10 Best TV Episodes Set In Just One Room
3. Brooklyn Nine-Nine - The Box
Wholesome, light-hearted cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine took a surprise turn in this Season 5 episode as it briefly became a tense comic thriller. Nine-Nine often revolves around the titular precinct, but this particular episode stands out thanks to being almost entirely confined to the interrogation room, making for a surprisingly intense story as Detective Jake Peralta tries desperately to squeeze a confession out of a murder suspect he's positive is guilty.
The smart script allows the episode to stand on its own merits while also making significant contributions to Season 5's character development, as Peralta's amusing bond with Captain Holt is pushed to its limits in a challenging situation. Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher have plenty of room to flex their acting skills thanks to the reduced cast, as does gripping guest star Sterling K. Brown (whose performance here was nominated for an Emmy).
The Box forces Nine-Nine out of its comfort zone to deliver an episode with a more dramatic focus, but it's still laugh-out-loud funny and eminently rewatchable as you'd expect from a cult sitcom. It goes to show that Nine-Nine is more than just a one-trick pony, and in fact has the integrity and talent behind it to innovate with unusual formats and ideas.