10 great TV bottle episodes to watch while you remain on your own, um, single set

If you're homebound, there's no shortage of great shows and movies to binge. But if you're starting to feel a little aimless and are up for a themed approach to your next few selections, why not mirror your current experience with some of the best bottle episodes of TV of all time. A bottle episode is where the entire story is confined to one location, usually with a minimal amount of characters. Sound familiar? It's often done as a way to save money on one episode in order to spend it on others during the season. There have been many unforgettable versions of the concept — here are some of the best to get you started.

"5 Characters In Search Of An Exit", The Twilight Zone

The constriction of one location can be used to create tremendous suspense. Take this classic episode of The Twilight Zone as an example, where an army major wakes up in a mysterious space, along with a clown, a ballet dancer, a vagabond and a bagpipe player, who also don't know where they are. As escapes are attempted, theories are shared and more of the mystery is revealed — up until the true-to-form Twilight Zone twist ending — the concentrated tension creates a timeless experience.

"The Enemy Within", Star Trek

We can't leave Star Trek off the list, because they allegedly invented the phrase: episodes where the plot took place on the Starship Enterprise were referred to by the cast as "ship-in-a-bottle episodes". This particular bottle episode makes use of trope, the evil doppelganger. A transporter accident causes Captain Kirk to split into two different Kirks — one moral (but indecisive) and one evil. With that twist, the familiar confines of the ship suddenly become dangerous, as the evil Kirk interacts with unknowing crew members and, of course, the ultimate showdown between the two Kirks. This episode is also notable as the debut of Spock's debilitating hold, the Vulcan nerve pinch.

"The Parking Garage", Seinfeld

Seinfeld always challenged sitcom conventions and this episode is no different. After a day of shopping, Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer can't remember where they've parked, and so begins an odyssey with many obstacles, including a dying goldfish. Actually filmed on one stationary set, the Seinfeld crew kept redressing the layout, moving cars and changing angles to create the illusion of different parking garage levels.

"The Collapse Of Nature", Orphan Black

The critically-acclaimed Orphan Black put a very unique twist on the form. Since the entire series follows the different lives of identical clones, this episode is considered a bottle episode in the sense that it's a prequel episode, focusing solely on the previous life of one of the clones. It follows the character of Beth Childs, a police detective, investigating a murder while having her own breakdown. If you're bingeing the whole series, this isolated episode serves as a missing puzzle piece that colours in the show's mystery, but even on its own, the snapshot is a gripping character study. 

"The Suitcase", Mad Men

Keeping your key characters confined to one location is a great way to explore their relationships in a deeper way. Such is the case with this much-heralded episode of Mad Men, which finds Don and Peggy pulling an all-nighter in the office to work on a campaign. What's more, Peggy cancels her birthday dinner with her boyfriend, leading to their breakup. As the work pressure thickens, so do the dynamics between the characters, making it an episode filled with emotional arcs and series-defining revelations.

"Fly", Breaking Bad

This episode of Breaking Bad became one of the most famous bottle episodes in recent memory, by not only using one location (the lab), but also focusing on one plot point — trying to kill a fly. Of course, it isn't all about killing the fly, but Walt's obsession and Jesse's reluctance reveal a lot about their motivations going forward. A reprieve from the usual pace Breaking Bad, this two-hander (not counting the fly) is remarkable.

"The One Where No One's Ready", Friends

Friends has had a few episodes take place in a single space, but their first might be their best. Ross is very relatable in his quest to make sure no one is late to a black-tie gala. But, of course, each character presents obstacles, from stained dresses to break-ups to epic pranks.

"Take On Me", Degrassi: The Next Generation

This episode of the teen classic is actually a bottle-within-a-bottle episode. Five students are stuck in Saturday detention, all for different reasons, but they then plot an escape that leaves them roaming their completely empty school. Definitely part homage to The Breakfast Club, this episode takes the popular tropes to fun places.

"The Dinner Party", Frasier

By the sixth season of a show, the tone, characters and motives are firmly set and yes, Frasier and his brother Niles have had a lot of dinner parties. But this clever episode holds a microscope up to the process and finds the pair in Frasier's apartment, planning a dinner party like they always do, except it all falls apart at the seams. Deciding on a date, debating the catering, inviting and uninviting guests — no normal task is easy for the siblings. Unfolding like a stage play, it's got everything that made Frasier great: sharp dialogue, committed characters and the complete destruction of everything nice.

"The Accident", Murdoch Mysteries

A great bottle episode often reveals a side of the show and its characters that you haven't seen before. After a sudden multi-vehicle accident that's threatened many lives leaves Toronto in chaos, Murdoch must work quickly, in real-time, to save victims and solve the case. A normal Murdoch episode can take place over a few days, where the detective and his team employ a methodical approach. But there's no such luxury here, especially when the investigation reveals that it might not have been an accident after all. It's great to see the Murdoch cast all compacted into this time and place, filling this episode with non-stop suspense.

Have you seen any of the episodes on our list? Do you have bottle episode picks of your own? Don't bottle them up, tell us below.