Cold Open

A sharp, irreverent Friday rundown of what's actually worth streaming this weekend. For people who'd rather watch one great thing than scroll forever.

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What you'll get

Every Friday at noon, two former development execs tell you what's **actually worth your weekend** and what's a trap. No algorithm, no autoplay, no spoilers above the fold. Each issue takes about 4 minutes to read. We cover the new releases, the buried gems, and the one show everyone's pretending to have finished.

Recent issues

  1. The prestige thriller that's all vibes, no plot

    It looks like a ten out of ten and plays like a screensaver. We tell you which three episodes to watch and which six to skip without losing the thread.

  2. Why the canceled show is the one to binge

    It got two seasons and a quiet death, and it's better than anything topping the charts this week. A complete story, no cliffhanger to resent.

  3. The comedy reboot nobody asked for, reviewed

    We went in cynical and came out converted. Mostly. Here's the case for giving it ninety minutes before you write it off like everyone else did.

  4. Five documentaries that respect your time

    No four-part true-crime padding, no recap-the-recap filler. Five tight docs you can finish in one sitting and still feel smarter on Monday.

About the authors

Reza Okafor & Dana Marsh

We spent a combined 14 years in **scripted development**, most recently greenlighting (and quietly killing) shows at a streamer you've definitely paid for. We've read the pitch decks and sat in the room. Now we just watch everything so you don't have to. Cold Open started as a group text we sent on Fridays. It got out of hand.

What readers say

  • "Cold Open is the only newsletter that's saved me from more bad TV than it's recommended. That's the whole point and they nail it every week."

    Priya Anand, Producer, indie film

  • "I've forwarded the canceled-shows issue to my entire group chat. Twice."

    Theo Brandt, Comedy writer

  • "Funny, ruthless, and right more often than not. I plan my weekends around it now."

    Lena Castillo, Film festival programmer

Start reading Cold Open

One rundown, every Friday at noon. No spoilers, no spam, no algorithm deciding your weekend for you. Unsubscribe anytime.

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