# TV show with fewest locations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2016, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261 "2016-01-26T13:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![funky\_little\_lee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@funky\_little\_lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funky_little_lee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/21 "2016-01-26T20:04:00Z")
What about _Sanford and Son?_ If memory serves, it took place pretty much entirely in the living room with short forays into the kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/22 "2016-01-26T20:11:11Z")
> [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](#): > > That was the show that immediately came to mind. The pilot and maybe another episode showed Barney’s home, as his wife was going to be a regular on the show (she was in the opening credits for the first few seasons) but the creators of the show realized that all the comedy was at the precinct and soon phased away any reference to Barney’s home life. The wife was played by Barbara Barrie, a well known Broadway actress. A good bit of her in season one, then she did indeed vanish. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/23 "2016-01-26T21:00:20Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > They showed movie sets (for Joey), office space (Chandler, Rachel), massage rooms (Phoebe), restaurants (Monica) and the museum and classroom (and the planetarium) for Ross. > > Plus there were a couple of episodes where they were on the road, to Vegas and the Caribbean. We also saw Phoebe’s apartment and the house where her brother lived, and there were several episodes in a hospital as the various characters gave birth. All of the shows mentioned so far sometimes visited other locations. The OP specified “locations that appeared all or nearly every episode”. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/24 "2016-01-26T21:06:38Z")
Peter Kay’s British sitcom “Car Share” takes place almost entirely within the car that John drives Kayleigh to work in. There’s an exception or two for the car park at the supermarket where they work, but even there they are getting in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/25 "2016-01-26T23:13:12Z")
_Wings_ was set almost entirely in the airport. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/26 "2016-01-27T01:15:53Z")
> [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](#): > > If you count British shows on this OP, I have the winner. > > From 2004 the sitcom _ **The Smoking Room** _ ran for two seasons. The show was set in a workplace smoking room. Characters would enter and leave but the camera never leaves the room. I remember seeing this when BBC America used to actually air shows from England and when they used to air sitcoms. > > I really liked it and appreciated it’s unique structure. Telling a story with characters that came and went. Somewhat similar was the Canadian show, _Train 48_. It was a group of regular commuters heading home from work in the city, on a commuter train to the suburbs. And that was pretty much it: a soap opera that was told as the travellers discussed their day, current events, and the like. Every episode, with one exception, took place in the train. The exception was the series finale, which took place mostly in the train, but did show the passengers getting off the train at the station at the end of the episode. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/27 "2016-01-27T01:19:37Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Friends was just the coffee shop and a couple of apartments. Untrue. They frequently showed the characters on dates, Chandler and Rachel’s various offices, sets where Joey was acting, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/28 "2016-01-27T01:32:22Z")
Well, the OP didn’t exactly specify ‘sitcoms only’ - most quiz/game shows take place in a single studio. All right, I’m going… ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/29 "2016-01-27T01:56:54Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Somewhat similar was the Canadian show, _Train 48_. > > It was a group of regular commuters heading home from work in the city, on a commuter train to the suburbs. And that was pretty much it: a soap opera that was told as the travellers discussed their day, current events, and the like. > > Every episode, with one exception, took place in the train. The exception was the series finale, which took place mostly in the train, but did show the passengers getting off the train at the station at the end of the episode. You beat me to it. 318 episodes in total! ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/30 "2016-01-27T03:05:43Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > They did go to Barney’s home fairly often. I wouldn’t quite bet my life on it, but I’m almost positive that they only showed Barney’s house _ **once** _, in the pilot episode. By the third season they almost never used a different set, only for the very rare ‘special’ episode (_Wojo’s Girl_, and the one where Barney goes to jail for contempt of court, and the one where Harris & Dietrich are staking out a hotel room). And, IMO, all those episodes were not very good (for that very reason). > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Well, the squadroom and Barney’s office. They were part of the same set. At least once or twice I caught a glimpse of one of the other cameras just pulling out of the view of the live one. But it’s what made that show so good, it was simply a filmed (taped) three-act stage play… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/31 "2016-01-27T03:23:50Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > _Wings_ was set almost entirely in the airport. Depends on your definition of almost. They frequently went to the Club Car, various houses owned by Helen, Joe, Brian, Roy, and Faye, also Lowell’s boat, the airplane in the air, the airplane in the water, Boston several times, somewhere out west taking the annoying old guy to visit his brother, scenes at a tropical resort somewhere, a romantic getaway cabin in the woods, a fish packing plant, a yacht, Helen’s apartment in New York and a strip club in New York, a bank, a hospital, a local men’s lodge, a courtroom, Fenway Park, a video store, the annoying guy’s house, a psychiatrist’s office, just to name a few. But other than that it was set almost entirely in the airport. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/32 "2016-01-27T03:53:28Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > I wouldn’t quite bet my life on it, but I’m almost positive that they only showed Barney’s house _ **once** _, in the pilot episode. By the third season they almost never used a different set, only for the very rare ‘special’ episode (_Wojo’s Girl_, and the one where Barney goes to jail for contempt of court, and the one where Harris & Dietrich are staking out a hotel room). And, IMO, all those episodes were not very good (for that very reason). > > They were part of the same set. At least once or twice I caught a glimpse of one of the other cameras just pulling out of the view of the live one. But it’s what made that show so good, it was simply a filmed (taped) three-act stage play… I think there were two episodes, the pilot and one other that took place at the Miller’s apartment. Other than that there was a handful of other episodes that took us out of the precinct. • In the episode where Chano is shot, there’s a scene with Chano in the hospital. • During the overlap, when Fish was being phased out and Dietrich joined the precinct, a depressed Fish doesn’t come into work so Dietrich goes to Fish’s house to talk him into returning. This is the first time we see Fish’s house. • Another episode is used as a back end pilot for the short lived “Fish” series. That episode takes place at the Fish home. • Another episode has the cops go on a stakeout where they spend time at an apartment. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/33 "2016-01-27T04:42:33Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > I wouldn’t quite bet my life on it, but I’m almost positive that they only showed Barney’s house _ **once** _, in the pilot episode. Really? Wow. Maybe I’m just remembering the [opening titles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG5cSxT7ZIw) where we see Barbara Barrie at the window. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/34 "2016-01-27T15:55:30Z")
I think probably most shows, other than police, fire, etc., have just a few **regular** locations. For example, the Dick van Dyke Show had just two–the Petries’ house, and Rob’s office. The Mary Tyler Moore Show also had just two–Mary’s apartment, and her office. All in the Family had only one, at first–later they expanded to three; the house, the house next door, and the bar. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/35 "2016-01-28T22:09:16Z")
Wasn’t Are You Being Served? mostly set in the store? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/36 "2016-01-28T22:11:53Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Wasn’t Are You Being Served? mostly set in the store? With the exceptions of scenes taking place in Mr. Rumbold or Mr. Grace’s offices, yeah, you’re probably right. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/37 "2016-01-28T22:48:25Z")
I believe **NewsRadio** took place only in the one radio station room. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/38 "2016-01-28T22:57:24Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I believe **NewsRadio** took place only in the one radio station room. Mostly. There were other locations. Jimmy James gave a talk somewhere based on the book he wrote. Matthew was revealed to have always been a dentist and we saw his office. But who didn’t see that coming, amirite? ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/39 "2016-01-28T23:15:34Z")
Aside from Barney Miller, you have WKRP in Cincinatti, Benson, Alf, The Paul Lynd Show, The Two of Us, Angie, Punky Brewster, Different Strokes. Single setting format was an art back then. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261/40 "2016-01-29T02:21:29Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > The Honeymooners rarely left the Kitchen/Dining room. I don’t know why people are still answering when this was the clear answer. If there was any show that had less different sets used than the Honeymooners, it’s something really obscure and lost to time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-with-fewest-locations/744261.md?page=3)