10 Television Series That Reused Their Filming Locations

Unlike blockbuster films, TV productions usually operate on tighter budgets, forcing producers to find innovative ways to cut costs. This is why some episodes of Star Trek seem to share the same backdrop as Andy Griffith’s Mayberry. Below, we explore 10 TV shows that repurposed sets from other series.

1. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW ON STAR TREK

The Star Trek episodes "Miri" and "City on the Edge of Forever" utilized the exterior set of Mayberry from The Andy Griffith Show. In “Miri,” the town was transformed into a deserted ghost town, while in “City on the Edge of Forever,” it served as a 1930s New York City street. Keen-eyed viewers might even spot Floyd's Barbershop from The Andy Griffith Show in the background of a Star Trek scene.

2. SCRUBS ON THE OFFICE

During the season five finale of The Office, Jim and Pam receive life-changing news about expecting a baby. The hospital scenes were filmed on the same set as Scrubs’s Sacred Heart Hospital. Both series were shot at the North Hollywood Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, a former operational hospital that became a dedicated filming location after its closure in 1998. Sadly, the North Hollywood Medical Center was torn down in 2011 and replaced with a modern apartment complex.

The North Hollywood Medical Center has also appeared in numerous other TV shows, including The Sopranos, Freaks and Geeks, Six Feet Under, and Chuck. Additionally, it served as the main filming site for Adult Swim's Childrens Hospital.

3. THE WEST WING ON

SMALLVILLE

In the first season episode of Smallville titled “Hourglass,” Lex Luthor envisions himself as the U.S. President in the Oval Office. Rather than constructing a new set, the production team flew Michael Rosenbaum, the actor portraying Luthor, from Smallville’s Vancouver set to The West Wing’s Los Angeles set to capture the scene.

4. THE BRADY BUNCH ON MANNIX AND MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE

It’s quite surreal to witness the famous The Brady Bunch house repurposed for other TV shows, but this occurred multiple times during the 1970s with Paramount productions. The living room, patio, and backyard from The Brady Bunch were reused in Mannix episodes “One for the Lady” and “The Danford File,” while the living room was also revamped for a tense confrontation in the “Double Dead” episode of Mission: Impossible.

5. ROSEANNE ON MIKE & MOLLY

If Molly’s house on Mike & Molly seems recognizable, it’s because it’s the same living room set from Roseanne, just updated. The production team modernized the Conners' living room to fit the aesthetic of Mike & Molly.

6. GILMORE GIRLS ON PRETTY LITTLE LIARS

Despite the years between Gilmore Girls and Pretty Little Liars, both shows were filmed on the same Warner Bros. backlot in Burbank, California. Many iconic locations from Stars Hollow, like Rory Gilmore’s high school and Taylor’s Olde Fashioned Soda Shoppe, were repurposed for Rosewood in Pretty Little Liars, with the school becoming Rosewood City Hall and the soda shop transforming into Lucky Leon's Cupcakes.

7. SAVED BY THE BELL ON THAT’S SO RAVEN

Elements of the Bayside High School set from Saved by The Bell were reused for That’s So Raven, which also featured a school named Bayside High. Michael Poryes, a writer for Saved by The Bell and the creator of That’s So Raven, likely played a role in this shared connection.

8. GROWING PAINS ON HANGIN’ WITH MR. COOPER

The pilot episode of Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper in 1992 utilized the Seaver family’s living room set from Growing Pains, which had ended earlier that year. Both shows were filmed on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California. Alan Thicke, who portrayed Dr. Jason Seaver on Growing Pains, even visited the set to wish Mark Curry success during the pilot filming.

9. ROBINSONS: LOST IN SPACE ON BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

Despite not being picked up for a full series, the pilot episode of Robinsons: Lost In Space included sets that would later be featured in multiple episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Directed by John Woo in 2003, the pilot for this reboot of the 1960s sci-fi classic was produced for The WB but never aired. However, the spaceship sets from the Jupiter 2 in Lost In Space were repurposed for the Battlestar Pegasus in Battlestar Galactica.

10. DEAD LIKE ME ON STARGATE SG-1

The diner set used in Dead Like Me, known as Der Waffle Haus, also appeared in Stargate SG-1. In the eighth season episode “Threads,” Daniel Jackson visits a mysterious diner that looks identical to Der Waffle Haus. He even sits in the same booth frequented by the Dead Like Me characters and orders waffles, a subtle homage to Bryan Fuller’s cult series.