# Bottle Episodes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 24, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582 "2010-05-24T16:19:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/21 "2010-05-26T15:50:06Z")
IIRC, about 50% of the _NCIS_ episode “Bete Noir” is shot in Autopsy with the rest of it in the bullpen and Forensics. I don’t remember any location shoots at all outside the building. Plus, they saved a lot of money on lighting. ---
**Author:** ![WDUNBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@WDUNBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WDUNBill)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/22 "2010-05-26T16:27:14Z")
I remember “Dark Shadows” devoting an entire thirty-minute episode to one actress, Grayson Hall, as Dr. Hoffman is being terrorized in Collinwood. A real tour-de-force for her. Multiple rooms, though, so I guess that wouldn’t count … ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/23 "2010-05-26T17:10:52Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > A Brit, comedy programme called Bottom had an episode set entirely within a Big Wheel car(as in fun fair) with only the two main characters. Since I had to stop and think for a minute what you meant, I’ll explain that Americans call it a Ferris Wheel. A Big Wheel is [this](http://www.originalbigwheel.com/). But yes, you’re right, that is a good example. ---
**Author:** ![Flying\_Saucer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Flying\_Saucer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flying_Saucer)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/24 "2010-05-26T17:23:24Z")
Like _Firefly_ (which **Morbo** mentioned), _Star Trek: The Next Generation_ had its share of these. In fact, I learned the term “bottle show” when reading about the series, and the writers did indeed define it as an episode that takes place entirely on the ship. In that sense, I think [“Clues”](http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Clues) would qualify, as the mystery is only on the ship and there’s no external threat. This is unlike the aptly named [“Ship in a Bottle,”](http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Ship_in_a_Bottle) in which the main holodeck story is matched with an external story – the Enterprise has to leave a solar system before two stars collide and form a black hole. But those are only effects; there are no sets to build or guest stars with expensive costumes and makeup. Then again, the holodeck sets had to be built. Well, what do you know. The Star Trek wiki lists [all the bottle shows for all Trek series](http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Bottle_episode). “Clues” makes the cut but “Ship in a Bottle” doesn’t. Either way, I guess I’m done here. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/25 "2010-05-26T17:23:33Z")
Seinfeld did two very famous ones, “The Chinese Restaurant” and “The Parking Garage”. Both required a new set, but each one took place in a single room and used only minimal extra cast members. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/26 "2010-05-26T18:07:53Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > The Simpsons clip shows must be relatively cheap. Yeah, except clip shows are specifically excluded by the OP. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/27 "2010-05-26T18:14:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Star Trek bottle shows … > “Star Trek” had some classic “shipboard only” episodes, like “Balance of Terror,” a futuristic reworking of “The Enemy Below,” and “The Immunity Syndrome.” Used to love those. No way “Immunity Syndrome” was a “bottle episode”. It used a lot of exterior space shots (which is one thing that _really_ ate up the budget), and that glitzy shot of the Space Amoeba. “Spectre of the Gun”, however, is definitely an episode made because they didn’t have much money (I don’t know if that qualifies as “bottle episode” if you haven’t got the cash in the first place) – minimal sets that are stylized and sketchy to begin with. I suspect “The Empath” was another example of this. Mostly completely black sets with spots of light, and alot of re-used stock footage. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/28 "2010-05-26T18:25:39Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Seinfeld did two very famous ones, “The Chinese Restaurant” and “The Parking Garage”. Both required a new set, but each one took place in a single room and used only minimal extra cast members. Incidentally, “Chinese Restaurant” was the last _Seinfeld_ episode to not include all four of the main cast members. Every character besides Jerry was left out of at least one show during the first couple seasons, but this particular episode became so iconic, and Michael Richards subsequently got upset enough at not being a part of it, that the Powers That Be (Seinfeld & David, basically) agreed that all four would always appear from then on. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/29 "2010-05-26T18:40:13Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Seinfeld did two very famous ones, “The Chinese Restaurant” and “The Parking Garage”. Both required a new set, but each one took place in a single room and used only minimal extra cast members. Actually, I thought I read somewhere that they filmed “The Parking Garage” episode in an actual parking garage, after hours. So they didn’t even need a new set for that one. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/30 "2010-05-26T18:45:47Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Actually, I thought I read somewhere that they filmed “The Parking Garage” episode in an actual parking garage, after hours. So they didn’t even need a new set for that one. Nope. They filmed on the regular Seinfeld soundstage using a small subsection of a parking garage that was filmed from different angles to look like different sections of the garage and mirrors to add depth. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/31 "2010-05-26T22:55:06Z")
The Fly episode of Breaking Bad. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/32 "2010-05-27T00:44:02Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Actually, that episode needed some “exterior” shots of people outside the ship, including the final moment of Jubal drifting through space. > > “Well… here I am.” > > I agree that it was a cool, creepy episode, though. That, and they needed to do another set (even if a tiny one) for Jubal’s ship interior as well. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/33 "2010-05-27T00:47:19Z")
(looks up) Why is it called a bottle episode? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/34 "2010-05-27T01:07:21Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > (looks up) > > Why is it called a bottle episode? > > -Joe From TV Tropes: > [@](#): > > Note that the term has become synonymous with “single-location” episode, even though bottle episodes can (theoretically) have as many locations as a normal episode. All that matters is that it costs less, because the money is having to pass through a “bottleneck”. The Star Trek cast and crew call this a ‘ship-in-a-bottle’ episode, which is where the name originated. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/35 "2010-05-27T01:16:47Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > (looks up) > > Why is it called a bottle episode? > > -Joe Well, wiki says it’s also called a [bottleneck episode](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_episode), so maybe it relieves a budget bottleneck? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/36 "2010-05-27T02:06:09Z")
I’m pretty sure that most episodes of “Red Dwarf” would qualify, at least the earlier seasons. There were a few episodes that had scenes which were NOT part of the RD ship. However, I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve seen a RD episode, so I might be misremembering. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/37 "2010-05-27T02:32:48Z")
The first that came to mind was Hollywood Babylon from Supernatural. Basically the entire episode took place on a movie set. The crew was played the show’s crew, the trailers were the star’s actual trailers, ect. It certainly felt cheaply made. The Empath from Star Trek has to have been one of the cheapest episodes filmed. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/38 "2010-05-27T18:48:43Z")
There are lots of long running shows with episodes in which two or more regulars are trapped in an elevator/closet/basement/etc… I wonder if this is the reason why. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/39 "2010-05-27T18:58:11Z")
> [@](#): > > There are lots of long running shows with episodes in which two or more regulars are trapped in an elevator/closet/basement/etc.. I wonder if this is the reason why. as I’ve explained before, I have a theory that similar-themed episodes of TV shows are the result of writers having attended the same writing classes, and reflect assignments they’ve had. When crunch time comes, they dust off an old script and re-use it. I’ll juwst bet that, for a time, “Trapped in an Elevator” was a common screenwriting assignment. “Having a Tax Audit” used to be, but seems to have fallen out of favor. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582/40 "2010-05-27T19:11:58Z")
Didn’t **Family Ties** have an episode that was just Alex P. Keaton in a sort of theater-like “black box” setting grieving over a dead friend? No set whatsoever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bottle-episodes/540582.md?page=3)