From Soundstages to Reality: The Evolution of the NYC Sitcom Apartment

For decades, New York City residents have navigated the gap between the cramped reality of local housing and the expansive, sun-drenched apartments portrayed on television. While 1990s staples like *Friends* famously featured massive, multi-bedroom units in Greenwich Village, modern productions are increasingly prioritizing economic and spatial believability.

Production designer John Shaffner, who worked on *Friends*, explained that the show’s iconic, oversized set was a functional necessity rather than an attempt at realism. Because the series utilized a multi-camera setup in front of a live audience, the apartment required an open floor plan to accommodate heavy equipment and camera movement. Shaffner noted that the goal was to create a "romanticized theatrical space" that allowed for ensemble interaction, rather than a literal representation of a Manhattan walkup.

As television production shifted toward single-camera formats in the 2010s, the technical constraints that necessitated massive sets began to disappear. Shows like *Broad City* embraced this change, filming in smaller, more authentic spaces that better reflected the gritty, lived-in reality of neighborhoods like Astoria and Gowanus. Production designer Angelique Clark, who worked on *Broad City*, emphasized that the intent was to capture a more grounded aesthetic, even when sets were eventually rebuilt on stages to facilitate easier lighting and filming.

This trend toward realism continues with contemporary projects. The production team for the series *Not Suitable for Work* recently utilized stages in Williamsburg to recreate units modeled after actual building dimensions in Murray Hill. By basing their designs on the standard 20-to-25-foot width of New York City lots, the creators aimed to ground their characters' lifestyles in a more recognizable economic context.

Showrunner Charlie Grandy, who experienced the city’s housing market firsthand after moving to the Meatpacking District in 1997, noted that these design choices are intended to help audiences connect with the characters. By depicting spaces that feel like genuine New York homes—complete with the limitations of city living—creators hope to offer a more relatable viewing experience. While the days of the implausibly large sitcom apartment may not be entirely over, the industry appears to be moving toward a standard that better respects the actual constraints of the city’s real estate landscape.