cold open
Before the titles
A cold open is the opening scene of a television episode or film that plays before the title sequence or credits.
It drops viewers directly into action or comedy without setup, hooking attention immediately: The show's cold open featured a car chase already in progress.
The technique is standard in sitcoms, dramas, and late-night shows.
Something unexplained or unknown
- cliffhangerSuspenseful unresolved ending
- tensionStretched or strained state
- intrigueSecret plotting or fascination
- foreshadowingHinting at later events
enigma · anticipation · curiosity · hook · reveal · setup · payoff · twist
Something that piques interest
- hookCurved catching device
- establishing shotOpening scene showing location
- introBrief opening section
- prologueIntroductory literary section
kickoff · premiere · pilot · sketch · monologue · cutaway · vignette · setup
Violent sudden disturbance
- joltAbrupt forceful shake
- abruptSharp and unexpected
- suddenOccurring without prior notice
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
unforeseen · startling · jarring · disorienting · grabber · attention · impact · punch
mystery
Something unexplained or unknown
- cliffhangerSuspenseful unresolved ending
- tensionStretched or strained state
- intrigueSecret plotting or fascination
foreshadowing · enigma · anticipation · curiosity · hook · reveal · setup · payoff · twist · suspenseful
teaser
Something that piques interest
- hookCurved catching device
- establishing shotOpening scene showing location
- introBrief opening section
prologue · kickoff · premiere · pilot · sketch · monologue · cutaway · vignette · setup · gag
shock
Violent sudden disturbance
unexpected · unforeseen · startling · jarring · disorienting · grabber · attention · impact · punch · immediacy
- Flashback Tropesflashback, flashbacks, amnesia, memory loss, backstory
- comedycomedy, jokes, humor, puns, sarcasm
- Film and TVactor, actress, camera, cast, crew
- storytellingstorytelling, story, tale, narrative, narrator
- televisionTV, television, broadcast, TV shows, TV series
- TV dramaepisode, series, season, TV drama, drama series
cold opentitle sequence
Credits shown at beginning
opening credits · credit sequence · main titles · post-credits scene · previously on
cold opensetup
How something is arranged
exposition · preamble · orientation · lead-in · framing device