A good TV show needs to unfold in a setting that most effectively compliments the story. Since furniture is something that characters often interact with, it comes as no surprise that these household items play a big role in defining the spaces we see on TV.
Typically, we use this media segment to promote the products and services of our reputable online furniture store. We thought, however, that it would be nice to take a break from the norm to celebrate the resounding impact that certain pieces of furniture from iconic TV shows have had on pop culture.
It makes sense why an online furniture store such as ours would take interest in such topics. After all, furniture is our bread and butter – and who doesn’t watch TV? For your enjoyment, we’ve come up with a list of what we believe to be the top #3 pieces of furniture from TV shows.
The Couch from Central Perk in Friends
Who could forget this iconic piece of furniture? Located in the gang’s favourite Manhattan coffee spot, Central Perks, this orange-hued and velvety-textured couch holds the title of being the show’s central prop. This couch was such an integral part of the show, in fact, that it was featured in every single version of the Friends intro.
Fans of Friends will argue that the couch was the primary symbol for the essence of what the show was about. It was the central meeting point for all core characters, its intimate nature signifying the closeness and companionship shared between the five main characters.
According to the cast and crew, the aged mohair sofa was gathering dust inside a cramped basement storage unit somewhere deep within Warner Brothers’ Studios before its claim to fame. There is something oddly inspiring about the story of how a long-forgotten piece of furniture became such a distinguishable element in what would become the world’s most syndicated sitcom.
Functionally, the couch was a brilliant device that the show’s writers could use as a standard or neutral location to play around with the combination and spatial arrangement and of characters appearing in the same room.
The Central Perks couch will forever be solidified as an incredibly influential symbol within pop culture. This is best exemplified by the fact that there are licensed replicas of Central Perk in over 32 countries around the world, including in Beijing and Dubai.
Thus, it should come as no surprise that the model of this couch remains incredibly coveted to this day. There exist dozens of websites and companies from whom devote Friends stans can purchase precise replicas of this couch. These are, however, quite costly as you could imagine.
If you are fond of the couch’s aesthetic, you could instead find something similar at an incredibly affordable price on our online furniture store. Our website catalogue features numerous velvet couch options to choose from.
Sheldon’s Couch from Big Bang Theory
Even though global appeal towards the show waned in its final seasons, Big Bang Theory was an absolute hit with a devout fan base in its heyday. When it first aired in September of 2007, TV audiences were quick to fall in love with the cast of outrageously awkward yet endearingly quirky characters.
Big Bang Theory featured many long-running gags during its 12-year long runtime. One of the most memorable of these, as fans could attest, is the unique situation regarding Sheldon’s spot. The “spot” in question is the left-hand cushion on the couch in Sheldon and Leonard’s shared 2-bedroom apartment.
This particular spot on the brown-leathered 3-seater has been claimed by Sheldon who has placed it in a “state of eternal dibs”. According to the neurotic scientist, he has claimed exclusive access to this spot due to various benefits it affords him within the living room.
Here are some of the reasons Sheldon gives as explanation:
- The spot faces the television at enough of an angle that is neither too direct to inhibit conversation nor too indirect to cause parallax distortion.
- During the summer season, the spot receives direct breezes of cooling air from two of the apartment’s windows.
- During the winter months, Sheldon appreciates the spot’s proximity to the radiator. According to him, the spot is perfectly positioned so that he is close enough to remain warm and far enough to prevent the radiator’s heat from causing perspiration.
Sheldon’s obsession with his spot on the couch often comes across as hilariously deranged and has been the subject of many of the show’s funniest moments. In one episode, he even goes so far as to claim that the feelings he has towards his spot on the couch are far stronger than those he has of his own mother.
In another episode wherein Sheldon and Howard are at odds, he apologises for costing Howard a government job by offering his friend a chance to sit on his treasured spot. Naturally, Howard accepts this once-in-a-lifetime spot and the whole matter is forgotten.
As one of the most integral set pieces in one of the most syndicated TV shows of the 21st century, the couch featuring Sheldon’s spot undoubtedly earns its place amongst the most famous and recognisable pieces of furniture in TV history.
If it just so happens that you are a fan of Big Bang Theory, it might be of use for you to know that we stock several faux leather couches that are similar in style and colour to that of Sheldon’s famous couch.
These couches are designed with quality and comfort in mind, the end product being something that we believe would even meet Sheldon’s insane expectations. Better yet, we retail these couches at unbeatably low prices. For more information and access to our furniture catalogue, feel free to explore the webpage of our online furniture store.
The Simpsons’ Couch
Absolutely no list of most famous TV furniture would ever be complete without the addition of the living room couch from The Simpsons. Having first aired in December of 1989, The Simpsons is the longest-running animated series in the world. It is also the most successful animation in history, having garnered no fewer than 34 Emmy awards and 34 Annie awards respectively.
By nature of The Simpsons being the biggest name in TV animation, we can all agree that the show’s opening sequence is one of if not the most iconic TV show intro to ever exist. The Simpsons title card fading in over clouds in a blue sky is an image that lives rent-free in the memories of hundreds of millions of people all across the globe.
The iconic opening sequence features the Simpson family all returning home from their daily activities, each character’s scene depicting scenarios that give insight into their personalities. The sequence ultimately culminates in all five Simpson family members sitting down on the couch in front of their TV.
The couch is featured in such a fashion at the beginning of every single episode of The Simpsons which is already enough to make it iconic. However, what makes the Simpsons’ couch such an important aspect within pop culture is the timeless implementation of what has come to be known as the “couch gag”.
The couch gag is essentially a creative spin that the show’s animators often take on the final shot of the intro wherein the family enters the lounge and sits on the couch. Couch gags often involve a change of the couch’s location or the inclusion of a slapstick joke (such as the couch breaking as Homer sits down).
Every so often, the writers allow for the couch scene to be depicted in a different animation style. Couch gags have even featured cameos from famous actors and Easter eggs from other popular shows. Over the course of The Simpsons’ decade-spanning runtime, the couch has become an intrinsic symbol of the show as a whole – much like with the couch from Friends.
Being that the couch from The Simpsons is animated, we obviously cannot offer anything similar in the catalogue of our online furniture store. What we can do, however, is recommend a few episodes of The Simpsons that we think feature some of the very best couch gags in the show’s history:
Lisa On Ice (season 6, episode 8)
Upon entering the living room, the Simpsons find themselves lost in a mind-bending maze in which they run at impossible angles. The scene is, of course, a respectful homage to the famed mathematical artist, Maurits Cornelis Escher.
Kamp Krusty (season 4, episode 1)
The fourth season of The Simpsons kicks off the syndicated couch gag with a crossover featuring the characters from the classic kids’ TV show, The Flintstones. Needless to say, the cameo was just as surprising and unexpected back then as it is unforgettable now.
Tales from the Public Domain (season 13, episode 14)
Debuting as the ninth couch gag of The Simpsons’ thirteenth season, this intro features a flipbook held by one of the artists which portrays the original couch scene drawn frame by frame in pencil.
Honourable Mentions
We considered many examples from dozens of different shows before deciding what our top #3 was. However, we thought we’d also make an additional note of other contenders that deserve recognition despite not getting in that top spot. Here are some of our favourites:
- Dr Melfi’s couch from The Sopranos
- The Iron Throne from Game of Thrones
- Captain Kirk’s command chair aboard the Enterprise in Star Trek
- The chairs from the red pill/blue pill scene in The Matrix
- The couch in the basement of the Foreman’s house in That 70s Show
- The booth inside the McLaren’s pup in How I Met Your Mother
- The car-themed booth where John Travolta and Uma Thurman have dinner in Pulp Fiction
It is likely that there are way more great examples out there that we are yet to find. However, it is also likely that we will post a part 2 soon enough. So don’t get upset if your favourite piece of furniture from TV was not brought up.
This was such a fun research topic that will most definitely be covered again in the future. We at the 5 Star online furniture store appreciate your time and hope that you enjoyed the different tone of this article
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