Back in the early days of television, many of the scenes were shot on pre-made sets much like the films being made at the time and beforehand. The main reasons for this was that it saved the studios lots of money by filming at the main studio as opposed to a separate location, and the visual effects for most shows back then were pretty limited compared to today’s. However, there were times when the show would either build a set somewhere other than the main studio or at the very least shoot the exterior of a place while the interior would still be filmed at a studio.

It largely depended on the budget of the studio, and how much money they were willing to spend on this particular show alongside the dozens of others they were supporting as well. Sadly, though, many of these television studio sets or locations get abandoned when the show ends or gets cancelled for whatever reason. There are even some situations where an external force destroys the set making it unusable for the shows that were using it or any future shows for that matter. While many of these sets are memorable for those who grew up seeing the shows they’re from, there are a few that have become iconic despite their current lackluster state.

25 Seinfeld Apartment Replica

Everyone knows about this show, or has at least heard of it, its legacy is still remembered to this day despite being almost thirty years old. In 2015, according to The Hollywood Reporter, there was a Seinfeld-themed exhibit that opened up in the Meatpacking District of New York City. Among the various features the exhibit offers, the main attraction was an exact replica of the apartment that the show’s main character (who was nothing more than a fictionalized version of Jerry Seinfeld) lived in. With real food included, The Hollywood Reporter says, the replica also has hidden references.

24 That ‘70s Show Basement Replica

In an interesting retrospective of one decade looking back upon another, That ‘70s Show was the 90s interpretation of the 1970s with humor and a group of actors that had successful careers following their appearances on this series. But even after it ended, people still look back on this show fondly. Though arguably, the most iconic location in That ‘70s Show was the basement owned by the Foreman family where the main characters hung out. While it’s unclear what happened to the actual basement set, there have been places that have created replicas of it as the above picture shows.

23 Friends Cafe Replica/Set

With an extremely catchy theme song and starring many actors whose careers were launched by this show, Friends is still loved to this day despite some of the negative retrospectives on it. In fact, there’s a tour that’s available which has a functioning replica of the Central Perk Cafe where one can get food and drinks according to the official website for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Hollywood. Known as the place where the main characters usually met at, the tour also has the actual set that was used on the show despite the actual place not being real.

22 Westworld Set (Paramount Ranch)

As Westworld’s popularity continues to rise, one must remember that some of the film locations that it uses may be more important than they seem. For instance, some parts were shot in Paramount Ranch which was used by the film studio of the same name for many movies and TV shows according to Curbed LA that were prominently western genre-wise. Yet earlier this year, the Woolsey Fire burned down many of the structures in this area except for a few. So in response to this tragedy (even though no one was hurt), there are plans to bring it back.

21 Gilmore Girls Cafe/Pretty Little Liars Grill

Though Gilmore Girls and Pretty Little Liars couldn’t be more different from each other in terms of plot and tone, these two shows actually have a lot more in common than they think. For instance, many of the scenes for both shows were shot in the Warner Bros Midwest Street lot according to HuffPost. Some examples include Luke’s Diner in Gilmore Girls and the Apple Rose Grill in Pretty Little Liars which were shot in the same building. Apparently after the former show ended, HuffPost states that the set for the diner was changed into the grill for the latter.

20 NCIS Set

Since it debuted in 2003, NCIS has been one of the most successful and long-running crime drama shows on television to date. It’s even led to a couple of spinoff shows including NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans, which both have a lot of seasons to their name as well though not as much as the original show. So one would think that the people behind NCIS would be tired of their jobs, but apparently that’s not the case. According to RC, a professional photographer who got to visit the NCIS set in 2014, “No details being lost”.

19 Game of Thrones Castle

With multiple film locations around Europe, Game of Thrones is known for utilizing the natural beauty of real landscapes and ancient castles which in turn has brought more tourists to those areas. But how about building an actual castle? If that sounds crazy, then think again! Currently in Belfast, Ireland, such a structure is being built with the intention of being used for future scenes in the upcoming episodes of the show according to the Belfast Telegraph. But even with the series nearing its final season, it’ll supposedly still be used afterward for tourism as well as other film projects.

18 Charmed (1998) House

While the remake may be trying to appeal more to today’s audience with a more ethnically diverse cast of characters and progressive story elements, it still has a ways to go in terms of living up to the original series’ legacy. No matter what the opinion was, one can’t deny how popular Charmed was back in the day with many notable locales other than the prominent San Francisco landmarks that were constantly shown in the opening credits. This includes the Halliwell House, which is a real place that is located in Los Angeles according to TripSavvy and is privately owned.

17 Full House Residence

Though it got its start in the late 80s, this show became more prominent during the 90s. It was the debut appearance of celebrity twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who played the same character though they were credited as one person. Also, it led to a sequel series on Netflix titled Fuller House which continued the family’s story. Taking place in San Francisco, the house where the main family lived was supposedly located in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood. While that is the case for the real-life house, it was only used for exterior shots according to TripSavvy.

16 Grace and Frankie Set

Of the various Netflix Originals shows that have come out, one of the more popular ones is Grace and Frankie which tells the story of two women who become close friends following their husbands leaving them to be together as a couple. Though the series takes place in the La Jolla area of San Diego, California, the actual location is different but still in the same state. While the exterior shots for the house the titular women live in was filmed in Malibu, the interior was shot on a stage in Paramount Studios in Hollywood according to Traditional Home magazine.

15 Empire Set

Though the kinds of stories found in shows about music tend to overlap, there are some notable exceptions. In Empire's case, for instance, it is distinct not just because of the genre of music that’s focused on (which is hip hop) but also in that it focuses more on the internal drama of the record company and less on the artists. Because of these distinctions, the show is still on the air. Yet Traditional Home states that a majority of the scenes are shot on sets which are in Chicago even though the series takes place in New York City.

14 Mom Set

Praised for its coverage of serious topics, Mom is an ongoing comedy on CBS which focuses on a single mom named Christy Plunkett and her own mother who reconcile their relationship while also dealing with their own problems. Though the series is set in Napa, California, all the locations including Christy’s home and the cafe shown in the above picture were shot on a set. Though Ann Shea, who designs the sets for the show, tried to make Christy’s home as realistic as possible by using “Things that seemed like they came from a flea market” as stated by HGTV.

13 Nashville Set

Arguably dating back to The Monkees, shows about the music industry are nothing new but what they chose to focus on has changed. For instance, Hannah Montana focused on the music and struggles of adolescent life. Nashville, on the other hand, concentrated on the rivalry between two singers named Rayna and Juliette with one fading while the other is on the rise. After airing its final season earlier this year, the sets used to portray places like Rayna’s home have been abandoned. Though according to Nashville Arts Magazine, “The resemblance is uncanny” between the sets and their real-life counterparts.

12 Fashion Police Set

What one wears is typically a matter of opinion, as it depends on one's personal tastes and how one wants to be seen by others. Yet some shows like Fashion Police went out of their way to establish what was “Normal” as far as fashion was concerned and what wasn’t. Hosted by notable celebrities such as Joan Rivers and Kelly Osbourne, they would get together on a soundstage and discuss the fashions of other celebrities. In the years it ran, the soundstage went through several changes with a common theme of “Rich colors and textures” according to Seen On Set.

11 Secrets of a Restaurant Chef Kitchen

When it comes to cooking, our skills are accumulated through experience and practice. Yet some of us have always wondered how the chefs at the fancy restaurants we go to every now and then make such good meals with the desire to replicate it at home. To answer such a question, we had Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. Hosted by Anne Burrell, a chef who’s been on numerous cooking shows since Secrets of a Restaurant Chef ended in 2012, it showed how to make the kind of meals served at restaurants though it’s unclear what happened to the show’s kitchen.

10 ER Ambulance Bay

As far back as the early days of television, medical shows have been a prevalent genre whether its soap operas like General Hospital or dramas like ER. Focused on a group of doctors working in the titular part of a hospital in Chicago, the show had many locations in its 15-year run. Though the hospital itself was fictional, some places were actually filmed in Chicago while the rest happened in the Warner Bros Studios Backlot or the Los Angeles area in general according to Its Filmed There. Some examples of the latter include the ambulance bay (as shown above).

9 Cranford/Downton Abbey Village

Because Britain has a lot of old mansions and castles, many of them have been used for television shows over the years. One such example is this house, which resides in a village called Lacock in the Wiltshire County. Largely “Untouched by modernity” according to House & Garden magazine, it has been the perfect locale for many a historical drama TV series. This included Downton Abbey, which is getting its own feature film after the series ended only three years ago, and Cranford before that. While it had a good run, the latter show wasn’t nearly as successful as the former.

8 McLeod’s Daughters Property

Compared to Britain’s television shows, the ones made in Australia aren’t nearly as well known over in the United States. Yet they’re still popular over there, as was the case with McLeod’s Daughters. Focused around the female heirs of Drovers Run, a family home in a rural part of Australia, this show was critically acclaimed upon release back in the early 2000s and ran for many seasons. But what’s even more interesting is that all the filming took place on location in Gawler, which is where all the notable locales including the rival property Killarney (as shown above) actually are.

7 Growing Pains House

Two years before Full House’s premiere in 1987, another show came on the air called Growing Pains which focused on the Seaver family consisting of a working mother and a stay-at-home father who's stuck taking care of their three children followed by a fourth one who was portrayed by twin girls that were initially uncredited. Though the series was set in the town of Huntington on Long Island, New York, the Seavers' house is actually located at the Warner Brothers Studios Backlot in Burbank, California, as stated by the Reel to Real Life Movie and TV Locations blog.

6 Dallas House

For those familiar with soap operas, the original Dallas was one of the most prominent series to come out of the 70s. With a 14 season saga of rival families and scheming oil tycoons, it’s no wonder that the Southfork Ranch where the Ewing family resided is just as iconic as the show. But according to Dallas News, the interior was shot in a mansion on Park Lane in Dallas, Texas (as shown above), which people associate with Southfork Ranch while the exterior was shot at different places. First, it was Frisco Ranch and then J.R. Duncan’s Duncan Acres.