What does "cold open" mean?

An opening segment shown before the opening credits.

Cold open

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
An opening segment shown before the opening credits.
"The best way to find out how the series you're writing for uses teasers or cold opens is to get your hands on a script."

"The best way to find out how the series you're writing for uses teasers or cold opens is to get your hands on a script."

From cold (“completely unprepared; without introduction”) + open.