Every show needs a memorable start that makes you want to find out more, and the opening scenes in these crime drama TV shows are particularly exciting. While sitcoms and dramas should also introduce the main storyline and characters, crime shows have even more information to explain, or at least hint at, in the first scene.
From the black-and-white opening sequence of a beloved show’s prequel to the first season of an HBO anthology series about detectives, there’s so much to appreciate about how these crime dramas set up each story. And after learning more about the people and premises, we definitely want to keep watching.
Sneaky Pete (2015-2019)
The contentious relationship between Marius Josipović (Giovanni Ribisi) and his prison cellmate Pete Murphy (Ethan Embry) is clear in Sneaky Pete right away, as Marius pokes fun at Pete’s sweet childhood memories. When Pete calls him a “con man” and Marius explains he’s a go-getter, it’s a perfect piece of dialogue that hints that Marius will pretend to be Pete.
Sneaky Pete could have shown Marius as Pete and then backtracked, but this narrative choice is clever. Since it’s too early to truly feel for Marius or agree that he’s doing the right thing, we’re left wondering who he is, and that leads to the show’s ultimate question about his search for self.
The nod to Pete’s childhood also works since it suggests a more innocent time that Marius seems envious of, which makes it easy to be curious about what he really wants out of life.
Good Girls (2018-2021)
A crime drama about three mothers who rob a grocery store to try to change their scary financial situations has to show you the heist, and Good Girls gets right to the point after some brief set-up.
After showing Beth Boland’s (Christina Hendricks) chaotic morning at home, Annie Marks (Mae Whitman) and her sweet relationship with her child at school drop-off, and Ruby Hill (Retta) cheering her daughter on for making a feminist school presentation. Then, as they wear masks and arrive at the supermarket, it’s shocking to see them go through with their plan.
Good Girls ensures that viewers know the three main characters are “good” people who want to help their families, especially Retta, whose daughter is wearing a breathing tube that hints at her illness. It also plays with questions of morality, and it all starts with this great opening.
Mindhunter (2017-2019)
The Netflix crime series Mindhunter could have started with Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) interviewing a serial killer, or some stats about the history of criminal profiling. Instead, it tells us what we need to know about Ford’s past and his journey toward working for the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI.
When Ford calmly walks toward a terrifying scene where a man has taken someone hostage and is likely hoping to kill them, we’re not sure if he’ll save the day or be harmed himself. We then find out that he started his career after this big moment.
Ford is introduced as a tough, thoughtful character who wants to help people, and we also quickly realize that his line of work means he’s most likely always going to be in danger.
Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
The Breaking Bad prequel opens with employees working at a Cinnabon cleaning up, spreading frosting on the pastries, and helping customers before revealing Bob Odenkirk’s character behind the counter. There’s no dialogue, just the Inks Spots song “Address Unknown.”
It’s a quiet, beautifully crafted black-and-white scene ​​​​​​that then cuts to the character almost crying as he puts on a VHS tape of a commercial he made as attorney Saul Goodman. This excellent scene shows what he’s doing once Breaking Bad is over, and we learn he’s renamed himself Gene Takavic.
From this scene, it’s obvious Odenkirk’s protagonist will likely never stop running and hiding from his real self, and we know it’s going to be a thrilling ride to see what he does next.
Dexter (2006-2013)
How do you begin a show about an unlikely serial killer? A grim and violent murder should be shown to set the somber mood, which is what Dexter does in the pilot episode’s opening scene.
As Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) drives through his city of Miami, he says, “Tonight’s the night. And it’s going to happen again and again… Has to happen,” which adds some mystery. Once he mentions he’s “hungry for something different,” you’re hooked and have to find out what he means.
When he kills a pastor and it becomes clear that he kills people who have committed murder, it’s clear that Dexter will be an unsettling story about whether he can keep his own crimes a secret. Of course, most know the premise by now, even if they haven’t seen the show, which ruins the surprise. Still, it works either way.
Bosch (2014-2021)
The start of Bosch explains Harry Bosch’s (Titus Welliver) bond with his partner Jerry Edgar (Jamie Hector) and the rough investigation he’s still recovering from. After seeing the partners sitting outside a house, they follow a man in his car, which results in a death that wasn’t supposed to happen and Bosch being sued.
The Prime Video crime drama then moves two years in the future, as Bosch is working in the field again and dealing with this trauma. The first episode’s criminal case also involves a kid’s bone, which lets you know the show can be brutal at times, but it’ll always be a smart exploration of Bosch’s work life.
Ozark (2017-2022)
A show about money, family, and how every move you make can lead you down a dark or a lighter path needs a more compelling opening than simply showing a crime. Ozark succeeds by sharing a thoughtful meditation on the meaning of being poor vs. being rich, thanks to a voiceover from Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman).
Marty talks about the American dream and how many people struggle to save for retirement or pay off debt. When it’s revealed that he’s speaking to a couple as a financial advisor and then goes with his boss to look at a fancy new office space, you quickly learn he’s not content with his life.
A dream scene of a family dinner scene, along with him sitting in a car with a sex worker who acts as if she’s his wife, conveys Marty’s boredom. By the time you find out Marty makes money working for a drug cartel, it’s the perfect set-up for his family move to the Ozarks, where he’ll become a full-time criminal.
True Detective (2014-Present)
Season 1, episode 1, “The Long Bright Dark” of True Detective finds Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) and Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) giving statements about the murder they solved. Rather than only showing them discovering Dora Lange’s dead body, which kickstarts their time finding True Detective’s season 1 killer,, this is a smart way to share their brash, honest personalities.
As Marty jokes, “you don’t pick your parents and you don’t pick your partner,” he agrees that Rust is an odd person, which draws you in and makes you wonder what that means. It’s a strong scene that gives all the key information, making it clear this will be part crime drama and part engaging character study about two broken men.
The Sopranos (1999-2007)
​​​The Sopranos pilot could have simply spelled it out for viewers and shown Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) as a tough mob boss who rules his New Jersey neighborhood. Instead, there’s complexity, nuance, and a depiction of mental health struggles.
As Tony has a hard time talking about his recent panic attack, the therapist says she’s aware of his job, but doesn’t say what it is, which was a smart narrative choice. The two parts of Tony’s life are also brilliantly shared, as his family has breakfast, and then Tony is driving near a man who owes him money.
But the most compelling and beloved part of the first episode is when Tony shares that he tried to save ducks who appeared in his pool recently. It’s sweet seeing Tony care about them so much, setting up that while he’s living a dangerous life, he has a big heart.
Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
Rather than showing Walter White (Bryan Cranston) living his regular days as a high school chemistry teacher, husband, and father and then starting his criminal lifestyle, the Breaking Bad pilot starts off with a scene where you’re not quite sure what’s going on.
After you see Albuquerque, New Mexico and a pair of pants flying down from the sky, which is definitely attention-grabbing, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) crashes his RV and is wearing his now iconic outfit of a gas mask and white underwear. He records a video message saying he loves his family, which puts a pit in your stomach.