They always talked about 201 being rundown. And indeed Roper and Furley were always around fixing -- or not fixing -- the doorbell, the plumbing, the window, the crack in the wall...

But the fact is that any place, even the most blingy, needs constant maintenance. On the other hand, the wall paper was fairly fresh; the place was amazingly well cleaned, considering the roomies' unerring ability to make a mess of things; and whatever else, the living room, the kitchen and both bedrooms were very tidy. (Note there was not a single story about the old chestnut of tidy girls, pigsty boy! -- and the two or three references to toilet seats don't count.)

Naturally enough, the lack of electronic gadgets is noticeable today. But that's not interesting. Actually it is the kitchen that looks the most archaic. Forget the sixties-seventies era refrigerator: have a look at the range and the prime exhibit, the gas oven -- the one they often used as clothes drier! That must be a forties or at the latest a fifties artefact...

But again... is outdated the same as rundown?

I don't know, I guess I'm just not seeing 201 as rundown. Any thoughts?

They always talked about 201 being rundown. And indeed Roper and Furley were always around fixing -- or not fixing -- the doorbell, the plumbing, the window, the crack in the wall...

But the fact is that any place, even the most blingy, needs constant maintenance. On the other hand, the wall paper was fairly fresh; the place was amazingly well cleaned, considering the roomies' unerring ability to make a mess of things; and whatever else, the living room, the kitchen and both bedrooms were very tidy. (Note there was not a single story about the old chestnut of tidy girls, pigsty boy! -- and the two or three references to toilet seats don't count.)

Naturally enough, the lack of electronic gadgets is noticeable today. But that's not interesting. Actually it is the kitchen that looks the most archaic. Forget the sixties-seventies era refrigerator: have a look at the range and the prime exhibit, the gas oven -- the one they often used as clothes drier! That must be a forties or at the latest a fifties artefact...

But again... is outdated the same as rundown?

I don't know, I guess I'm just not seeing 201 as rundown. Any thoughts?


Some rundown apartments that come to mind is

Mr. Kotter on WBK
Dwayne on ADW


Defeintely not apt 201-lol

Actually it is the kitchen that looks the most archaic. Forget the sixties-seventies era refrigerator: have a look at the range and the prime exhibit, the gas oven -- the one they often used as clothes drier! That must be a forties or at the latest a fifties artefact[sic]...

I have an early 1950s Magic Chef gas oven in working order, never in need of restoration, and it's 2008! And those old refrigerators could easily run for decades as well. They don't make too many that are that reliable any more.

I have an early 1950s Magic Chef gas oven in working order, never in need of restoration, and it's 2008! And those old refrigerators could easily run for decades as well. They don't make too many that are that reliable any more.

So are you scoring another one for "not run down"?

I don't think it was run down either, especially in the context of the show. Roper mentioned multiple times that he could get more money for 201 if he threw the kids out (on their ear!), so apparently there was some demand for it. In one episode he joked about moving the kids into another apartment that was smaller and darker with a view of a brick wall, so it sounds like 201 was probably one of the better apartments in the place.

As for the gadgets/technology, I always thought it was weird how the kids seemed to have a TV for like...1 episode a season and then it mysteriously went missing whenever the plot didn't call for it. I guess you could assume they always had it and usually kept it stored away, but that's a stretch.

I don't think it was run down either, especially in the context of the show. Roper mentioned multiple times that he could get more money for 201 if he threw the kids out (on their ear!), so apparently there was some demand for it. In one episode he joked about moving the kids into another apartment that was smaller and darker with a view of a brick wall, so it sounds like 201 was probably one of the better apartments in the place.

As for the gadgets/technology, I always thought it was weird how the kids seemed to have a TV for like...1 episode a season and then it mysteriously went missing whenever the plot didn't call for it. I guess you could assume they always had it and usually kept it stored away, but that's a stretch.



I do remember the TV being in one ep when the plot didn't call for it, it was the episode when Cindy was the Maid

I don't think it was run down either, especially in the context of the show. Roper mentioned multiple times that he could get more money for 201 if he threw the kids out (on their ear!), so apparently there was some demand for it. In one episode he joked about moving the kids into another apartment that was smaller and darker with a view of a brick wall, so it sounds like 201 was probably one of the better apartments in the place.

As for the gadgets/technology, I always thought it was weird how the kids seemed to have a TV for like...1 episode a season and then it mysteriously went missing whenever the plot didn't call for it. I guess you could assume they always had it and usually kept it stored away, but that's a stretch.

Their TV when shown was always against the fourth wall. The rest of the time the cameras' focus was a bit narrower.

Now that I'm watching the DVDs for the first time, I have to say I rather like the apartment - at least the living room. The kitchen is a little ugly, though. :lol: