The first episode is pretty mild if you consider that the concept of the show if to make people consider how technology might be used. The first episode isn't too far-fetched, as most of the technology, if not all, is available presently. The other episodes rely on futuristic technologies or on dystopian backdrops. Considering just the content, and not how it ties into the overall theme of the show, I would agree that the first episode is a bit shocking for the average viewer. That being said, anyone who wishes to watch the show should start somewhere beyond the first episode. As mentioned above, the episodes are completely unrelated, plot wise.