Hello and welcome to SpoilerTV's Weekly Round Table! Joining us this week is Kim R (KR), Elena (ET), Anjali (AS), Eve (EV), Milo (MJ), Meredith (MH), Lucas (LO), Julia K (KK), Val (VL), Joshua (JO), and Cristina (CA). You just have to sit back enjoy the read and join the discussion in the comment section down below.
Please note, every opinion belongs to its respective author; it does not encompass our site's, or other authors', beliefs.
Bottle episodes! Some people love them, some people hate them. Sometimes it depends on the bottle episode. Do you like them? What’s your favourite bottle episode?
KR: I am typically not a huge fan of bottle episodes unless they have substance and purpose that contributes meaningfully to the storyline. Most of the time, they don’t really grasp my attention, feeling like more of a ‘filler’ to me. However, the exception for me, is the “Fly” episode from one of my favorite shows, Breaking Bad, was excellent and very well done. This episode was very well crafted, capturing Walt and Jesse’s state of mind, points of view on life lessons, and their everchanging and evolving dynamic. A huge secret was nearly revealed during this episode as well, but Walt held back because he knew it would’ve derailed his larger plan. This episode shed more light on the mental and emotional toll their “breaking bad” journey is taking on them, while also reiterating their ultimate goals.
ET: I loveeee a bottle episode! It’s one of those fun underutilized concepts that can really give a show that comedic edge or add to the tension depending on the script and the director. One really great example, and my personal favourite, is in the Community episode ‘Cooperative Calligraphy’ where the study gang spends an entire episode looking for Annie’s purple pen. Really simple, insanely hilarious. By the credits you don’t even realise the entire episode has taken place in the study room. And bottle episodes aren’t just reserved for sitcoms; The X Files and Californication have also successfully incorporated bottle episodes, albeit, in a way that coincides with the tone of the show.
AS: So, by definition, a bottle episode is “an episode of a television show that is written so that it requires only one set or scene and a limited number of cast members.” It was a term coined by Leslie Stevens who was the creator of The Outer Limits from the 1960s and even though it seems pretty straightforward, sometimes there is a possibility of a confusion between “bottle episodes” and “filler episodes” and “two-handers”—I myself might be getting the choices wrong, but seeing as how I’ve watched very few of them, I’d say that it seems to be something which doesn’t fall under the typical umbrella of television shows I see. So if and when I do, it doesn’t really register as one until much later?
Off the top of my head, perhaps “Midnight” from Doctor Who and wayyyy back when Firefly was around, “Out of Gas” would be the two that I’ve experienced and both of them were very well done in my opinion and thoroughly enjoyable! Does “Heaven Sent” from Doctor Who also count? Maybe? If that’s the case then that does rank as one of my top favorite episodes ever and proves that bottle episodes are capable of being standouts and highly memorable ones at that!
EV: I can’t say I really enjoy bottle episodes. For me it just takes away from the ongoing story. Often, it feels as stalling, I just want the writers to get on with it.
The only bottle episode I remember liking is “9 to 5”, the Cuddy centric episode of House MD.
She was my favorite character, I found it interesting to see a day in her life and all the hospital doings through her POV.
MJ: I love them!! some of my favourites are bottle episodes—for example, Breaking Bad’s “Fly” is just perfect and one of the best episodes of the entire show. They're a lost art - lost in the streaming wars. Pine Barrens, perhaps the ultimate example, from The Sopranos. And right the way back to “The Edge of Destruction,” the very third serial of Doctor Who... back where it all started.
MH: Bottle episodes are tricky because they magnify every weakness in a show and have the potential to be boring and feel forced, like the writers are stalling or the show is saving money on production costs. If a bottle episode does nothing to advance the season’s arc or deepen the connection to the characters, it can be as useless as a clip show. One of my favorite bottle episodes is Mr. Robot’s “407 Proxy Authentication Required,” which feels like a fully realized five-act play. The plot is forwarded, and a key realization is made, deepening our connection to Elliot.
LO: My initial answer was going to be “It depends”, but honestly, I think I love them all. Whenever a show tries to do something different, like an animated episode or a musical one, or why not, a bottle episode, it feels so special to me, so I usually love them. Some of them are fillers, some of them are not, and I'm here for them all. My favorite bottle episode ever, Mr. Robot’s “407 Proxy Authentication Required,” is something special, one of the show's best episodes (and one of my favorite episodes ever). I also love "Leslie and Ron" from Parks and Recreation (which is also so great, with some huge stuff happening here too).
KK: For me, the success of a bottle episode largely depends on its purpose and the genre. In dramas, these episodes can sometimes feel like the plot is at a standstill, which can be frustrating. However, when the episode is meant to reflect a character’s emotional or psychological standstill, I’m fully on board—so long as the dialogue is sharp. A well-written script can turn those quiet moments into something impactful, elevating the stillness into powerful storytelling.
Bottle episodes are usually easier to pull off in comedies. A great example is Friends. The episode "The One Where No One’s Ready" takes place almost entirely in Monica's living room, yet the episode remains engaging throughout. In fact, many viewers probably don't even realize it’s a bottle episode, a testament to how effortlessly the humor flows. This episode also highlights what truly makes Friends special—the group’s chemistry. The characters and their relationships are the heart of the show, and this particular bottle episode showcases that beautifully.
VL: For me it depends on whether or not the bottle episodes move the story forward. That is the only capacity I could find myself enjoying a bottle episode—if it doesn’t continue the story or isn’t at least related to anything going on in the series, I am perfectly fine with skipping it. I’m not certain if this is a bottle episode, but it fits the definition for sure and that’s episode five of Monsters season three called “The Hurt Man”. This is one of my favorite episodes of any series as of right now for two main reasons: one - It continues the story being told and two - the way it’s shot; the camera movement where the starting point is further back and then it slowly zooms into Erik’s (Cooper Koch) face. The episode is only thirty-three minutes long, but it took me over an hour to watch. Erik’s testimony alone was powerful, but the intensity of the episode in its entirety felt like I was in the room with them.
JO: I like bottle episodes since they let writers be creative and do something different outside of the normal pre-established structure of a normal episode.
I'd have to say “4,722 Hours” from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., an absolutely phenomenal episode with some excellent scenes from Simmons portrayed by Elizabeth Henstridge. Elizabeth did a phenomenal job playing a person stranded on a terrifying alien planet. This is probably one of the best episodes of the show.
CA: I personally do not like bottle episodes. They often slow down the overall plot and they feel like filler, not advancing the larger narrative arcs and almost feeling like a waste of an episode. I feel like while some bottle episodes focus a lot on characters, this doesn’t always work because if the writing or performances don’t land, the episode can feel like an overly long, drawn-out hour with no meaningful payoff. I also feel like they lack the visual appeal and setting that draw viewers into a series. They come across as visually bland and unappealing.
There are so many kinds of shows, so many genres. What are your favourite genres? Do you prefer when a show sticks to that genre or gets creative with it?
KR: Horror and Thriller/suspense are tied as my #1 favorite genres, followed by Soap Operas and Reality TV, and then Romance, Comedy and Drama.
ET: My favourite genres will vary depending on my mood. Some weeks I will watch only dramas, other times I require the light-hearted humour of a comedy. The shows that can combine the two in a way that aid each other will always be my favourite. I find myself watching a lot of police procedurals and so any inclusion of humour is always welcomed. I will always be in support of creativity and I think it says alot about a producer and how he/she operates when they are not afraid to challenge the status quo. (Also this is where I include that I do in fact see The Bear as a comedy, sorry!)
AS: My favorite genres usually were always either sci-fi fantasy or superhero centric ones, but these days it tends to oscillate between murder mystery crime shows or just good ol’ drama tv! I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing a combination of genres or even the occasional musical episode and hey, even a meta-episode that breaks the change of pace and adds a creative twist is always welcome!
EV: My favorite genre is by far drama. I sometimes mix it up with a half our comedy but I'm definitely am more invested and interested in dramas (limited series).
Personally I feel that whatever the genre of a show is, it better stick to it. I’m not a fan of shifts of genre in a show.
Of course, there are shows that really manage to be both drama and comedy, the so-called dramedy or dark comedies. Some prime examples for me are Apple TV’s Bad Sisters and Netflix’s Beef and After Life.
Stories told with humor but with an underlying sadness. The Bear is NOT A COMEDY!
MJ: My favourite show is the ultimate genre blender, Doctor Who. It can be war drama one week, historical epic the next—space drama the next week, haunted house story the week after. Don't think there's a show out there with genre bending concepts than that. Genre-wise I'm a sucker for science fiction and historical fiction but I love a good prestige tv drama. There's just too much variety to pick one!
MH: I it like when a show plays with its genre. Doctor Who is famous for this, and I really enjoyed the Bridgerton-inspired episode.
LO: I usually watch lots of speculative fiction—fantasy, sci-fi, horror—but I also love a good drama—especially if it’s mixed up with a thriller and a good murder mystery. And I love it when shows get creative and mixes genres, I think it’s so cool; I just finished the entirety of Evil (Paramount+) and that’s a good example of a show that is good at mixing genres: it’s a horror, but it’s also an investigative procedural, while also being a drama about a family which sometimes is also a courtroom drama. It’s also a comedy at times (or at least there’s this comedic, would even say campy, factor), and I love it. I think Poker Face (Peacock) also made some nice choices twisting its genre and getting creative with it, and I love it as well.
KK: My favorite genre is actually a blend of comedy and drama. There’s something special about the way they balance humor with emotional depth. The ability to make you laugh one moment and feel something deeply the next creates a more nuanced, layered watching experience. Shows like Hacks, Ted Lasso, and Shrinking exemplify this perfectly, tackling serious themes like aging, regret, mental health, grief, and personal growth, all while delivering sharp, witty humor.
VL: I have a few favorite genres, but they mainly fall under the umbrella of Drama. Psychological Dramas are pretty high up there - anything that has to do with the mind I will be seated for (think mental health). Romance and Comedy are my favorites too. I prefer when shows stick to whatever genre it started as. It could be interesting to be creative, but you risk the chance of losing your target audience and I will stop watching any show that I feel has lost the plot.
JO: My favorite genres are fantasy and science fiction. I have however always been a fan of mixing genres together. The age old saying “there is nothing new under the sun” is very true when it comes to television these days so I will always have great respect for writers who take creative risks by thinking outside the box.
CA: My favorite genre is thriller/mystery. I’m a huge fan of anything true crime and can easily watch the same story retold across different shows without getting tired of it. Honestly, that’s true for most of the shows I enjoy. Something that might surprise people, though, is that I also love dramedies. They satisfy my craving for drama while offering those perfectly timed, lighthearted moments that make me laugh when done right. So Help Me Todd was a fantastic example of a show that blended drama and comedy really well. I’m still disappointed it got cancelled.
In the past week, what notable TV moment has happened? Any new releases to recommend? A scene that blew you away? Anything you’re looking forward to next week?
KR: A TV moment that has happened in the past week, blowing me away, occurred on PowerBook II Ghost, when Monet Tejada died. This scene took me by surprise because of the way she died, which was to save her children. Being the series finale, I was hoping she didn’t die being the head matriarch of the show, however, in the series finale, her children avenged her death, proving that family truly does come first, despite their differences.
ET: How could I not recommend Nobody Wants This? The new Netflix rom-com series has had me hooked coming off a tv show slump and I am eagerly awaiting news of a second season order. I already knew it would have a happy ending (well I hoped) but the moment at the end of the finale where Joanne gets off the bus to find Noah waiting for her was positively swoon-worthy. Rom-coms are so back!
MJ: In the past week, what notable TV moment has happened? Any new releases to recommend? A scene that blew you away? Anything you’re looking forward to next week? A major shoutout to The Rings of Power which wrapped up its run recently, and Industry Series 3 returned to the UK—The Rings of Power gave us so many memorable moments across the board—the Balrog vs. King Durin, Sauron, and made us feel sorry for an Orc—something that Peter Jackson never managed to do. Major props to Charles Edwards' Celebrimbor—as every bit as awards worthy as all the actors who have won for Game of Thrones in the past.
MH: Nobody Want This was a revelation. A romantic comedy where the couple is honest and shares their vulnerabilities and insecurities is rare. I hate shows that cannot construct a healthy relationship, but this one manages to do it. There’s still drama and chemistry, but Joanne admits that she can get a little nuts, and Noah notices when there is an issue or a shift in the relationship and wants to talk about it. We better get notice about a season two or we ride at dawn.
For more fun, Bad Monkey has been a great way to spend time, but you must love Vince Vaughn. The first two episodes are slow, and you wonder where all of this is going, but by the end of episode three, I was all in. Bonus points for any show that features Rob Delaney. I’m both dreading and anticipating the season finale this week. The loss will quickly be replaced with Shrinking’s return.
LO: As usual, past week’s Only Murders in the Building deserves a mention, this time with the found-footage documentary produced by the Brothers Sisters—I was smiling the entire time watching this one. Now I'm looking forward to the third and final episode of the “bee-nado” arc on 9-1-1: last week was a wild ride for Athena and the 118, and I expect something emotional for this week’s episode.
VL: I highly recommend the new season of Heartstopper that just dropped on Netflix last week. It is so special to me; it’s not the light-hearted love story that many have grown to love these past couple years. It’s more mature and addresses mental health (specifically eating disorder, OCD, self-harm) in such an authentic way, that I wish I had a show like this growing up. Another show I would highly recommend is Brilliant Minds on NBC. The brain is so complex and this show has been doing a great job at setting up cases that exhibit the depths of its complexity. For example (and also a scene that blew me away), this character on the show, Van, was in the room with a patient they were evaluating when she suddenly collapses and stops breathing. As she went down, Van went down as well and also stopped breathing. It turned out that Van has an extremely rare neurological condition called mirror-touch synesthesia (mts) which means he mirrors sensations felt by others and feels them himself. I googled and this is a real condition doctors treat as a sensory processing disorder.
JO: The opening scene of episode 3 of Penguin was pretty heartbreaking, we got a flashback of the flooding of Gotham from Victor’s perspective and it was pretty tragic knowing that Victor lost his entire family. He is still dealing with terrible PTSD from that night. Batman as a franchise has dealt with mental health as a theme and we see that continue on this show through characters like Victor and Sofia Falcone. The Penguin show is pretty great on it’s own but it’s an excellent spinoff that does a great job fleshing out the cinematic world established by the movie.
I highly recommend Season 4 of Superman and Lois. I’ve been enjoying the show’s final season so far and this season might just be the show’s best season yet next to the first season depending on how well the creative team nails the ending of the show.
CA: I approached Outer Banks Season 4 with a lot of skepticism, especially since the previous season seemed to veer off in a direction that felt disconnected from what made me love the show in the first place. However, Season 4, at least part one, really surprised me. The show returned to its core themes of friendship, loyalty, and found family—the elements that defined its early success—and it felt like a breath of fresh air. With part two still to come and a major cliffhanger hanging over us, I’m eagerly looking forward to its release.
That wraps up another round table! Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments below. See you next week!
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