TV's Best 'Bottle Episodes'

Defined by its unchanging location and claustrophobia-riddled main cast, the concept of a 'Bottle Episode' began as a way for television production companies to cut costs spent on setting up different shooting locations, cameras and props. Since then, shows as popular as The Sopranos (1999), Friends (1994) and Star Trek (1966) have ensured it remains a staple of the medium, but some “Bottle Episodes” are used to bolster the themes and arcs of the rest of their series’ with particular flair and imagination.

Breaking Bad (2008). Season 3 Episode 10: The Fly.

With narrative tensions running high and budgets running low, Breaking Bad’s central duo Walter White and Jesse Pinkman were forced to hole up in their meth lab in order to destroy a seemingly unkillable housefly. This episode, while incredibly divisive amongst fans and critics, uses the chemistry between Walter and Jesse alongside both of their hardships, neuroses and propensity for turning on each other in such a way that it makes this a perfect example of what reduced spectacle can do for grounding characters.

BoJack Horseman (2014). Season 5 Episode 6: Free Churro.

In a TV show filled with emotional lows and incredibly raw self-reflection, ‘Free Churro’ takes the 'Bottle Episode' format even further by having only one location and only one voice actor. The episode sees the eponymous BoJack giving a eulogy at his recently deceased mother’s funeral, telling stories, cracking jokes and gradually coming to conclusions about the impact his mother had on his life. Despite being simply a real time viewing of a speech, this episode uses the format to strip itself back to an exploration of how we rationalise grief that you can’t look away from.

Community (2009). Season 2 Episode 8: Cooperative Calligraphy.

From the moment that main character Jeff Winger cancels his date and declares, "I'm doing a bottle episode," ‘Cooperative Calligraphy’ begins a metanarrative tirade about the set-up, style and execution of this kind of format. The premise revolves around the central group of mismatched community college students all setting out to catch and punish the person who stole fellow member Annie’s pen, while resorting to increasingly ridiculous and outlandish methods of testing one another. In the end, the episode delivers a funny and heart-warming conclusion that perfectly rounds off its utilisation of the tight space (and the character's awareness of being trapped in a trope) to fuel comedic drama.