Favourite Cold Opening

oxygen

In my opinion The Wire, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead have managed to single handily save the cold opening format from years of stagnation.

I think The Walking Dead cold openings are particularly effective because while not as good as the other two shows cold openings, when Bear Mc Carthys brash, sinister theme tune instantly kicks in it adds particular resonance to the scenes you have just watched.

To that end, what are the cold openings people remember as their favorite?

My own is an episode in Season 2 I think. Shane enters a bathroom. He starts to shave his hair off. You wonder why we are watching this when the flashbacks show Otis grabbing a clump of Shane's hair in a desperate attempt for his life. Its clear that Shane does not have the intention of giving anyone that opportunity again.

razorblunt

oxygen_temp wrote: »

In my opinion The Wire, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead have managed to single handily save the cold opening format from years of stagnation.

I think The Walking Dead cold openings are particularly effective because while not as good as the other two shows cold openings, when Bear Mc Carthys brash, sinister theme tune instantly kicks in it adds particular resonance to the scenes you have just watched.

To that end, what are the cold openings people remember as their favorite?

My own is an episode in Season 2 I think. Shane enters a bathroom. He starts to shave his hair off. You wonder why we are watching this when the flashbacks show Otis grabbing a clump of Shane's hair in a desperate attempt for his life. Its clear that Shane does not have the intention of giving anyone that opportunity again.

I always thought that he was doing it so the others wouldnt question the gap and scar. If he said a walker did it they'd worry about scratches.

oxygen

razorblunt wrote: »

I always thought that he was doing it so the others wouldnt question the gap and scar. If he said a walker did it they'd worry about scratches.

I didnt think so. A gap would be more visible with a shaved head than a full head of hair, unless he went grade 0 on it, which he didnt. Personally I thought it was an act of self protection, removing weakness.

Otacon

It's odd that either motivation suits Shane's character.

oxygen

Otacon wrote: »

It's odd that either motivation suits Shane's character.

tbf to the guy he got things done. Needed to get that medicine back to save Carl's life. I cant see he would have made it if he had to make sure Otis got back ok.

Kirby

oxygen_temp wrote: »

tbf to the guy he got things done. Needed to get that medicine back to save Carl's life. I cant see he would have made it if he had to make sure Otis got back ok.

He shot Otis to save his own neck. He was injured and knew he couldn't outrun the walkers unless he gave them something to eat. It was never a case of making sure Otis got back or even making sure the medicine got back. Otis was fine, if Shane just cared about saving carl, he could have given the stuff to Otis and sacrificed himself as logically he was the slowest of the two at that point. Carl didn't factor into it. He was saving his own neck.

If Carl didn't have a hot mother, he isn't risking his life in the first place for the kid. It was a selfish act, like every other act Shane took. I liked his character. He was consistently written unlike some of the other characters. And he did get sh*t done. I just wouldn't want him in my group. He'd be as likely to shiv you as save you.

oxygen

Kirby wrote: »

He shot Otis to save his own neck. He was injured and knew he couldn't outrun the walkers unless he gave them something to eat. It was never a case of making sure Otis got back or even making sure the medicine got back. Otis was fine, if Shane just cared about saving carl, he could have given the stuff to Otis and sacrificed himself as logically he was the slowest of the two at that point. Carl didn't factor into it. He was saving his own neck.

If Carl didn't have a hot mother, he isn't risking his life in the first place for the kid. It was a selfish act, like every other act Shane took. I liked his character. He was consistently written unlike some of the other characters. And he did get sh*t done. I just wouldn't want him in my group. He'd be as likely to shiv you as save you.

Its so long since I saw that scene. You're right, I forgot he was injured. If anything he was dragging Otis down at that stage.

He was by far the most consistently wrote character. I really liked that about him. Rick has gone from Group Leader > Ricktatorship > Pasifist > Gun Toter in the space of a season or two, his fairly consistent personality changes kind of bug me. Its not what makes great leading characters.

Grimebox

Whats a cold opening?

degrassinoel

it's the beginning of the episode before the opening credits, not a recap, but an actual part of the episode itself, i think?

oxygen

degrassinoel wrote: »

it's the beginning of the episode before the opening credits, not a recap, but an actual part of the episode itself, i think?

Spot on, but previously it was used to kick off the action but the shows mentioned above have turned them into nearly artistic shot's

Junco Partner

Backpack guy in the "Clear" cold opening.

Really showed how cold everyone has had to become just to survive.

krudler

Probably the very first episode, Rick shooting the child walker.