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From the eccentric Greenwich Village apartments of Friends to the idyllic suburbs of Leave It To Beaver, audiences have been introduced to dozens of iconic sitcom settings over the years. Yet, memorable as many of them were, some of these fictional living spaces were less than ideal. In particular, we’ve seen some truly ugly bathrooms that were in serious need of remodeling.
The Brady Bunch
One of the most famous families to hit the airwaves, the game of The Brady Bunch far exceeded its five-season run. A snapshot of American life in the 1970s, the series blazed a trail for countless series to come. Yet, while some aspects of the show feel timeless, others feel decidedly dated.
First and foremost, the Brady home is undeniably out of date—and nowhere is that more evident than the bathroom. Seen in more than a few episodes, the Brady kids jack and jill style bathroom boasted a baby blue color scheme that was offset by a jarring, cream-colored bath. Plus, lacking both a shower curtain and a toilet, the Brady Bunch bathroom wasn’t exactly built with function in mind.
The Golden Girls
Famously featuring a group of aging Floridian retirees, the bathroom on the set of The Golden Girls, though very rarely seen, was appropriately tropical. In an episode of the series’ inaugural season, Rose and Dorothy take it upon themselves to install a new toilet—and, of course, make a total mess of it.
Of course, the bathroom was already kind of a mess to begin with. Featuring a turquoise toilet, garish blue and white tiling, and a perplexing shower that was already in need of renovation back in the ‘80s, The Golden Girls definitely featured one of television’s ugliest latrines.
Three’s Company
Diehard fans of the iconic ‘70s hit Three’s Company will know that the show’s pilot episode was actually set partly in a bathroom. After a night of partying, John Ritter’s Jack awakens in Chrissy and Janet’s bathtub. Eventually, enamored by the man’s cooking, they ask him to move in—and the rest is history.
While Three’s Company is now remembered as one of the most charming sitcoms of the latter half of the twentieth century, the same can’t be said about that bathroom. Dated tile and a small, oddly configured bath shower combo make for a bathroom in desperate need of renovation.
Alf
One of the most inventive sitcoms of the ‘80s, ALF starred a titular alien life form who moved in with the unassuming Tanner family after the destruction of his home planet. ALF had quite a bit of trouble coming to terms with life on Earth, and, as shown in the series’ pilot episode, struggled to understand the Tanners’ daily routines.
While few would have thought anything of it in 1986, the master bath in the Tanner home was incredibly ugly. With a painfully tacky flamingo-covered shower curtain and a shower beset with pink tile, this was one seriously unsightly space.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is one of the longest-running animated series in television history, but, while the show is loved for many reasons, interior design definitely isn’t one of them. It’s only shown every once in a while, but The Simpson family home features a remarkably unappealing bathroom.
Purple and blue tile clash with a green tub and yellow shower curtain to create something that’s genuinely hard on the eyes. This look may have been barely passible when the show first aired in 1989, but, in 2023, it’s in serious need of an overhaul.
Married… with Children
First aired in 1987, Married… with Children chronicles the life and times of everyman Al Bundy and his out-of-control family. Those familiar with the series will remember its quintessentially ‘80s aesthetic, and, while it may not have seemed all that out of date thirty-some years ago, the Bundy home would be in desperate need of an update today.
While the entire home could have used a facelift, particularly dire was the state of their first floor bathroom. In the season five episode “A Man’s Castle,” Peg is tasked with redecorating and takes it upon herself to adorn the bathroom with frills, pink carpets, and an especially ugly chandelier.
Friends
Monica’s eclectic apartment was one of the focal points of Friends, and her eccentric decorating habits didn’t stop at the bathroom. Yet, while overbearingly purple, Monica had a relatively well-kept bathing space.
The problem was her massive tub. Undoubtedly a hazard to get into and out of, Monica was in serious need of a tub to shower conversion. Relaxing in the bath was one of her favorite things to do, but, ultimately, it was in need of a huge update.
Mad About You
Yet another sitcom set in lower Manhattan, Mad About You first ran from 1992 to 1999, but it was eventually revived for a twelve-episode stint in 2019. The show centered on the life and times of newlywed couple Paul and Jamie Bachman, and most of their escapades transpired in their small apartment.
One episode saw the Bachmans accidentally lock themselves in the bathroom, and audiences got to take in their outrageously tacky shower curtain and unfortunate bath which jutted awkwardly out of the wall. It wasn’t quite the ugliest bath in sitcom history, but it wasn’t exactly a looker, either.
Seinfeld
Of the many apartments featured in ‘90s sitcoms, Jerry Seinfeld’s dully grey abode was perhaps the most true-to-life. Cramped and worn, it felt like an accurate reflection of Jerry, George, Elaine, and the rest of the show’s cast of oft-off-color characters.
Audiences never get a great look at Jerry’s bathroom, but a season eight debacle involving chest hair reveals it to be cramped and aggressively beige. Perhaps some brighter colors or a no-threshold shower could make the space feel a bit less stifling.
Full House
The Tanner Family’s San Francisco home was inarguably iconic, but the bathroom was perhaps the ugliest of all. Not only did it feature an old claw-foot tiling, but it also included, of all things, green carpet.
It’s hard to imagine that a style as garish as this would every have been excusable, but function wasn’t always the primary concern of homeowners. Nowadays, the advent of acrylic surrounds and low threshold showers have made bathing less of a hassle and much less of an eyesore.
