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Can Americans Recognize Iconic TV Kitchens? [Quiz]
By: Andrew Saladino | 
min
During unprecedented times of uncertainty, studies have shown that people often rely on familiar music and TV shows to seek comfort and a sense of normalcy. In the wake of COVID-19, we’re seeing this same trend as more and more people turn to streaming services to rewatch their favorite old shows and listen to past hits.
Sitcoms have evolved, and shows like "Seinfeld," "Friends" and "Will & Grace" are classics that have been a part of many American households.
Today, you can find millions of influences and references in memes, songs, fashion, and even home decor from these iconic shows. Many Americans have grown up in the homes (sets) of these TV shows, with their characters and their way of life, and many can probably quote them by memory
But how well can they retain the details of these famous sets? Is "Seinfeld’s" small, gray kitchen really memorable without Kramer, Elaine, or Jerry? Many people probably remember "Friend’s" iconic purple walls and teal kitchen cabinets, but what about the rest of the kitchen?
With the majority of people, both young and old, binge-watching TV shows of decades past to reminisce or simply watch something that feels homey and familiar, we set out to find exactly how well their famous kitchens are remembered without their characters.
We surveyed over 1,800 people on 15 of the most famous TV sitcoms and shows through the years. And as it turns out, about 58 percent of Americans failed to recognize some of the most iconic TV kitchens — meaning most respondents failed our TV kitchens quiz!
Below we go through some of the most remembered and forgotten TV kitchens based on our results and a few of the surprising answers given for some of these shows.
Take The Quiz For Yourself
Before we get into the results, take the quiz yourself, and see how many of these 15 TV kitchens you can recognize!
What iconic TV show is this kitchen from?
Most Forgotten TV Kitchens
Although the kitchen played a major role in the sets of these famous TV sitcoms, it seems like many of our respondents had a hard time remembering what they looked like.
Mad Men
First on our list is "Mad Men." Although a large portion of the show, set on a time frame from the '60s to the '70s, was filmed in the fictional office of Sterling Cooper & Partners, the kitchen of Betty Draper was an iconic area throughout the series. Interestingly, nearly 43 percent of respondents confused this kitchen with "Roseanne," another highly popular sitcom set in the late '80s and '90s.
As "Roseanne" was set in a suburb of Illinois and depicts the life of a working-class family trying to get by on a limited income, it makes sense that Betty Draper's outdated 60’s pinewood kitchen with plaid wallpaper could be confused for "Roseanne’s."
The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment was perhaps the most filmed location on "The Big Bang Theory." However, Penny’s apartment and kitchen were also highly shown throughout the series. Surprisingly, only 30 percent of respondents guessed correctly despite being a modern show with very high ratings and views.
On the other hand, nearly 45 percent of respondents confused Penny’s kitchen with "How I Met Your Mother." Perhaps due to the fact that both have a more contemporary kitchen style and a similar amount of clutter in their cabinets.
Modern Family
As one of the newer shows on this list based on the home lives of a few different families, we expected most respondents to recognize Phil and Claire Dunphy’s kitchen in "Modern Family." However, only 33 percent recognized their kitchen while a whopping 48 percent confused it with "Arrested Development."
Based on those results, it seems like the majority of respondents are at least familiar with "Arrested Development," as both shows have similar honey colored, maple kitchen cabinets. It’s interesting however, that the details of the kitchen in "Arrested Development" got lost in the minds of many as there are pretty obvious differences between the two.
How I Met Your Mother
Although "How I Met Your Mother" ran for about 10 years, it was surprising to see that nearly 75 percent of Americans didn’t recognize this Emmy award-winning comedy kitchen. Funny enough, 42 percent of respondents thought the kitchen in the survey belonged to "Malcolm in the Middle."
These shows could not be further apart in terms of setting and plot. One recounts the lives of a group of friends living in New York City, while the other depicts the chaotic lives of a family with four destructive boys in an unmentioned American suburb.
However, the confusion may have come from the fact that the kitchen of "How I Met Your Mother" shows decor that would be commonly found in a household with teenagers, from road signs to checkered floors and cluttered countertops.
Most Recognized TV Kitchens
Although we didn’t expect some of the results from the famous TV kitchens above, there were quite a few that are clearly etched into the minds of multiple generations. Below are the most memorable TV kitchens with or without their famous characters.
Whether it’s due to their popularity at the time they aired or because younger teens and adults are re-watching these shows thanks to streaming services, these famous TV kitchens likely won’t be forgotten for a few generations to come.
Friends
Unsurprisingly, "Friends" received the top marks on our survey with nearly 74 percent correct responses. Even those who haven’t seen the show, seem to recognize the set’s quirky elements like the purple walls, teal cabinets, yellow kitchen curtains, and vintage fridge.
Although the first episode aired 26 years ago, it became a cultural phenomenon that has lasted through generations. It’s often described as a show that changed the normalcy of a traditional family setting and introduced new ways of thinking about life, friendships, and relationships.
Over a decade after its last episode aired, it became one of the most streamed TV shows on Netflix making it easy to see why the "Friend’s" kitchen is still easily recognizable by many.
That '70s Show
Another top kitchen on our list was "That '70s Show" with nearly 60 percent of respondents guessing correctly. As the name suggests, the show is set in 1970s Wisconsin and aired for about eight years through the decade.
Even those who haven’t seen the show can probably give an educated guess based on the kitchen’s very 1970s wallpaper, gold velvet curtains, vinyl countertops, and vintage bar stools. The decor also makes it easy to see why nearly 30 percent of Americans confused this kitchen with "The Golden Girls," which is set in the mid to late '80s.
I Love Lucy
The oldest show on our list, "I Love Lucy," was also highly recognized by 57 percent of respondents. The show was first aired in 1951 and showed the life of a spunky redhead and her Cuban husband. At one point, the show had 11 million people tuning in to watch Lucy get into some sort of trouble with her husband.
Similar to "That '70s Show," the kitchen style included a very vintage refrigerator, yellow kitchen cabinets, and a pastel color palette that was probably a dead giveaway to people who haven’t seen the show. This also explains why nearly 20 percent of people confused its kitchen with "Mad Men," another show set in a similar era.
Seinfeld
"Seinfeld" is another classic and highly beloved show of four single friends living in New York City. It lasted about 10 years and set a few standards by encouraging a new way of storytelling and having an influential female character.
Often referred to as the "show about nothing," these characters spent the vast majority of their time in Jerry Seinfeld’s gray kitchen. With a comical number of cereal boxes in its cabinets and items stuck on the fridge, it’s easy to see why many people will not forget this iconic kitchen.
It can also explain why 25 percent of respondents confused it with "The Big Bang Theory" — the kitchen of a couple of nerds known for their love of cereal.
Although these shows run for years, mimic or influence pop culture, and their sets hardly ever change throughout their seasons, clearly some iconic TV kitchens can’t be recognized without their characters. Given that a kitchen is such a standard feature in every home, perhaps unique accents like cabinet hardware, creative color schemes, and beautiful cabinet styles will make for a memorable kitchen design both in TV show sets and your home.
Methodology
We surveyed over 1,800 respondents through a Google Forms survey. The form was posted on Reddit subreddits on TV, sitcoms, surveys, and trivia. It’s also important to note that each responded may not have watched all of the shows on the list, meaning they only had the names of the shows to make their best guess, leading to some interesting results.
