Cold open
A cold open (also called a teaser sequence)[1] is a narrative technique used in television and films. It is the practice of jumping directly into a story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits are shown. In North American television, this is often done on the theory that involving the audience in the plot as soon as possible will reduce the likelihood of their switching from a show during the opening commercial.[2] A cold open may also be used to recap events in previous episodes or storylines that will be revisited during the current episode.
The cold open technique is sometimes used in films. There, "cold opening" still refers to the opening moments or scenes, but not necessarily to the full duration before the title card, as the title card might appear well after the start.
Development[edit]
In the early 1960s, few American series used cold opens, and half-hour situation comedies almost never made use of them prior to 1965. Many American series that ran from the early 1960s through the middle years of the decade (even sitcoms) adopted cold opens in later seasons. However, beginning in the late '50s, several dramatic series, notably such Warner Bros. shows as 77 Sunset Strip, would cold-open with an attention-grabbing scene from the middle of the episode, which would repeat when the story arrived at that point.
Cold opens became widespread on American television by the mid-1960s. Their use was an economical way of setting up a plot without having to introduce the regular characters, or even the series synopsis, which would typically be outlined in the title sequence itself.
British producer Lew Grade's many attempts to break into the American market meant that various shows he was involved with incorporated the cold open. Later, many British action-adventure series employed the format, such as The New Avengers (1976–1977) and The Professionals (1977–1981).
During the 1960s and 1970s, daytime soap operas became the main users of cold opens, with most American soaps employing the format.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, some shows began with highlights from the previous episode. Also throughout the 1970s and 1980s, many traditional multi-camera sitcoms usually launched straight into the opening theme song, although this has changed in modern use. Today, between the 2000s and 2010s, most multi-camera and single-camera American sitcoms usually use cold opens for each episode, that last for at least 1–2 minutes (and 3–4 minutes at the most) before transitioning into the opening title sequence or theme song of the show.
Documentaries do not use cold openings as frequently as fictional shows. The World at War (1973–1974) is one famous exception, wherein a few short minutes an especially poignant moment is featured; after the title sequence, the events that explain the episode are outlined more fully.
Current uses in television[edit]
News[edit]
Most American news shows, including on channels providing 24-hour news coverage, use cold opens to introduce a summary of the stories covered in that edition.
Dramas[edit]
Cold opens are common in science fiction dramas and crime dramas. In the U.S., TV shows will occasionally forgo a standard cold open at the midway point of a two-part episode, or during a "special" episode. Vince Gilligan has been declared "Undisputed Master of the Cold Open" in multiple reviews,[3][4] detailing particular episodes of Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad. The Australian drama series, McLeod's Daughters used a cold open at the beginning of episodes for the majority of its run, before being phased out for its eighth and final season.
Soap operas[edit]
While several soaps experimented with regular opens in the early 2000s, all U.S. daytime dramas are currently using cold opens. Typically, a soap opera cold open begins where the last scene of the previous episode ended, sometimes replaying the entire last scene. After several scenes – usually, to set up which storylines will be featured in the episode – the opening credits are shown. By contrast, most British soap operas typically begin with regular opens. In Australia, soap opera Home and Away briefly used a cold open for a few episodes in 2006.
Comedy[edit]
One of the most well-known users of the technique, Saturday Night Live has regularly used a cold-open sketch since its start in 1975. Many modern American sitcoms use or used cold opens, such as The Office, Home Improvement, The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Modern Family, and Parks and Recreation. Another well-known use of a cold open in comedy is in the NBC show Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which starred SNL alum Andy Samberg. Many other comedy formats also use cold opens, including late-night talk shows and satirical 'news' shows. British show You’ve Been Framed! most notably used this in the Jeremy Beadle, Lisa Riley and Harry Hill eras.
Children's programming[edit]
Several American children's shows use cold opens, such as Animaniacs, The Upside Down Show, Pokémon, and Wallykazam! for example, uses the technique to set up the main conflict or plot of the episode.