cold opens
Scenes before titles
A cold open is a technique in television and film where a scene plays before the opening credits or title sequence.
The idea is to hook viewers immediately by dropping them into action, comedy, or drama without preamble: The show's cold opens are often the funniest part.
Also called a teaser or cold opening.
- introBrief opening section
- teaserSomething that piques interest
- narrative hookAttention-seizing story opening
- introductionPreliminary section or presentation
- sketchesRough, quick drawings
pilot episode · pilot script · setup · hook · cliffhanger · SNL · sketch comedy · scene · teleplay · sitcom · plot twist · in medias res · narrative device · dramas · comedies · viewer engagement · anthology series · scriptwriting
- comedy writingjoke, jokes, comedy, satire, parody
- TV habitsbinge watching, channel surfing, season premieres, season finales, reruns
- variety showsSaturday Night Live, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, Laugh-In, The Muppet Show
- openerscorkscrew, church key, churchkey, wine key, pull tab
- radio scriptsdialogue, narration, ads, intros, outros
- TV showsTV shows, sitcom, The Office, cartoon, Modern Family