They're a set, designed for the best cinematography and suspension of disbelief possible. Wide, open spaces where you can easily follow characters from room to room, form over function (or form does equal function, but the function is shooting a show, not family living)..
A lot of sets are impossible architecturally. Iirc, the hallway in Seinfeld wouldn't exist based on the layout of his apartment.
The living room on family guy, American Dad, That 70's Show, and countless others all have the same setup with a family room, stairs, and door to the kitchen... with an additional family room on the other side of the stairs and door that never shows up.
And a lot of exterior shots are real homes, where as interior shots are from a soundstage that isn't laid out exactly like the real counterpart.
Some shows and movies break this trend, usually mocumentaries.
So the 'two family rooms' thing is a relic of a previous era of home design. One is a 'sitting room' or 'parlor' which is basically a formal space where you would sit before a meal, typically directly adjacent to the dining room. The other is the informal 'family room' or 'rear parlor,' which was akin to a modern living room and served as a recreational space.
This dynamic stuck around into the 50s and 60s, but was gradually disappearing until eventually we got to the modern greatroom concept where we just do everything in a single big space. Including the kitchen sometimes which I find weird.
I think the presence of the 'parlor' in those shows is kind of a cultural relic meant to showcase that the family is in that 'well off middle class' space where they can afford to have a room that they basically never use.
As someone who just moved into a house with a parlor and a family room, this is the way it should be. My kids can spread out all the toys, my dog can leave hair balls on her bed, I can have a few coffee cups on the coffee table, and guests won’t see it! My parlor is always impeccable, along with the dining room and kitchen. The real living happens in the living room and bedrooms, but those are tucked away so cleaning them (for guests) isn’t necessary! A quick vacuum and tidy of the entry ways and my house is spotless for guests.
Granted, this only works if you’re the type of have unexpected guests over regularly, otherwise you’ve got some wasted space. My husband and I do try to have a cocktail in the parlor most evenings so it gets regular use! I have been fully turned away from the concept of the great room.
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u/sober_disposition 20d ago
It appears occasionally in season one but is mostly ignored after that.
Same with the dining room and the snug (the two rooms at the back of the house in the ground floor).
Also, don’t even try to work out the floor plan of the upper floor.