TV Shows You Never Realized Shared A Set

It’s not just entertainment today that seems intertwined, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and TV series you might not realize belong to the same universe. However, this isn’t as novel a concept as one might assume. This connection doesn’t only stem from shared characters or key events; it also extends to commonalities beyond those aspects. For decades, films and television have been interconnected through studio lots and their various sets — a practice that continues even as movies tend to move away from this setup. TV shows often still share sets and production spaces.

A common practice in creating sitcoms involves reusing sets on soundstages, where the underlying structure remains while modifications are made after one show finishes and before another begins. Additionally, some shows share outdoor areas, ranging from simple facades for quick exterior shots to entire studio-built towns used across various TV series over time. Occasionally, it’s apparent when a show reuses a set due to minor changes, but in other cases, the transformation is so significant that it might go unnoticed unless specifically mentioned, as the set has been extensively remodeled.

It’s important to clarify that the feature we’re discussing encompasses only studio-built indoor and outdoor sets, excluding real-world locations such as schools, offices, and hospitals where various productions have been filmed.

Roseanne and Mike & Molly

Among the most iconic TV living rooms is the one in the Conner family home, initially featured on “Roseanne” and later seen in its spin-off series “The Conners.” Notably, much effort was invested to faithfully recreate this living room (including that famous knitted blanket-covered couch) when “Roseanne” returned in 2018, as viewers would’ve swiftly spotted any significant alterations, despite the show having been off the air for 21 years.

One interesting fact about the sitcom “Mike & Molly,” produced by Chuck Lorre in 2010 and which catapulted Melissa McCarthy to mainstream fame, is that it utilized the set originally used for “Roseanne.” There were some changes made, such as redecorating and slight adjustments to the walls, but a close look reveals the similarities. This undoubtedly made it more challenging to restore the set to its original appearance as the Conners’ house for “Roseanne”‘s comeback, and all the more impressive how successfully they managed to do so.

Full House and Friends

Though “Full House” and “Friends” aired on different networks during separate seasons and appeared to be distinctly different sitcoms, there is an intriguing link between them – they actually shared the same set location. This might seem puzzling since “Full House” was based in a large single-family home, while “Friends” primarily unfolded in adjoining loft apartments connected by a public hallway. The key connection lies within that hallway, which served as a common area for both shows.

In a clever twist of TV set design, the common area shown as the hallway between Chandler, Joey, Monica, and Rachel’s apartments on “Friends” was actually the same space that functioned as the upstairs hallway in the Tanner household on “Full House.” While it linked apartments on “Friends,” it connected bedrooms for Danny, D.J., Stephanie, and Michelle on “Full House.” Notably, the staircase at the back of the set was suggested to lead downstairs to different floors of the apartment building on “Friends,” while it connected the two main levels of the Tanner home on “Full House.

Seinfeld and Ally McBeal

Shows like “Seinfeld” and “Ally McBeal” strongly reflect the cities they’re set in, making them virtually impossible to move from New York City and Boston respectively. These series frequently remind viewers of their locations, often within just a few minutes. Consequently, you might guess that sets used by both shows are generic indoor ones that don’t provide specific geographical information.

To clarify, both TV series frequently used an outdoor set that was a Brownstone facade, situated at Universal Studios in Hollywood. Interestingly, although this location is far from either show’s setting, it was regularly employed for outdoor scenes depicting characters strolling through residential neighborhoods. Since Brownstone homes are common in many large American cities and often cluster together, it doesn’t compromise the settings of most shows or films set in an urban area to utilize that facade for outdoor walking scenes.

The West Wing and Smallville

If I were a game character and needed to shoot a fantasy scene set in the Oval Office, well, just like how ‘Smallville’ did it, I’d casually swing by the set of ‘The West Wing’, borrow their iconic Oval Office set for a few hours. That’s exactly what took place during the Season 1 episode “Hourglass” of ‘Smallville’. In this episode, Lex Luthor (played by Michael Rosenbaum) gets a glimpse into a future where he holds the title of President of the United States.

In the vision where Lex is depicted standing in the Oval Office, it’s clear that this is the same office featured on “The West Wing.” It’s unlikely that the actual Oval Office is often rented for television filming. Instead, it makes more sense to utilize an existing set, which was already available. Since “Smallville” was usually filmed in Vancouver, the production had to move to Burbank, California for those scenes. However, creating a new set from scratch is significantly more costly than using an existing one or relying on green screen effects, which were not as advanced in 2001, especially considering what a network TV show could afford at that time.

The Munsters and Desperate Housewives

If you’re a fan of “Desperate Housewives” and enjoy dramas with female-led ensembles, you might find appeal in “The Munsters,” a 60s sitcom that has garnered the attention of Rob Zombie, who later rebooted it as a Netflix film in 2022. Despite their disparate appearances, these shows share an interesting similarity.

In reality, Wisteria Lane – the setting for the scandalous events portrayed in “Desperate Housewives” – is actually a set called Colonial Street located within Universal Studios’ backlot in Hollywood. Interestingly, this same set also includes the Munster Mansion from “The Munsters,” which occasionally appears in the background of outdoor scenes on “Desperate Housewives.” Of course, it’s not as dusty, eerie, or run-down as it once was.

For more than nine decades following its initial build, Colonial Street has served as a backdrop for various television shows such as “Good Girls”, “Bel Air”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, and many others, in addition to numerous films.

Wizards of Waverly Place and Jessie

When production on the popular Disney Channel series “Wizards of Waverly Place,” starring Selena Gomez, came to an end, it turned out quite convenient. Primarily for the show “Jessie,” as it meant that the set formerly used by “Wizards of Waverly Place” was now available for “Jessie.” There were likely some interior design changes and minor structural modifications required. However, the house inhabited by the Russo family from “Wizards of Waverly Place” was indeed the same one that appeared as the penthouse in “Jessie.

It appears that fans of the 2024 show “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” have noticed similarities with another Disney revival series, “Raven’s Home,” suggesting they may have been filmed on the same set. Given that many Disney shows share sets or studio spaces, this isn’t too surprising.

Gilmore Girls and Pretty Little Liars

One reason fans grew fond of “Gilmore Girls” was its unique setting: Stars Hollow. Despite some drawbacks, such as nosy residents who often pry into each other’s business, which was one of the reasons Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) sought to escape, the town offers plenty of appealing features like charming decor, picturesque homes, and a delightful town square that more than make up for its flaws.

Stars Hollow, as portrayed in Gilmore Girls, isn’t a real-life location but rather a set constructed on the Warner Bros. studio lot. Despite being a small-scale production, it wasn’t entirely dismantled when Gilmore Girls ended. Instead, it was reused and slightly modified for Pretty Little Liars, transforming Stars Hollow, Connecticut into Rosewood, Pennsylvania. Notable locations such as the town square gazebo and various residential and commercial spaces are recognizable between the two series.

The Waltons and Gilmore Girls

The town that eventually became Stars Hollow had a history of being used in various productions before it starred in “Gilmore Girls.” One notable example is the iconic historical drama “The Waltons,” where the house later transformed into the Dragonfly Inn on “Gilmore Girls” was previously featured. However, its history isn’t as straightforward as that; it had been utilized in multiple productions prior to “Gilmore Girls.

The structure in question wasn’t the original Walton house; it had been destroyed in a studio fire at Warner Bros. in 1991, which caused extensive damage and wiped out a significant piece of TV history. Since there were still “Waltons” movies and specials being produced, a new version of the house was constructed for these productions. This rebuilt house eventually became the Dragonfly Inn, appearing not only in the original “Gilmore Girls” series but also prominently in the 2016 Netflix revival miniseries “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.

The X-Files and The Mindy Project

Among all the show pairs on this list, “The X-Files” and “The Mindy Project” could be the most dissimilar. One was a science fiction series about aliens and secretive government activities, while the other focused on romantic comedy in a workplace setting. Interestingly, though, scenes from “The Mindy Project,” which is set in New York City, sometimes overlapped with those of “The X-Files,” where FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) often found themselves in the same city. This common setting allowed for a shared use of sets.

To clarify, a fictional New York City street was constructed at Universal Studios as a filming location for multiple shows. This set has been used for exterior scenes in both “Friends” and “The Office,” though only the brownstones have been confirmed to be part of “Ally McBeal.” Interestingly, it’s also been verified that the medical drama “House” filmed some outdoor scenes there. Therefore, three distinct shows – “Friends,” “The Office,” and “House” – have all utilized this same set for filming purposes.

Saved by the Bell and That’s So Raven

One common method for filming TV shows with numerous scenes set in schools is using actual schools as locations. For example, Torrance High School in Torrance, California has been used for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Medium,” and “90210.” Similarly, Balboa High School in Los Angeles stood in for various fictional schools in shows like “7th Heaven,” “Arrested Development,” “My So-Called Life,” and “Lizzie McGuire.” However, some shows that heavily feature school settings may require more flexibility than a real school can provide, so they construct fake school sets instead.

1) One example is Bayside High from “Saved by the Bell”. Some scenes were filmed at a genuine L.A. high school, interestingly enough the same school that appeared in “That’s So Raven”. Since they shared a writer, the link between Bayside schools was intentional. However, unlike “That’s So Raven”, most of “Saved by the Bell” was shot before a live audience on a specially constructed set representing the real high school. This setup proved convenient for “That’s So Raven” as it allowed them to utilize the identical replica of the actual high school set.

All in the Family and Everybody Loves Raymond

Essentially, most scenes in “Everybody Loves Raymond” weren’t filmed on the same set as the iconic sitcom “All in the Family.” The pilot for “Everybody Loves Raymond,” however, was shot in a redecorated version of the Bunker house. This is a common practice during pilots, as it saves costs and simplifies the process if the show doesn’t seem promising enough to warrant constructing new sets entirely.

As a fan, I’d like to share an interesting tidbit: The pilot for “Everybody Loves Raymond” was filmed on the same set as “All in the Family,” which makes it unique among other pilots. Normally, these pilots are just internal studio tests, followed by the shooting of a proper first episode using permanent sets. However, “Everybody Loves Raymond’s” pilot ended up being its official first episode, keeping alive the connection between the two iconic sitcoms and ensuring that the “All in the Family” set lives on within it forever.

The Andy Griffith Show and Star Trek: The Original Series

Although often criticized by fans for being one of the lesser episodes, the Season 1 episode “Miri” from “Star Trek: The Original Series” stands out among television history enthusiasts due to an intriguing detail. While exploring a planet resembling Earth, the crew wandered through a town that carried a distinctly American South atmosphere. Remarkably, the scenes were shot in the same set used for the fictional Mayberry town from “The Andy Griffith Show.

Although “Star Trek” aimed high, CBS didn’t invest heavily in its production. Shows at that time weren’t overly expensive, but “Star Trek” was consistently seeking ways to save money and cut costs due to low ratings. One of these cost-saving measures was using a pre-existing set for the surface of distant planets. Interestingly, they didn’t even try to hide the fact that it was Mayberry, with establishments like Floyd’s Barbershop being visible in some scenes.

2025-07-12 18:31