAtTheCall Oh God, yes.]]

--->'''Sherlock''': People have ''died''.\\
'''Moriarty''': That's what people ''[[SuddenlyShouting DO!]]''

* In ''Series/TheShield'', the Pilot is one big establishing moment for Vic Mackey. We get to see how he polices and gets results, and then finally learn that [[spoiler:he is a guy who will do anything to save his own skin, even if it means killing a fellow cop in cold blood, making it clear that he is very much a VillianProtagonist]].
* ''Series/{{Silk}}'' gives nearly all of its main characters an ECM, but the best one is probably Nick Slade, extending a hand to the other trainee lawyer, who happens to be the daughter of a judge. She informs him that "barristers don't really shake hands."
** Throughout the entirety of the series, he's either [[ButtMonkey made fun of]] for [[OopNorth his background]] or having to compensate for the lack of cash and know-how that goes with it.

* Samantha Carter's first scene in ''Series/StargateSG1'' is well remembered... for its cringe-inducing hilarity, including the [[SarcasmMode so-not-cheesy line]] "just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle". Thankfully, she improved after her actress, Amanda Tapping, pointed out that she should just contribute to the team without constantly going "Hey, I'm a girl! Girls rock!" The "reproductive organs" line was mocked ''twice'' in later seasons.
** Nonetheless, her early defensiveness is not so strange if you consider her position in two male-dominated fields. She's probably gotten plenty of crap before coming to the SGC.
** Naturally, the cringe-worthy line was completely ''removed'' in the 10th Anniversary ''Children of the Gods ReCut''. Instead, Carter's ECM is winning the argument by matching her male colleagues with combat experience and wit, responding to Kawalsky's claim that Gate travel to being like pulling out of a combat dive at plus-8G by mentioning that she ''had'' done that several times before, in addition to logging over ''100 hours'' of flight time over enemy airspace during the Gulf War.

** See Daniel and Jack's memorable introductions in TheMovie in the appropriate section.
** Teal'c had a good ECM in ''Series/StargateSG1'' as the leader of a Jaffa raiding party into what turned out to be a nearly deserted top-secret storage facility. His men mop the floor with the guards, abduct one and leave. Teal'c is clearly a particularly badass ProudWarriorRaceGuy... but as you can tell from his facial expressions throughout this scene, he's really not happy about this. He gets another one in the second part when he finally performs his HeelFaceTurn to help them escape.

'''Teal'c:''' Many have said that... ''[shoots the guard next to him]'' But you are the first I believe can do it!

*** "Countdown's already started... Unless you have something to add." After the first time aliens reopen the stargate (which shouldn't have been possible), he has O'Neill taken to the gateroom and shows him the nuke they're about to send back through the stargate, then asks him once again if there's nothing he'd like to change about his report. O'Neill caves. Establishing that Hammond is plenty smart enough to keep up with him, and enough of a hardass to put him in his place.
*** "How many people did you say are on Abydos?" After his initial (and fairly justified) anger at O'Neill passes, he scraps the initial idea of sending a nuke through the stargate to eliminate the possible threat at the other end, instead opting to send a couple of teams through to perform reconnaissance before any further action is taken. [[WouldNotShootACivilian Establishing that Hammond has a moral center and tries to avoid things like the loss of innocent life.]]
*** "Just what kind of an officer are you, Colonel?" In the second episode, one of Hammond's men has been infested by a hostile alien, and he's told that they have a chance of saving the man by having it removed (which would kill it). When Colonel Kennedy, the ObstructiveBureaucrat sent by the Pentagon, argues that the parasite should instead be allowed to remain so that it can be studied and bargained with, Hammond tells him in no uncertain terms to get stuffed and gives the doctor the order to proceed. [[AFatherToHisMen Establishing that he cares deeply about the men under his command.]]
* Many characters from ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' get their moment in the episode "The Naked Time". It establishes the dichotomy that defines Kirk's character (MarriedToTheJob vs. BoldlyComing) as well as the one that defines Spock's character (he's NotSoStoic after all, forever cementing him as the StoicWoobie). [=McCoy=] is shown to be [[SourSupporter a hardworking and dedicated medic, who is also gruff and deeply stubborn]]; Scotty is established as MrFixit and a GadgeteerGenius (especially when working in tandem with Spock), and the episode marks his first use of ScottyTime. Sulu's rampage with the fencing foil establishes him as a FanOfThePast and sets him up to take [[TookALevelInBadass take several levels in badass]] over the course of the series and films.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. All the characters get an establishing moment at some point in "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E1EncounterAtFarpoint Encounter at Farpoint]]":
** Captain Picard appears in silhouette through the window of the ''Enterprise-D'', making a captain's log entry. The first appearance of a remarkably different captain to Kirk.
*** And then there's his [[PatrickStewartSpeech speech to Q]]. There's a reason he's the Trope Namer there, folks. Plus the moment when he commands them to take an ''untested'' starship on its maiden voyage to well-beyond-regulation-safety-limits.
** Commander Riker boards the ''Enterprise'' and immediately has a talk with Captain Picard about his previous service. Picard brings up a time when Riker refused to let a previous CO beam down to a planet (which becomes a running theme between the two of them in the later series). Picard gruffly asks if Riker has any respect for a Captain's rank. Riker, without being either defensive or smug, says that a Captain's ''life'' means more. Picard suddenly smiles and says "Welcome aboard the ''Enterprise''." This scene is more or less sums up how their relationship is going to go for the rest of their time serving together.
*** This scene received a CallBack in the Season 7 episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS7E11ThePegasus The Pegasus]]" when Picard points out that said incident was what sold him on Riker as his first officer: He was, "someone who would stand up to me. Someone who was more concerned with doing what was ''right'' than how it might look on his record."
** [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot Data]] gets confused by a human figure of speech--and upon discovering its meaning, immediately reels off various synonyms like the walking encyclopedia he is.
*** And then there's a little later in the episode when Riker finds him trying to whistle in the holodeck (he finds how easily humans can do it amazing) and makes the statement:
---->'''Data:''' I am superior [to humans], sir, in many ways. But I would gladly give it up to be human.\\
'''Riker:''' Nice to meet you, Pinocchio.
** Geordi's establishing shot was probably during his checkup in sickbay, where we get a pan across the VISOR - the means by which he sees - and Geordi offers the Doctor an explanation for its purpose:
--->'''Geordi''': A remarkable piece of bioelectronic engineering by which I quote "see" much of the EM spectrum ranging from simple heat and infrared through radio waves etcetera etcetera and forgive me if I've said and listened to this a ''hundred'' times before.
** After harassing the crew, Q appears on the ''Enterprise's'' main viewer. [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Worf]] draws a gun and is ready to shoot, prompting Picard to ask him if he wants to put a hole in the main screen. The Son Of Mogh may be a little hot-headed, like all Klingons, but damned if he's gonna back down from people screwing with his Captain and his ship.
*** Worf is re-established on ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Deep Space Nine]]'' when he arrives on the station and promptly walks up to a jerkass Klingon who's being all loud and rude in Quark's bar and proceeds to knock his ass clean out.
*** Also in "Encounter at Farpoint", when Picard orders Worf to take command of the Saucer section of the ''Enterprise'' and continue to Farpoint Station.
---->'''Worf:''' Sir, I am a Klingon. For me to seek escape when my Captain goes into battle...\\
'''Picard:''' You're a ''Starfleet officer'', Lieutenant.\\
'''Worf:''' (''pause'') Aye, sir.
** [[CreatorsPet Wesley might have some unfortunate associations]] but to be kind, his early appearances (begging to get to see the bridge of the Enterprise, getting overexcited in a holodeck and falling in the water, etc.) established him pretty well as a smart, eager ''kid'' and probably would've been okay if they left it like that. It was [[TheScrappy all downhill from there...]]
** Q's first appearance--as a middle ages Sea Captain taking in iambic pentameter, is almost jocular (SoundtrackDissonance aside)--but a few seconds later he's freezing a crewman solid with a glimpse. Enter...''chaos''.
** Tasha's impassioned speech about how much the Federation did for her and how much of a mockery Q's "Court and Jury" setting was established her attitude, and hinted heavily at her background.
** The first thing [[TheEmpath Deanna Troi]] does on screen is start sensing things and recounting what she's feeling. Then later she ''talks right into Will's head'' via a kind of telepathy, establishing their romantic history.
** The first thing [[DrJerk Dr. Pulaski]] does in "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS2E1TheChild The Child]]" is ''not report for duty.'' She's in the bar at the time, talking with Deanna. As Worf says, "Not the best way to meet your captain." Most of the more notable moments she has in the rest of her first episode involve insulting Data repeatedly, even though he ''can't'' be insulted, which just comes off as pure spitefulness rather than the ribbing [=McCoy=] would give Spock. And ''she's not even doing it on purpose''. She just doesn't think of Data as a "real" person. [[note]]She warms to him the longer she's on the Enterprise. In an episode later in the season, she is the first to defend Data's care and affection for a little girl he's been communicating with.[[/note]]
*** The ''reason'' she was in the bar with Deanna is also part of the establishment (and probably is the only one that speaks to ''positive'' characteristics). Deanna is dealing with a shocking and somewhat upsetting situation, and Pulaski promptly sets aside protocol to help Deanna however she can. It speaks to her general attitude towards medicine and patient care.

** The first thing we see of Kira Nerys is her shouting match with a member of the provisional government. Although her character [[DefrostingIceQueen softens]] over the course of the series--and we find out [[DarkAndTroubledPast why she is]] the [[BrokenBird way she is]]--she never loses that [[HotBlooded fire]]. Or, for that matter, her contempt for most of the provisional government.
** The scene that immediately follows is arguably the same for [[TheCaptain Sisko]]: A firm, but polite and pleasant officer...''[[BewareTheNiceOnes who is not to be trifled with]].''
---> '''Kira''': Yes?\\
'''Sisko''': (smiles) I'm Benjamin Sisko.\\
'''Kira''': I suppose you want the office.\\
'''Sisko''': Well, I thought I'd say hello first...(smile gains the ''tiniest hint'' of malevolence) and ''then'' take the office. ''But we can do it in any order you like.''
*** The seventh episode of the series really establishes what kind of commanding officer Sisko is in comparison to the then standard, Picard. When confronted by Q, the first thing that Sisko does [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome is knock his ass to the floor with one punch.]]
----> '''Q''': (astonished) [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu You hit me!]] Picard never hit me!\\
'''Sisko''': [[LampshadeHanging I'm not Picard]].
** Bashir is first introduced ineptly flirting with Jadzia, and putting his foot in his mouth by expressing his enthusiasm for 'frontier medicine' to Kira, demonstrating his high-energy idealistic personality along with a naive inexperience dealing with reality. Also foreshadows the show's [[DarkerAndEdgier darker tone]] than previous installments in the franchise and the inevitable conflict between Bajoran traditionalism and Starfleet's heavy-handed approach to the situation.
*** Bashir gets a second one later in the episode when he responds to the injuries on the Promenade during the scuffle with the Cardassians. He may be naive and socially inept, but he's a more than competent doctor, he keeps his calm in a crisis, and he doesn't shy away from taking charge of a situation when it's needed.
---->'''Bashir:''' (''to Odo, while tending to an injured patient'') Press there, hard.\\
'''Odo:''' Look, Doctor, maybe I should find you someone -- \\
'''Bashir:''' (''firmly'') [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Hold. It. There.]]\\
'''Odo:''' (''complies silently'')

--->'''Odo''': How did you get in here?\\
'''Koloth''': I am Koloth.\\
'''Odo''': That doesn't answer my question.\\
'''Koloth''': Yes, it does.
* On ''Series/StarTrekPicard'', [[DashingHispanic Cristóbal Rios]] is introduced [[CigarChomper smoking a cigar]] and [[DrinkBasedCharacterization drinking aguardiente]] while paying little heed to the piece of tritanium in his shoulder. He also eschews the dermal regenerator once the shrapnel is removed and doesn't seem to care that he's still bleeding. Why, yes, he ''is'' a rugged badass, thanks for noticing.
* ''Series/StathLetsFlats'': The pilot opens with two prospective customers, waiting for Stath to arrive to show them a flat. When he arrives, he parks awkwardly on the curb, runs right by them – even though they're standing right next to a sign advertising his family business – only to circle back and introduce himself with, "Uh, 14-B Needham Road? Sorry I'm late. (jerks thumb behind him) I just ran over there." Right away, the show makes it abundantly clear that Stath isn't very bright, says things that don't make any sense and is woefully bad at his job.

* ''Series/{{Dexter}}'': The first scene of the series portrays Dexter as your typical intimidating killer, but once his inner monologue explains [[EvenEvilHasStandards he's targeting Mike Donovan because he's disgusted that the latter murdered a child]], we know he's a SympatheticMurderer.

* ''Series/Gladiators2024'': Viper's debuts in the very first episode's "Collision" challenge. He swiftly cements his {{Heel}} role by abandoning the rings he's supposed to swing back and forth from, dropping down to directly wrestle a contender on the bridge instead. He's promptly disqualified for cheating and there's a glimpse of him getting very close and personal with the referee immediately afterwards. He remains menacingly silent throughout all of this.

** Oskar, Bruno's co-star, is shown to be even less serious about learning his lines, approaches a girl in a very brazen way (taking coffee out of her hand, claiming it's terrible, and throwing it away) and tells her his character is a lead and Bruno's is supporting despite them having equal roles, making it clear he is [[TheCynic cynical]] and [[TheShameless shameless]] even among this bunch of guys.

** Neil blithley believes Jay's lies about his sexual prowess as opposed to Simon's skeptisism, establishing his gullibility and simple-mindedness.

* ''Series/{{Castle}}'':

* In the first scene of the first episode of ''Series/{{Forever|2014}}'' Henry sees a vision of Abigail, checks the time on his pocket watch, shows off his SherlockScan talent, then dies violently and reawakens in the East River.

** In "Pilot":

** The pilot episode "Extreme Aggressor" gives us a few ECM's. Gideon has two, first when he has a bit of SensoryOverload and completes the profile hours before anyone else, and second, when he takes on the Footpath Killer completely unarmed. Morgan's is his flirting with the FBI trainees. Reid's is his rattling off of his eidetic memory, IQ level, and the fact that he can read 20,000 words a minute and concluding with a deadpan "yes, I'm a genius". Hotch's is when he confesses to Gideon that the reason he keeps shooting down Haley's choices for baby names is that they're all first names of well-known serial killers. Elle's is her startling transformation from InnocentBystander to ActionGirl when she gets the [=UnSub=] to walk into a house with her, then cuffs him before he can flee. Garcia's is her phone banter with Morgan:

** Emily Prentiss joins the team in "The Last Word", but doesn't get hers until "Lessons Learned", when she proves her usefulness to the team by speaking flawless Arabic and allowing them to realize the next suicide attack is set for the next crescent moon.
** David Rossi's very first scene, in "About Face", establishes that he's the anti-Gideon: he shoots down a bird (something always associated with Gideon).

* In Season 8 of ''Series/{{Degrassi}}'' Clare and Alli are given an effective moment, based on the comparison between the two, setting their roles in the series. Clare is with Darcy (Clare's older sister), who is telling Clare to be more normal 'like Sav's sister.' Due to Clare's wearing her old private school uniform to a public school and spouting off random facts as Darcy comments on how different they are. On the other side, we see Sav trying to tell Alli to stop wearing clothes that are so evocative, as their parents won't approve. Due to Alli's desire to be seen and popular. While Clare had appeared in an earlier season, this defined her character a lot more.

* In ''Series/ICarly'', "iPilot" introduces Mrs. Briggs as a SadistTeacher, Principal Franklin as a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, Sam as a mean bully, Carly as sassy and the only one who can control Sam, and Freddie as the DoggedNiceGuy tech nerd ButtMonkey with a crush on Carly (to be honest, for Freddie, it's more like a constant [[ExaggeratedTrope Establishing Character]] ''[[ExaggeratedTrope Episode]]'' as ''nothing'' goes right for him), and finally, Spencer as a wacky artist.

** ** Right before the new inmates are admitted into the prison, Alvarez is stabbed and left bleeding on the floor while Beecher screams in horror. [[ButtMonkey This pretty much tells you what they're in for for the rest of the series.]]

* ''Series/Psych'': Shawn's opening scene has him calling into a police tip hotline to prove a criminal's guilt while in the early stages (his partner is kissing and undressing him) of a one-night stand. It establishes his social inappropriateness, his abilities as a ladies man, and his compulsiveness.

* ''Series/TheShadowLine'' has several of these:
** Jay Wratten's first scene has him delivering a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown in a lift to a man who insulted him.
** Glickman's first appearance sees him tracking down and murdering a man who recognised him when he was in hiding, to establish that he ''really'' doesn't want to be found.

* ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'': John Walker very first appearance is being the unnamed replacement of Captain America with the main characters horrified and betrayed. Yet when he's properly introduced as a character, the show went out of its way to portray him as nervous about his forthcoming interview and give him a Hispanic wife and Black best friend. In other words, not a secret Nazi who's been dreaming of the day that he could soil Steve's legacy.

** The first we see of Richard is him building a bridge, and being friendly and helpful to a kid who comes to use it -- showing him to be a cheerful, down-to-earth NiceGuy. The first we see of Kahlan is her escaping from enemy soldiers through cool action stunts and dazzling magic, and being forced to leave her sister behind to die to escape and continue with their mission -- showing her to be a romantic HurtingHero who puts the greater good first. And then there's Zedd's naked-and-talking-to-a-chicken scene...