10 Brilliant TV Bottle Episodes

1) Psychoville – Give Em Enough Rope

At its heart, Psychoville is a British murder mystery/sitcom that stars some of the most bizarre characters ever seen on TV, including a midwife who believes her practice doll is a real baby and a pantomime dwarf who possesses telekinetic powers. However, such a description fails to do the premise justice and in this case, Psychoville really is one of those rare shows that you need to watch for yourself to truly appreciate.

Fans of the cult hit League Of Gentlemen will find much to love in Psychoville‘s bottle episode, which reunites the principal cast in a homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Rope. The story follows the disturbed mama’s boy David and his mother Maureen as they try and cover up a murder, concealing the corpse from an Inspector who stands just inches away from the body that’s been hidden inside a chest.

True to the movie upon which its based, “Give Em Enough Rope” constitutes one long take, aside from a couple of sneaky close-up edits that build the intensity to nightmarish proportions. The episode works exceptionally well on every level, from the claustrophobic camera work and tight scripting to the unforgettable performances given by the three leads, redefining what bottle episodes and sitcoms in general are truly capable of.