We need to put a moratorium on TV shows starting with an unknown character running away from an unknown pursuer for unknown reasons in an unknown location before dying. It's there to kick off with big action/intrigue, but it's hard to get invested in any of that if we don't know what's going on!
Is this about THE HUNTING WIVES?
HUNTING WIVES only acceptable use case of this trope in 2025
Hunting Wives is good tho.
It most likely get taught that way in some screen writing courses that this is they way how it should be done. Because it has worked sometimes in the past.
I was listening to a podcast (wish they could remember which show they were speaking about), but they specifically mentioned this trope, referencing how writers/shows don’t have the confidence in simply telling a good story. That said, it is an old adage to “start in the middle of a story.”
Or the corporate drones that have to green light everything want it to be done that way, because their favorite movie/show has done it that way.