Top 10 Continuous Uninterrupted Shots in TV Shows

This prequel crime drama series is known for featuring some impressive camera work, but perhaps its greatest achievement is this shot. A four-minute-long sequence, this long take follows a semi truck smuggling drugs across the Mexican American border. The camera begins on a crane, overlooking dozens of trucks making their way across, before transitioning to a Steadicam. We then follow the truck into an inspection station where it passes muster and can go on its way. Although there is a cut hidden halfway through, the sheer number of extras and logistics, not to mention special effects, involved here is amazing. Plus, the music has us vibin’!

Speaking of music, the internet is full of musical challenges and the cast of “The Office” gets in one of its most popular – lip dubs. The cold open of season 7 sees the gang at Dunder Mifflin do an extended lip sync to The Human Beinz's “Nobody But Me.” The extended, 2 plus minute sequence follows nearly the whole cast throughout the entire set, with each performing a bit of comedy or flair for their part in “singing” the song. There’s a wonderful sense of barely controlled chaos, as some characters like Dwight get a little too into it, while Angela wants nothing to do with being on the internet. It’s one of the most beloved cold openings on the show for good reason.

“Mr. Robot” has featured some very experimental episodes, and one of its most distinctive is titled “Runtime Error,” or rather “eps3.4_runtime-err0r.r00.” The episode follows protagonist Elliot Alderson as he must navigate a bad day, filled with protestors, betrayals from those close to him, and revelations about his own missing time. The whole thing is shot to appear in one continuous take. In actuality, it’s around 15 stitched together to appear seamless. Still, the sense of immediacy shines through, as the characters experience a harrowing ordeal in the span of less than an hour.

Sitcoms tend to be less prone to long takes than dramas, but this one pulls it off with style. When Ted Mosby gets a crush on his dermatologist, Stella, she claims not to have time to date him, because she has a daughter. However, since she didn’t say no, Ted decides to take her on a two-minute date. The dating experience is condensed into a few minutes on the same street, and we follow Ted and Stella as they have dinner, see a movie, and stop for coffee afterwards. Packed with charm, romance, and comedy, this is a great date and a great shot.

Another comedic long take, this one follows David, a murder-obsessed manchild and his overprotective mother, Maureen. Another full episode shot like it’s one take, this particular one is actually done in two, though that’s still impressive. A dark comedy of errors, David and Maureen kill a man in his apartment and must keep up appearances when a policeman comes looking around. It’s a clear homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rope,” which features a similar plot involving a hidden body. But where the master of suspense went for, well, suspense, “Psychoville” uses it as a great source of humor.

While it was tempting to talk about this episode, “Triangle,” as a whole, since it was filmed in a succession of long takes or shots edited to look like them, this particular scene is easily a highlight. In search of information that can help Agent Mulder, Agent Scully scours the FBI Building in search of it, turning to her superiors and even threatening a fellow agent to try to get it. However, she is met with obstruction and hostility at every turn. Eventually she gets the information and makes her getaway. The energy of the scene really sells Scully’s desperation and helps make it a memorable part of an episode full of long takes.

This epic fantasy series features plenty of long takes, particularly in its battle scenes. Although the one from the Battle of the Bastards was in contention, our pick went to the battle at the Wall. Castle Black is attacked by Wildlings, from both sides of the massive Wall. To highlight the fighting going on within the castle itself, we’re treated to a crane tracking shot that moves around the perimeter of the fort. The sweeping nature of the shot, along with all the little battles going on within it, makes you feel like you’ve been dropped into the middle of the conflict and are free to observe everything.

This is by far the shortest shot on our list at less than 40 seconds, but it does a lot with the time it has! Backed into a corner and threatened with death by his employer Gus Fring, Walter White is desperate to get him and his family away. But in order to start a new life, they need money. Walt is horrified to discover that his wife Skyler has given the money hidden in their crawl space away to cover their tracks. Faced with the enormity of how monumentally doomed he and his family are, Walt breaks down laughing. The slow zoom out of Walt framed in the crawl space accompanied by the screeching soundtrack is iconic, terrifying, and so incredibly stressful!

This Marvel Netflix show is known for its jaw dropping single take fight scenes. And as amazing as the hallway fight in season 1 and the stairwell fight in season 2 are, the final season outdid them both! When Matt Murdock/Daredevil infiltrates a prison to try to prove a link between Wilson Fisk/Kingpin and the Albanian mob, Fisk tries to have Murdock killed amid a riot. Murdock then proceeds to battle inmates and crooked guards to escape. He also must negotiate with the mob to get him out safely. Finally, with their help, he leaves the prison and makes it safely to a taxi. The sequence lasts 11 minutes and, while there are some stunt doubles used, there are zero cuts!

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“The Conversation,” “Mad About You” (1992-99; 2019)
The Episode Is One Take, Following the New Parents Worrying Outside Their Child’s Bedroom

Skye vs. Hydra, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (2013-20)
The Agent Takes Down Plenty of Guys in This Minute-Long Sequence

The Thinker’s Hallway Symphony, “The Flash” (2014-)
A Supervillain Plows Through a Hallway of Guards Using a Bevy of Superpowers & Few Cuts

Charlie Keeps the Health Inspector Distracted, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2005-)
The Tracking Shot Lasts for Half the Episode

Harry’s Dream, “3rd Rock from the Sun” (1996-2001)
A 3-Minute Musical Sequence with a Ton of Choreography, Stunts, & Singing!

When Detective Rust Cohle goes undercover on an off-the-books investigation, things go wrong in the best way. In order to extract a contact, Cohle joins a gang in a raid on a stash house disguised as cops. However, when things turn deadlier than he had intended, Cohle must improvise and extract the uncooperative contact early. Their harrowing flight through the neighborhood, which has erupted with violence is filmed in a single 6-minute take. Although not as long as some of the others on our list, the intensity of the scene and the sheer amount of action going on throughout makes it the best in our book.