A Bottle Episode, in episodic television, refers to a cost-saving episode that takes place mainly in one setting with a limited number of special effects and cast. Bottle episodes usually occur when other episodes in a season require more money to produce, like expensive season openers and closers.

Fortunately, bottle episodes are often praised by critics and the audience because of their focus on character development and better writing. Many writers see bottle episodes as a creative challenge and thus are able to write more compelling scenes and dialog.