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

While Emil Wakim is standing next to Johnson, this cold open follows the recent pattern of letting JAJ’s Trump hold court and monologue. —Andy Hoglund Updated, EW.com, 18 May 2025

The majority of Season 50’s cold opens have leaned on James Austin Johnson’s uncanny President Trump impression, and the finale followed suit. —Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2025

Saturday Night Live kicked off its cold open with a heartfelt Mother’s Day message that was swiftly interrupted by James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump and — in a surprise return — Cecily Strong‘s Jeanine Pirro. —Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 10 May 2025

This week’s cold open answered that question of why: 33 years ago, Andrew witnessed Crawford, then a privileged teenager with a temper, kill a young woman who rebuffed his advances. —Hunter Ingram, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cold open

• reopen