Which Sitcom Has The Best Bottle Episodes?

[Utter Shit]

The hand of God always appealed to me because I interpreted it as "we've written ourselves into a corner and we don't have a clue how to end this so here's the worst possible ending we could think of", complete with Eddie's "we, and indeed the whole BBC" speech. Richie's expression while regarding the face of God is pretty great too:


I can definitely see how it goes a little too far into ridiculousness territory for a lot of people though.

I fucking hate this sort of stuff. There's probably a good thread in the discussion of stupid, unbelievable moments in shows. I know that is one of those things that can quickly unravel into pointing out the endless unlikelihoods that underpin every episode of comedy ever, but even a show as silly as Bottom is supposed to exist in the real world, and is rooted in some sort of reality, so it winds me up when they pull fantastical stuff like that.

One that's always annoyed me (I've moaned about it at length on here before) is the Only Fools and Horses episode 'The Sky's The Limit', which ends with a plane flying directly into Nelson Mandela House after Del steals a satellite dish...never mentioned again. No follow up episode set six years down the line with Damien in child therapy saying "I wish daddy hadn't fucking well got himself killed by nicking a satellite dish, the plonker", just carries on like it never happened. And it's not like it was a throwaway gag either, the entire episode is based around numerous strands which are tied together by Del pinching the dish.

Another one occurs in the episode of Men Behaving Badly I mentioned earlier, 'Watching TV', which ends with Tony saying "beam us up Scottie" or something, and everyone gradually fades out of view. I can accept that a bit more as it's not really anything to do with the story and is just a silly flourish, but it still annoys me.

[Dog Botherer]

Sunny - The Gang Goes To Hell Part 2

Argh, you cunt, just came in here to post this one.

[Rolf Lundgren]

I fucking hate this sort of stuff. There's probably a good thread in the discussion of stupid, unbelievable moments in shows. I know that is one of those things that can quickly unravel into pointing out the endless unlikelihoods that underpin every episode of comedy ever, but even a show as silly as Bottom is supposed to exist in the real world, and is rooted in some sort of reality, so it winds me up when they pull fantastical stuff like that.

I think they just about get away with it. Bottom was always on the borderline of surrealism.

Frasier- The Dinner Party. Frasier and Niles decide to host a dinner party but their boundless enthusiasm is totally crushed within the space of 22 minutes.

[toetoe]

One that's always annoyed me (I've moaned about it at length on here before) is the Only Fools and Horses episode 'The Sky's The Limit', which ends with a plane flying directly into Nelson Mandela House after Del steals a satellite dish...never mentioned again. No follow up episode set six years down the line with Damien in child therapy saying "I wish daddy hadn't fucking well got himself killed by nicking a satellite dish, the plonker", just carries on like it never happened. And it's not like it was a throwaway gag either, the entire episode is based around numerous strands which are tied together by Del pinching the dish.

The pilot averted the crash.

Sorted.

[Utter Shit]

The shot of the plane coming at the building makes it very unlikely that it would miss, but let's say that happened. What's the punishment for committing a crime which very nearly leads directly to the death of hundreds of people? And on top of that they'll find those stolen wigs when they search the flat. Del's finished.

[itsfredtitmus]

Steptoe
Hancock's
Only Fools
One Foot

Actually these were so good at bottle episodes that the bottle episodes are the most acclaimed

[dex]

Marion & Geoff is bottle episode in its entirety.

[itsfredtitmus]

Marion & Geoff is bottle episode in its entirety.

More or less Nightingales

[itsfredtitmus]

Porridge - A Night In

The second best sitcom episode ever.

Was No Peace for the Wicked a bottle episode? I really can't remember

[Andy147]

Cabin Pressure had a few, especially "Limerick" (which takes place entirely in the flight deck and only involves the 4 regular cast members).

"The End" was a pretty good episode of The Goodies.

[neveragain]

I'm glad this has got ya's all talking. My initial thought (and still possibly favourite) is One Foot for, as mentioned, the existential angst - even in the iffy last series, the power-cut/heatwave episode is very much on point - but glad to be reminded of so many other fine examples.

The Royle Family surely deserves a mention, as everything before the Nana-dies ep relied very heavily on this form.

I also love the last Steptoe Christmas special which is just a dreary conversation about where to go on holiday ('Bognor!') incorporating stories of Harold being locked in the cupboard as punishment when a child.

Edit: Oh, and Not Going Out has some surprisingly good ones (ski lift, car journey, escape room) alongside a United 93-style episode which is supremely misjudged.

[Serge]

Was No Peace for the Wicked a bottle episode? I really can't remember

He leaves the cell to help Blanco get some Jaffa Cakes at one point, and the final scene is set in the Governor's office.

But then I'm going to mention the closest thing that 'Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?' had to a bottle episode, which is 'One For The Road'. The beginning and ending of the episode are set in different places, but the bulk of it is set in the police cell where the lads hatch their dastardly plan to get Bob off a drink-driving charge. And also features SMBH's uncle!

[studpuppet]

The shot of the plane coming at the building makes it very unlikely that it would miss, but let's say that happened. What's the punishment for committing a crime which very nearly leads directly to the death of hundreds of people?

You get beaten half to death by Lee Remick?

[itsfredtitmus]

He leaves the cell to help Blanco get some Jaffa Cakes at one point, and the final scene is set in the Governor's office

should have been!

[holyzombiejesus]

Was there a Likely Lads bottle episode? I initially thought the England game one was, mostly due to the hiding out in the church bit, but then I remembered there are at least 2 other scenes. Was Strangers on a Train one?

[Serge]

The closest is the one I mentioned above. They go all over the place in 'No Hiding Place' in their efforts to get away from Flint. 'Strangers On A Train' has scenes set in London (well, in a strip club that's meant to be in London), and is on at least two different trains.

[itsfredtitmus]

Shelley has a bunch

[idunnosomename]

Psychoville - David and Maureen

This was brilliant. Kind of more notable for the whole one (two?) shot homage to Rope though. And the bizarre Nietschean interpretation of Black Lace.

[Dr Rock]

Sunny - The Gang Goes To Hell Part 2

The Gang Get Trapped is a bottle episode too, although not their best episode.

[AsparagusTrevor]

Thinking about it, there are quite a few It's Always Sunny episodes that could be considered bottle episodes, there's several that don't even leave the bar.

Charlie Work, one of my favourites from the whole series, stays in the bar for the duration (though technically they go to the street just outside a couple of times).

[Dr Rock]

I thought a bottle episode was where the cast are (mainly) in a place other than usual for the whole episode, particularly if they are also pirates or cartoons. Otherwise almost every episode of Cheers is a bottle episiode.

[Porter Dimi]

Frasier- The Dinner Party. Frasier and Niles decide to host a dinner party but their boundless enthusiasm is totally crushed within the space of 22 minutes.

Good call, though I would've said My Coffee with Niles.

[neveragain]

Thinking about it, there are quite a few It's Always Sunny episodes that could be considered bottle episodes, there's several that don't even leave the bar.

Charlie Work, one of my favourites from the whole series, stays in the bar for the duration (though technically they go to the street just outside a couple of times).

And the Chardee MacDennises are good fun.

I also meant to mention Him & Her, which handles real time, minutiae and silences very well. Despicable characters and so grimy you need a wash afterwards but I love the scripts.

To answer Dr Rock, I think the criteria is that it's all set in one spot regardless of if we've been there before. I used to call them single-scene episodes, which isn't accurate at all. But I still prefer it when they are more or less one unbroken period of time.

[gilbertharding]

"The End" was a pretty good episode of The Goodies.

That was the first time I'd ever heard the concept described as a Bottle - in the DVD commentary. I'd obviously seen 'bottle episodes' - the Frasier ones mentioned, the One Foot in the Grave traffic jam one, Hancock Sunday etc etc... and occasionally marvelled at the inventiveness.

The Goodies' commentary gave the game away slightly - they revealed that the last episode of the series more or less had to have one scene, because by then they'd spent all the money. Spoiled all future bottle episodes a little bit, that did (although you still have to admire the inventiveness, if there is any).

Also - if almost every episode of Cheers counts, does every episode of Taxi?

[Hobo With A Shit Pun]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4LDwfKxr-M

[neveragain]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4LDwfKxr-M

Weirdest episode of As Time Goes By.

[holyzombiejesus]

Was there a Likely Lads bottle episode? I initially thought the England game one was, mostly due to the hiding out in the church bit, but then I remembered there are at least 2 other scenes. Was Strangers on a Train one?

I checked to see if you'd posted but completely missed it. Durr.

[AsparagusTrevor]

I thought a bottle episode was where the cast are (mainly) in a place other than usual for the whole episode, particularly if they are also pirates or cartoons. Otherwise almost every episode of Cheers is a bottle episiode.

Dunno how true this is, but Wikipedia reckons the term originated from Star Trek episodes which, to save money, fully took place on the Enterprise. 'Ship in a bottle'.

There's quite a few sitcoms I can think of where the characters never or very rarely leave the usual set, I suppose a bottle-episode would need to be considered uncommon for the show in question.

[holyzombiejesus]

I imagine many cheaper sitcoms will be entirely made up of bottle episodes just so they didn't need extra sets or location shoots.

[NoSleep]

Community: Remedial Chaos Theory (the timeline one).