cold open
/koʊld ˈoʊpən/
CommonThe scene or sequence at the start of a TV episode that plays before the title card or credits roll.
Fans and critics use the term both technically (any pre-credits scene) and with an implied quality judgment. A 'great cold open' means it immediately grabbed attention.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | the cold open of this episode was 10 minutes long and i forgot it was the cold open | The pre-credits sequence was so extended it felt like its own short film. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | the snl cold open tonight was actually funny for once | The opening political sketch landed better than usual. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | breaking bad cold opens are in a different league. some of them have nothing to do with the episode | The show's pre-credits sequences were distinctive and sometimes cryptic. | |
| 04 | started with a cold open of someone already dead and then jumped back three days. instant hook | The episode opened with a reveal before explaining how you got there. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- You're describing the scene before the title card of a TV episode.
- You're praising or critiquing the opening hook of an episode.
- You're discussing how a show structures its episodes.
Do not use it when
- The scene comes after the theme song and credits.
- You're talking about the opening of a film, not a TV episode.
Origin and context
Film and television production term for a pre-credits sequence. Widely used in industry and then adopted by fan communities as TV literacy became a cultural norm online.
- First seen
- 1960s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/cold-openUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0