History EstablishingCharacterMoment / LiveActionTV

*** In the first episode, Ace is competing in the show's DeadlyGame, but when the round starts and monsters attack he's AchillesInHisTent and doesn't follow the other Riders into battle, unconcerned about the low-scoring {{Mooks}}. He doesn't act until the boss monster shows up, at which point he jumps in, handles the {{Mooks}} and the boss with ease, and even flirts (unsuccessfully) with one of the endangered civilians; establishing that he's a SmugSuper but one [[TheAce with the skills to back it up]]. A second moment comes in the next episode, where he convinces Keiwa to give him a powerup he found since he's fighting to protect the happiness of children... and then admits afterwards that he ''was lying through his teeth'' and had fed Keiwa a sob story to get ahead. He may be one of the heroes, but he's still a ManipulativeBastard; and he even points out his own {{Animal Motif|s}} of being CunningLikeAFox.
*** Keiwa is first seen at a job interview, promoting his resumé of charity and volunteer work, but when the interviewer presses him for more specific personal goals, all Keiwa can come up with is "world peace". His heart's in the right place, but he's wishy-washy and kind of aimless.
*** Neon is introduced livestreaming her attempt to run away from home (''again'') until her bodyguards catch up with her (also again). A sheltered rich kid saying "IJustWantToBeNormal" and stubborn enough to keep trying, but also too naive to realize that broadcasting her location while doing so isn't a great idea.

* ''Series/WKRPInCincinnati'' has a few in its first episode -- Herb hitting on Jennifer to let you know what a total sleazebag he is, for one -- but none are in grander fashion than Johnny, who after losing a previous big job for saying "booger," and stuck in a ceaselessly boring "easy listening" format, seemingly has lost the will to live and sleepwalks through his shifts. When Andy gives him a big stack of rock records and tells him to change the format to rock & roll right in the middle of the day, ''Doctor Johnny Fever'' takes the mic -- a persona Johnny makes up on the spot -- and shows the on-air badass he truly is, giving him a new lease on life and instantly becoming the spirit of the show.
-->'''Johnny (over the intro to a song):''' And I almost forgot, my babies... ''BOOGERRRRRRR!!!''

** One possible ECM for Joan Holloway's is the moment from the pilot, where she tells Peggy to "go home and put a paper bag over your head", but a case can be made for the stunningly perfect meta-shot in "Babylon" where she bends over a table facing away from what she knows to be two-way glass, letting all the execs get a nice, long look at her ass.
*** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKTNDgCTyVU&feature=related And then they salute it.]]

* The very first scene of ''Series/BreakingBad'' is of Walter White recording a video confession to his family when he thinks that he's about to be busted for cooking meth. Though seemingly innocuous on first watch, Walt's argument in his own defense--that he only had the best intentions, and wanted to provide for his family--gives valuable insight into how he rationalizes his criminal acts; [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain the series that follows]] is essentially one long dismantling of that claim, as we gradually find out that it's not nearly as true as Walt wants it to be. As several people have pointed out, [[ExactWords the specific phrasing of Walt's claim]] ("I only had you in my heart!") is particularly telling, as it can be understood both as "I only wanted to help you!" and "I don't care what happens to anyone but you!"
** Also, on his first mission out with Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, Todd Alquist [[spoiler:murders a child in cold blood just because the child saw them (and Walt said earlier that no one can know they were there).]]

* The pilot for ''Series/{{Lost}}'' is full of these. For example, in the very first scene, Jack wakes up in the jungle, stumbles onto the beach, takes in the carnage before him, and immediately begins running around saving people's lives. And the first time we see Boone, he is trying to do the same thing and failing miserably at it.

** Series/KamenRiderZeroOne:

* ''Series/{{Babylon}}'' has a few in its pilot:

*** Gentoku's second moment comes after a long absence. We're first introduced to a new villainous Kamen Rider with a terrifying TransformationSequence and enough power to deliver a CurbStompBattle to the heroes, only speaking at the end to introduce himself as Kamen Rider Rogue. The heroes immediately recognize the [[NamesTheSame similar alias]], which he confirms by canceling his transformation, revealing both his [[BeardOfSorrow grown-out hair]] and ThousandYardStare. Whatever happened to him during his absence, it's changed him into a [[ShellShockedVeteran completely different person]] from the original maniacal tyrant we knew.

** In the pilot we learn everything we needed to know about [[AmbiguousDisorder Sheldon]] when Penny accidentally stole "his spot".

* The first scene of ''Series/{{Monk}}'' has him at a crime scene in a woman's home, when he says "stove". A policeman points him to it, and he responds "No. The one at home. I think I left it on".

** Spike's very first scene in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E3SchoolHard School Hard]]" is smashing into a "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign in his car and strutting out wearing a leather coat and Music/SidVicious mannerisms. He proceeds to march up to the current villains all vamped out, OffhandBackhand one of them and [[BadassBoast boast about how he can solve their problems for them]]... and then at the sight of his [[IllGirl ill girlfriend]], immediately take off the vamp face and insist that she should be resting. [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes He then gives her his jacket without hesitation when she complains of cold.]] Establishes his character well... but then at the end of the episode [[MakeWayForTheNewVillains he kills the previous season's Chosen One villain and his prophecy devoted mooks saying that from now on there would be less ritual and more fun which sets him up as the new]] BigBad and his role of subverting the traditional ancient villain behavior.

* 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]].

* 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 [[UpToEleven Establishing Character ''Episode'']] as ''nothing'' goes right for him), and finally, Spencer as a wacky artist.

* ''Series/UtopiaFalls'': Brooklyn first appears when she comes late to a class, casually apologizing without being concerned. She's soon confirmed to be a bold, confident person, quite unlike her much quiet, shy LoveInterest Sage.

* The very first scene of ''Series/KungFu'' shows, for what feels like a ''long'' time, our hero Kwai Chang Caine reacting to the taunts and assaults of a local brute by only doing the bare minimum of what is necessary to physically defend himself, while in the process making it tremendously clear that if he really wanted to do more, the guy wouldn't stand a chance against him.

* ''Series/{{Life}}'':

** Logain Ablar seemingly single-handedly (his army is mentioned storming the walls, but no soldiers are shown) climbs the wall of the royal castle of Ghealdan, throws king's soldiers aside, shrugs off arrows, forces the king on his knees and heals him -- all that to persuade the king he's the true Dragon. All the while two figures woven out of Saidin keep nagging that nobody understands Logain and everybody's going to betray him.

* The very first scene of ''Series/TheBlacklist'' involves a well-dressed, harmless-looking late-middle-aged man having an enigmatic conversation about returning home with a young man who delivers him a briefcase. He then walks into the FBI headquarters, politely asks to see a high-ranking assistant director with no appointment, gives his name as Raymond Reddington, and calmly sets down his briefcase and removes his hat and coat (to the bemused stares of onlookers) while she checks his identity... only for him to be flagged as one of the FBI's most wanted and instantly surrounded by armed response officers. And tellingly, he's already assumed "the position" (on his knees, hands visibly interlocked behind his head) seconds before they show up. Before the series has even entered the two minute mark, we have learned that Raymond Reddington is a criminal and has been for a long time, is elegant and refined, is AffablyEvil but is also a lot more dangerous than he seems at first glance, is brazen, is cool and collected under pressure, and is clearly several steps ahead of everyone else.

* The very first scene of ''Series/TheBlacklist'' involves a well-dressed, harmless-looking late-middle-aged man having an enigmatic conversation about returning home with a young man who delivers him a briefcase. He then walks into the FBI headquarters, politely asks to see a high-ranking assistant director with no appointment, gives his name as Raymond Reddington, and calmly sets down his briefcase and removes his hat and coat (to the bemused stares of onlookers) while she checks his identity... only for him to be flagged as one of the FBI's most wanted and instantly surrounded by armed response officers. And tellingly, he's already assumed "the position" (on his knees, hands visibly interlocked behind his head) the very second they show up. Before the series has even entered the two minute mark, we have learned that Raymond Reddington is a criminal and has been for a long time, is elegant and refined, is AffablyEvil but is also a lot more dangerous than he seems at first glance, is brazen, is cool and collected under pressure, and is clearly several steps ahead of everyone else.

* In ''Series/TheShield'', the Pilot is one big establishing moment for Vic Mackey. We get to see how he polices and gets results, even if [[spoiler:he has to shoot another cop to save his own skin]].