One-shot takes on film and TVare always impressive to see, even if we don’t always notice them immediately. Sometimes, a one-shot take is so inconspicuous that we only realize the entire movie, episode, or scene was filmed in a single take at the very end or if someone else mentions it. Some of thebest one-take moviesout there show just how magnificent the world of film can be when filmed with just one or two cameras.
It’s a little harder to achieve one-shot takes inTV episodes, even if they’re shorter. Such a form of filming may not always follow the episode or story structure, so many showrunners avoid it. In most of the best one-shot TV episodes andTVepisode scenes, an intimate or claustrophobic atmosphere was depicted,expecting real-time reactions or a documentary-like approach to events.These are some of the greatest examples of them.
9’Looking'
Season 2, Episode 10, “Looking For Home”
Lookingis a very underrated series that aired for two short seasons onHBObefore it was canceled due to low viewership. Looking is valued today as the first HBO series thatcentered exclusively on thedating lives of gay menin San Francisco. The story follows three friends: Patrick (Jonathan Groff), Agustin (Frankie J. Alvarez), and Dom (Murray Bartlett).Andrew Haigh(All Of Us Strangers) wrote most of the series, which helps understand why the show felt intimate paired with a naturalistic filming style.
The one-take that happens inLookingtakes place in the final episode of the show, “Looking for Home.” Patrick moves in with his boyfriend, Kevin (Russell Tovey), and they experience an intense argument in which the future of their relationship becomes questioned.The camera follows them as they talk and argue, creating a sense of being in the room. Though the episode is cut with other scenes and angles, every time we’re alone with Kevin and Patrick, it’s mostly a single-take discussion that shows the emotional and raw reactions of love, frustration, and mutual discovery.
8’It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia'
Season 10, Episode 4, “Charlie Work”
Season 10, Episode 4 ofIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, “Charlie Work” is a beautiful homage to an often underrated character (by his peers),Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day). “Charlie Work” is also one of themost perfect episodes ofIASIP, showcasing the ingenuity and creativity of its creators; it’s unusual for a sitcom to use a single-take filming style, but “Charlie Work” is actuallya combination of several continuous takes that follow Charlie’s brilliant preparednessand his vital role in the functioning of Paddy’s Pub.
The episode doesn’t open with a continuous take but withan introduction to what’s going to happen. The gang is unaware of the sacrifices and preparation Charlie does to get Paddy’s to pass sanitary inspection; he explains to them that he has everything ready for evaluation, but the gang has a plan that clashes with Charlie’s. With quick thinking, Charlie comes up with a maneuver that includes them, and the continuous take begins. Following Charlie withseamless, uninterrupted camera movement increases the tension, the time crunch, and the absurdity of his efforts. “Charlie Work” is a masterful episode depicting controlled chaos.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
7’True Detective'
Season 1, Episode 4, “Who Goes There”
True Detectiveseason 1 is greatly known as one of the best seasons on TV ever. Directed byCary Joji Fukunagaand written byNic Pizzolatto, season 1 left a huge mark on the detective genre, especially due to the combination of these two talents. Though the majority of season 1 is adark, ominous slow-burn,there is one moment in episode 4 that’s intense, full of action, and shot in one continuous take. Choosing to direct it like this meant that viewers needed to sense the emphasized tension and the urgency of the situation; it’s one of the greatest one-take scenes on television.
InTrue Detective,season 1, episode 4, “Who Goes There"is tense in its entirety since Rust (Matthew McConaughey) decides to infiltrate a biker gang on his own.The final six minutes of the episode are an iconic tracking shot, following Rust, who has gained the trust of the bikers, now participating in a heist of a rival gang; the camera follows him and his frenetic speech and movements as he repeats “30 seconds in and out” while chaos ensues. The tracking shot intensifies the stakes, creating the feeling of being in the room and in Rust’s head.
True Detective
6’Mr. Robot'
Season 3, Episode 5, “Runtime Error”
One of the greatest - and somewhat forgotten - TV series of the 2010s wasMr. Robot, led byRami Malek as Elliot, a hacker who joins a group of hacktivists. The psychological drama/cyber thriller was praised for exceptional writing and visual storytelling; the show was highly popular,but it’s most valuable to its trusting cult following nowadays.Mr. Robothad four great seasons, with thehighest ratings and praises going to season 3, including its halfway point, episode 5—“Runtime Error,” stylized as “eps3.4_runtime-err0r.r00.”
Episode 5 was designed to look like a continuous shot; despite many cuts - that are hard to note in real-time - the entire episode feels like it was made in one go. It follows Elliot going back to work, soon realizing a corporate hack is about to take place. At the same time, a protest is happening outside his building, and the camera is attached to Elliot the entire time; with chaos erupting around him, he moves through the office and the building. The lack of visible cutsamplifies the urgency and the paranoia, trapping the viewers in Elliot’s perspective. This is one of the best examples of how a sequence can look continuous when it’s not, which is the beauty and mastery of filmmaking.
5’Daredevil'
Season 2, Episode 3, “New York’s Finest”
The first run ofDaredevilwas one of the best Marvel shows on streaming. With its return, an underrated but still highly beloved character,Daredevil, is on our screens again in all his glory.Daredevil: Born Again, as well as all other previous episodes ofDaredevil, is now onDisney Plus, including season 2, episode 3, “New York’s Finest.” This is one of the best episodes of the show, not just because of an intense and highly entertaining one-take scene;Frank Castle, aka The Punisher(Jon Bernthal), a popular anti-hero, has a big role in it.
In “New York’s Finest,” Daredevil (Charlie Cox) comes face to face with The Punisher, and they face off in a game of psychological and physical strength. After their final duel, Castle shoots up a biker gang’s row of bikes, and they angrily charge at the building where he and Daredevil are. After they enter, the camera follows Daredevil and his movements through a hallway fight. The uninterrupted encounter is brutal,showing Daredevil’s endurance against a number of enemies. The punches feel real and the narrow hallway claustrophobic; the action is incredibly exciting, marking brilliant craftsmanship in an episode with grit and soul.
4’Boiling Point'
Season 1, Episode 1
Philip Barantini, the creator of the newest hit series,Adolescence, worked withStephen Grahambefore, when they made a one-take movie followingworkers in a Michelin-awarded restaurant,Boiling Point. The movie’s success was huge, and it inspired Graham and Barantini to co-create a miniseries of the same name that would be a direct continuation of the movie’s events.Boiling Pointis quick, snappy, and immersive, as the castglides across the screen with impeccably choreographed dialogue and movement. The series is much of the same, though not all of it is entirely one-take.
The longest one-take scene in theBoiling Pointseries is the opening scene of episode 1, and it’s an 11-minute continuous take depicting the functioning of a newly opened restaurant. The restaurant is run by Carly (Vinette Robinson), the former sous-chef of Graham’s movie character. The single takeimmerses viewers in thefast-paced, claustrophobic chaosof kitchen staffmembersworking to meet deadlines and serve food as fast as possible, making the scene feel like a dance of knives and cooking techniques.
Boiling Point
3’The Bear'
Season 1, Episode 7, “Review”
The Bearis one of the most popular shows on TV right now, even if it’s not currently airing.We’re patiently waiting for season 4, which promises to continue directly where the third left us.The Bearisunique for its anxious, fast-paced editing and storytelling, chaotically endearing characters, and a greatly talented cast thatfeels like a family on-screen. One of the most unique episodes depicting all the chaos is season 1, episode 7, “Review,” where the stakes are high, and the gloves come off by the end of it.
The Bearis about an award-winning chef, Chicago local Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), opening a fine-dining restaurant at the same place wherehis brother ran his famous sandwich shop. Season one follows the transformation from a rushed and dirty place to a rushed but highly organized one under Carmy’s lead.“Review” is the first episode in which the staff serve their new menu, and it’s a disastrous day in the kitchen. Tensions rise while orders pile up, and the one-take technique takes viewers directly into twenty minutes of a restaurant’s busy workday, amplifying the stress and anxiety further. It leaves us wondering - if it’s that stressful, why would anyone want to be a chef?
2’Succession'
Season 4, Episode 3, “Connor’s Wedding”
One of HBO’s greatest shows,Succession, made great waves after its first season and stayed a fan favorite even after it concluded after four seasons.Successionworks in several ways; not just because theprivate lives of the rich and the powerfulare inherently interesting, but because the conflict between them is.It’s also shot beautifully, with a lot of handheld frames and scenesthat make it often feel like a documentary. This dark comedy/family drama follows the Roy family—patriarch Logan (Brian Cox) and his children, Kendall (Jeremy Strong),Siobhan “Shiv” (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin),and Connor (Alan Ruck).
Inepisode 3 of the final season, “Connor’s Wedding,“the siblings head for Connor’s big day, but Logan takes the plane with his closest coworkers to meet a potential buyer for his media conglomerate. En route,Logan suffers a heart attack and dies, and theone-take shot follows Kendall, Roman, and Shiv responding to the news.The call comes to Roman, who scrambles to find Kendall and Shiv, capturing the siblings' unfiltered reactions to news that’s happening as they speak. The continuous movement and back-and-forth, a trademark ofSuccession, has a huge impact here, intensifying their grief and confusion over the life-changing event. “Connor’s Wedding” isone ofthe best episodes of TV ever made, and it was made all the more powerful because of the continuous take.
Succession
1’Adolescence'
Miniseries, Episode 3
The most recent psychological thriller on Netflix,Adolescence, shook the masses with its visceral and realistic portrayal of the psyche of teenage boys in a chronically online world.Directed by Philip Barantini entirely in his signature one-take style, the show wasco-created by his collaborator Stephen Graham, who stars in the show, too.Adolescenceimmediately garnered great attentionfor exceptional storytelling, but the unnoticed, yet biggest, contributor to the show being so authentically emotional and impactful is the single-take filming style that makes it feel like we’re watching some sort of documentary. In a grim way, it is quite a realistic portrayal of the world today.
Adolescencefollows the arrest and questioning of13-year-old Jamie (Owen Cooper), who is suspected ofkilling his classmate, Katie. In the unnamed episode 3, Jamie’s been in a youth detention facility for months, and a forensic psychologist visits him to evaluate his understanding of the events surrounding the murder. As the episode unfolds, Jamie experiences a deep personal moment that feels like a coming-of-age story,where his feelings unfold in real time and show a shift happening. The entire episode is a one-take miracle, providing a deeper look into Jamie’s internal struggle and giving viewers the role of an observer in the room.
