5 Iconic TV Sitcom Cold Opens From The 2010s

A tale as old as time: sitcoms and cold opens. Not every sitcom chooses to follow the formula of a cold open, 2-3 acts and a tag scene, but pretty much all your favourites do. There is something so pleasing about an opening scene that almost feels like a stand alone skit to begin an episode. Nowadays sitcoms aren't the only type of tv show that integrates the cold open into its design, shows like Breaking Bad and The Wire have used the technique.

The idea of making a short but concise mini-story within just a few minutes must be daunting for show writers, but when it's done right... my god, is it done right. It can grab your attention and pull you in for the rest of the episode, it can give you laughs that you just can't shake and it can give you moments that stick in your mind forever. Some of peoples' favourite tv scenes come from classic cold opens.

And although it is an old formula for a sitcom, even the shows of today still use it. The 2010s were full of some of the best comedies of all time; shows that are already classics even if they only ended a few years back (or are still running today). And they made the best cold opens.

SNL might do it best, but these five shows proved they have what it takes to make their audiences die of laughter.

Parks and Recreation was one of the greatest sitcoms of the 2010s with its mockumentary set up and cast of lovable but weird government employees, and although the show got off to a rough start it quickly became a comedy classic. The show revolved around Leslie Knope and the parks department as they went about their day at work, but their lives were anything but normal. Usually the crazy storylines weren't due to the work environment, which was usually quite average, but to the quirky characters. One of the best characters from the show was Ron Swanson.

Ron Swanson was known for being a tough, no nonsense man. With his libertarian views and his staunch hatred for government work it was easy to love his quirky and endearing character. Ron Swanson gave us some unforgettable moments, including denying having the flu and giving a child a landmine; and you cannot forget his signature giggle.

So it makes sense that Parks and Rec's best cold open revolves around Ron. The scene sees the gang in a meeting when Ron starts groaning in pain. Everyone watches Ron in confusion and concern as he pulls out a pair of plyers and subsequently shoves them in his mouth. The scene that ensues as Ron seemingly yanks the painful tooth right out of his mouth is hilarious! The reactions from his co-workers range from shock to sick fascination to Tom Haverford literally passing out on the floor.

The funniest moment however, comes when Ron reveals in a talking head that he'd already had the tooth taken out professionally and that the whole thing was his way of reminding his co workers of his toughness.