History Main / LeadIn

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' have used a lead in with almost every episode as an intentionally convoluted path to the main story. It is so convoluted at times, the writers feel compelled to use a CallBack or blatant LampshadeHanging referencing the Lead In.
** A Tale of Two Springfields [=[BABF20]=] -- Badgers invade the family doghouse and Homer discovers that Springfield has been split into two area codes upon calling animal control. The split is the source of conflict for the rest of the plot. At the very end of the episode, we get a CallBack with waves of long forgotten badgers invading Springfield.
*** This led to a very blatant lampshading when, in the middle of a scene dealing with the area code split, the badger appears at the window, growling menacingly, before Homer tells it to "Go away, we got bigger problems now."
** Tennis the Menace [=[CABF07]=] -- There's a notably long Lead In in which Homer helps Abe find a final resting place. During shopping around, the funeral director mentions that a very extravagant monument "will consume as much space as a regulation-size tennis court." The scene changes and Homer has used his money to build a tennis court rather than a tomb. Just as the viewer realizes how convoluted things became, we experience this LampshadeHanging.

** Simpson Safari [=[CABF13]=] -- The episode begins with the Simpsons shopping at the supermarket. After a few gags, they reach the checkout lane, where we discover that the store's customers are making unreasonable requests to the bag boys (such as, "Stack it in the order I'll eat it driving home", and "I want everything in one bag, but I don't want the bag to be heavy"). Eventually, one of the bag boys gets fed up and declares, "On behalf of Sack Stuffers Local 199, I'm calling a strike!" As a result of said strike, the Simpsons barely have any food left at home. They eventually discover Homer's old box of animal crackers, which has a prized golden giraffe inside. After negotiating with the production company behind the crackers, they go to Africa despite the contest being long over. There's a CallBack later in the episode, where Homer begins to rant about the bag boys right before the family goes over an InevitableWaterfall. Later on, they start following a chimp as Homer rants some more about the bag boys. Finally, at the end of the episode, there's a (rather harsh) dedication to bag boys.
*** ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' has gotten very bad with this lately, to the point that the Lead Ins can ''[[HalfwayPlotSwitch take up more than half the episode!]]''

** ''Series/TheMuppetShow'': While the show was made for FirstRunSyndication, ITC Entertainment made a deal with the Creator/{{CBS}} to air the show on their owned-and-operated stations, which aired it before the start of network's primetime lineup.

* Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} tends to show new episodes and/or marathons of ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' before new episodes of their other shows or before events on the channel like the [=KCAs=].

* ''Series/MacGyver'' employed a variation on this in several episodes. An extended pre-credits sequence called the "Opening Gambit" was used several times, perhaps as a time-filler. It would be a short, self-contained adventure with an entirely different writer, production team, and supporting cast, and was often radically different in style from the rest of the episode (The titular character hardly ever employed any BambooTechnology in the Opening Gambit), and featured its own credits. After the gambit, the titles would roll, and the story proper would begin. The only link between the gambit and the main story of the episode would be a voice over to the tune of "No sooner had I gotten back from that mission when they sent me on this one," designed to convey nothing more than that [=MacGyver=] leads a very action-packed life.

This is important, since all the local news broadcasts are more or less interchangeable in the mind of the viewer, and it's also usually the only ad revenue the station doesn't have to share with the network or syndicate. This was one of the reasons ''The JayLeno Show'', which was demonstrably hurting the 10/11 p.m. newscasts of NBC affiliates, was cancelled.

** ''Series/SamAndFriends'': During its heyday, the twice-daily series served the lead-in to the two highest-rated shows on WRC-TV, ''The Huntley Brinkley-Report'' and ''[[Series/TheTonightShow The Tonight Show with Steve Allen]]''.

*** ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' has gotten very bad with this lately, to the point that the Lead Ins can ''take up more than half the episode!''

'''1.''' A LeadIn is a mini story which occurs before the main plot. It is used to warm up the audience and set up the events which lead to the main story. Aside from being a catalyst, it usually has very little relevance to the rest of the episode. It may also be used to stretch the script to a sufficient length.

A LeadIn differs from TheTeaser in that:

* ''Series/SixFeetUnder'' begins with a LeadIn showing a person's death. The remainder of the show is sometimes related to that person, and sometimes not.

* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'''s LeadIn is usually its own self-contained comedy sketch, unrelated to the rest of the episode except for brief reference after the commercials.

* Given that live eviction shows would be a highlights show and TheReveal, with a half-hour break before the exit interview, ''Series/BigBrother'', as mentioned above, was ''the'' example of this for Creator/Channel4, supporting every series of ''TheFridayNightProject'' and ''Series/EightOutOfTenCats''. Until the later series, where it began to need a LeadIn of its own.

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* Given that live eviction shows would be a highlights show and TheReveal, with a half-hour break before the exit interview, ''Series/BigBrother'', as mentioned above, was ''the'' example of this for ChannelFour, supporting every series of ''TheFridayNightProject'' and ''Series/EightOutOfTenCats''. Until the later series, where it began to need a LeadIn of its own.

Therefore, having the right show before you can make a huge difference in your UsefulNotes/{{ratings}}- often over a million viewers (''Series/{{Lost}}'' in the UK shed 1.3 million viewers between premiere and its next showing; ''BigBrother'' wasn't on for the second week).

* Given that live eviction shows would be a highlights show and TheReveal, with a half-hour break before the exit interview, ''BigBrother'', as mentioned above, was ''the'' example of this for ChannelFour, supporting every series of ''TheFridayNightProject'' and ''Series/EightOutOfTenCats''. Until the later series, where it began to need a LeadIn of its own.

* Often, an episode of ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'' begins with Miss Brooks conversing with Mrs. Davis over breakfast. While the conversation usually has relevance to the plot of the episode, occasionally it'll just be a wacky interlude before the main story comes into play.

Therefore, having the right show before you can make a huge difference in your {{ratings}}- often over a million viewers (''Series/{{Lost}}'' in the UK shed 1.3 million viewers between premiere and its next showing; ''BigBrother'' wasn't on for the second week).

* ''Series/{{MASH}}'' performed rather badly in the {{Ratings}} during its first season, when it was poorly placed in the {{Creator/CBS}} lineup. For the second season, CBS moved it between ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' and ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', which instantly turned ''M*A*S*H'' into the hit we now know it as.

* ''SixFeetUnder'' begins with a LeadIn showing a person's death. The remainder of the show is sometimes related to that person, and sometimes not.

* ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'''s LeadIn is usually its own self-contained comedy sketch, unrelated to the rest of the episode except for brief reference after the commercials.
* {{Sliders}}, mostly in early seasons, always started with the main characters in a random world ready to slide into the world that would be the setting for the episode. These lead-in stories rarely contribute to the main adventure itself (with some exceptions, like "The Breeder")

Therefore, having the right show before you can make a huge difference in your {{ratings}}- often over a million viewers (''{{Lost}}'' in the UK shed 1.3 million viewers between premiere and its next showing; ''BigBrother'' wasn't on for the second week).

** {{Calvin and Hobbes}} famously averted this in its later years; once the strip became popular enough that [[ProtectionFromEditors he had some clout]], creator Bill Waterson insisted that newspapers either run the Sunday strip unchanged, or not run it at all.

* ''FamilyGuy'' uses this in almost every episode.
* ''TheSimpsons'' have used a lead in with almost every episode as an intentionally convoluted path to the main story. It is so convoluted at times, the writers feel compelled to use a CallBack or blatant LampshadeHanging referencing the Lead In.

* Given that live eviction shows would be a highlights show and TheReveal, with a half-hour break before the exit interview, ''BigBrother'', as mentioned above, was ''the'' example of this for ChannelFour, supporting every series of TheFridayNightProject and EightOutOfTenCats. Until the later series, where it began to need a LeadIn of its own.

* ''{{Series/Mash}}'' performed rather badly in the {{Ratings}} during its first season, when it was poorly placed in the {{Creator/CBS}} lineup. For the second season, CBS moved it between ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' and ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', which instantly turned ''M*A*S*H'' into the hit we now know it as.

* ''LawAndOrder'' explores the activities of the people who discover [[AlwaysMurder the body]] in the minute or so before it is discovered.