The article argues that a thriller’s opening ten minutes can establish whether it has the potential to become exceptional, particularly in a crowded streaming market. It highlights series whose pilots quickly create distinctive tension, mystery or character conflict.

– ‘Breaking Bad’ uses Walter White’s chaotic desert escape and a rewind to his subdued life as a chemistry teacher to foreshadow his transformation.
– ‘Lost’ begins with the disorienting aftermath of a plane crash, immediately combining apparent tropical beauty with confusion and disaster.