Apartments and houses are the real stars of TV shows
Good TV shows. They need “love or hate ‘em” characters and a riveting plot, stellar acting and a memorable soundtrack. Right?
What’s even better?
Lovely sofas.
A comforting kitchen.
That same set of giant mugs or sparkling wine glasses, used again and again and again.
Because let’s face it ... most of the time when I fall in love with a television show, I fall in love with the backdrop as much as the characters.
Cases in point:
The Good Wife: lawyer Alicia Florrick has an apartment to die for. Wood-panelled floors, French doors, elegant nooks and crannies with side tables and lamps, framed paintings, brimming book shelves and oriental rugs. It’s a pity she has to leave the place to go do lawyerly-things. The apartment has been so remarked upon by fans, there’s a host of articles from the show’s designers on how you can achieve the same look, and inspirational Pinterest boards.
Of course I’m invested in Alicia’s latest case and the political machinations of her various law firms. I’m so invested, I want to stand at her kitchen bench with her, grab one of those goblets of red wine and wait for the pizza delivery. “Tell me what’s been going on, Alicia,” I’d say. “And how is that pesky mother in law of yours?”
Revenge: As she plots revenge and makes her way through haughty society circles, Emily Thorne can return each night to her gorgeous beach house in the Hamptons. It’s ten-times too large for her needs, but of course it’s her former (secret) family home. This ‘cottage’ on the sand is all timber boards, plump sofas, panelled kitchen, roaring fireplace, and wrap-around porch with sunset views. Every three metres, you’ll find a lamp (and it’s glowing, no matter the time of day). Flowing white curtains hanging at the wall of windows look like something from a ‘70s rock music clip.
If I were Emily, I’d give the revenge thing a rest, grab a good novel and spend the weekend reading — interspersed with the occasional refreshing foray into the nearby ocean.
Hooked on Houses has a great overview of Emily’s house here, with plenty of screenshots.
Riviera: this British TV series stars Julia Stiles, Lena Olin, and their beautiful homes of Monaco. There are villas, orchards and vast swimming pools, and walls and walls of priceless art, but I most enjoy sinking into the main character’s bedroom, promising king-sized bed, gigantic walk-robes and shaded blinds. You can take a mansion tour in the clip below.
Friends: Monica’s apartment is, of course, a second home to generations of viewers still dipping into this popular sitcom and its relentless re-runs. From the purple door with the yellow frame around the peephole, to Monica’s quaint blue kitchen with exposed brick walls, and generous sofas which always welcome those perennial friends, it’s a setting which helped us imagine being there ourselves.
Black Mirror: there are plenty of slick ‘non-time-defined’ homes used in episodes of Black Mirror, but I particularly enjoyed the Crocodile episode filmed in an Iceland home with jaw-dropping views of snow-topped mountains.
Honourable mentions: living in the White House courtesy of House of Cards (and actually, Frank and Claire’s own stunning apartment); the palaces and stately homes of The Crown.
Of course, there’s plenty of gritty crime dramas and comedies with backdrops we wouldn’t want to be part of. The type of place where you know you might hold your nose / try to clean up / run screaming.
But for a slew of those ‘guilty pleasure’ TV shows, the creators devise a space that we look forward to being a part of, episode by enveloping episode. And it’s a very clever tack to take.
Can you add more TV shows to this list?
