The 1990s was something of a golden age for the sitcom, with many of the classics of the genre emerging during that period. Of course, a key part of the success of any sitcom is its cast, and this era saw some great casts, but it’s also true that no sitcom can succeed without a good set.
In fact, in many cases the set becomes a character in its own right, shaping how the characters interact with one another and giving the audience important context about the type of life that they lead. Some sets, however, truly stand out as the best.
Full House
There are few sitcoms from the 1990s as beloved as Full House, which focused on a widowed father who invites his best friend and brother-in-law into his home to help care for his family. A key part of the series’ appeal was the house, which was not only spacious enough to accommodate so many people but also showed the relatively comfortable life that these people were able to live in San Francisco. It’s the type of set that just felt like home, particularly for kids of the 1990s.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Will Smith has been in many great movies, but there’s no doubt that his most iconic role is in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. While Smith’s charm and charisma is one of the series’ key appeals, it also has to be said that the series main set, Uncle Phil’s lovely mansion, is also a key part of its unique atmosphere. While in the beginning it is a rather intimidating space–particularly compared to Will’s home in Philadelphia–it gradually becomes the sort of place where Will can at last be himself.
Murphy Brown
There are few women in sitcoms quite as noteworthy as the titular character in Murphy Brown, played by Candace Bergen in one of her best roles. Murphy was the kind of woman who showed that she had what it took to survive in a “man’s world” like the news. What really makes this series shine, however, is the set, which immediately immerses both the characters and the viewers in this fast-paced world of investigative journalism in which the personalities inside of the newsroom are just as fascinating, and as prone to confrontation, as anyone outside.
Friends
Friends is one of those 1990s sitcoms that managed to straddle two different periods of television, lasting well into the 2000s. Obviously, a key element of the show’s humor is the cast, whose dynamic remains the envy of other television comedies. However, it’s also true that the three primary sets–Monica and Rachel’s apartment, Joey and Chandler’s apartment, and Central Perk–are truly iconic, playing a key role in the way that the characters relate to one another and in the way that the audience is supposed to understand them.
Frasier
Frasier is another iconic sitcom character, having gone from one successful sitcom to another (Cheers to Frasier). With his snooty attitude and his general snobbery, Frasier can also be insufferable. There’s no question, though, that his apartment is very much an extension of himself, with its fine furnishings and its glorious view of Seattle. Just as importantly, however, the set at the radio station also shows how invested he is in his job and how good he is at providing advice.
The Nanny
Though it might not be quite as popular as some of the other sitcoms of the 1990s, The Nanny still holds up especially well. Obviously, the on-screen chemistry between Fran and Mr. Sheffield is fun to watch, but an equally important part of the show is its set, which of course is Mr. Sheffield’s home.
It capably captures what a famous and very wealthy Broadway producer’s house would look like, and it accentuates just how out of water Fran is in this upper-class environment.
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is, of course, one of the best sitcoms of the 1990s, and it left an indelible mark on the genre. With its often biting humor about the absurdity of everyday life, it set a standard that many other shows would strive to follow. Though Jerry is a fascinating character in his own right, it also has to be said that his apartment is key to his persona, as well. It perfectly captures his life as a single man who, despite his many dates and girlfriends, never quite finds the woman for him.
Will & Grace
Will & Grace is another 1990s sitcom that broke boundaries, particularly since it focused so deeply on its gay characters, their lives, and their desires. However, there’s no question that the most important relationship is between Will and Grace, which is what makes their apartment such an important set. It not only captures the sort of design style that one would expect from a lawyer in his 30s, but it is also the space in which some of their most important life events–both the good and the bad–take place.
Sex And The City
Carrie Bradshaw is surely destined to be another sitcom heroine that will come to be regarded as one of the most important. The same can also be said of Sex and the City, which continues to cast a spell, especially since it has been rebooted.
Even though the city is widely regarded as a character in its own right, the same could also be said of Carrie’s apartment, which is the pitch-perfect encapsulation of everything about her character, an upper-middle-class woman determined to live her life on her own terms.
Roseanne
When it came out, Roseanne was a searing and powerful comedy, in part because it shone such a bright light on the struggles and triumphs of America’s working class. While Roseanne became the avatar for the working-class mom struggling to make ends meet, that struggle was visualized in their home. The Connors’ house was seemingly always in a vague state of dishevelment, which is hardly surprising, given that its main characters were always working and going to school and doing everything they could to keep their heads above water.