cold open

noun

variants or less commonly cold opening

plural cold opens also cold openings

: a scene of a film or television episode that precedes the title sequence or opening credits and that typically takes place in medias res

Cold opens are a bold move in any medium. When a movie or TV show drops the audience into its world without so much as a "here's the title," it speaks to a confidence that whatever's about to happen on screen is sufficient enough to immerse, intrigue, and otherwise hook them.

—Alexis Nedd

For fans of NBC's "The Office," the cold open from season five's "Casual Friday"—where Kevin spills his famous chili—is one of the show's most beloved scenes.

—Addy Bink

The film lost me right from the overacted cold opening …

—Alexa Chipman

Examples of cold open in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Here are the highlights: Founding Fathers Cold Open SNL debuted this fourth-wall-obliterating cold open format in season 48’s Easter episode. —Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025

While newer viewers will likely not remember the character who mainly appeared in the late 1980s, SNL super-fans and viewers of a certain age will love this cold open. —Rosa Escandon, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024

For the evening’s cold open, Dana Carvey returned once again, not to impersonate Joe Biden or Elon Musk, but to bring back one of his most beloved characters, the Church Lady. —Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 8 Dec. 2024

In December 2016, shortly after Donald Trump was elected president for the first time, the European Film Awards kicked off with an SNL-style cold open. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above