In sitcoms, why do many of the characters enter the house through the backdoor? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 02-15-2019, 01:37 AM

Have you ever noticed on sitcoms that many of the characters enter the house from the back when coming home from school or work or wherever they were at? When friends or other people are visiting they also enter from the back a lot, it's usually the kitchen door.

Heenan Fan · 02-15-2019, 02:05 AM

What do you expect, there's a lot of backdoor guys in Hollywood.

tvfan25 · 02-15-2019, 08:21 AM

We always use the back door at our house. Never the front door unless we get a package!

cfr1970 · 02-15-2019, 04:06 PM

It always made no sense to me. You see it a lot on Family Ties when people other than family would knock on the kitchen door rather than the front door, as if they automatically knew everyone was in the kitchen and not in the living room.

stevea · 02-15-2019, 09:04 PM

It's bad writing. If the scene starts in the kitchen, and another character enters, it's probably just easier to have them come in thru the back door. If it a family member, it makes sense. A lot of other people would not normally come to the back door--then they need to do a little more writing and a little more filming and post production, and have the guest come to the front door.

Heenan Fan · 02-16-2019, 02:11 AM

I guess it's still slightly better than people just walking in somebody else's front door without knocking first. This happened constantly on sitcoms.

MikeLutton · 02-16-2019, 02:37 AM

mostly Happy days Sanford and son Married with children

Heenan Fan · 02-16-2019, 02:58 AM

Marcy and Steve/Jefferson rarely ever knocked first before entering. Over the top imho.

favoriteshow · 02-22-2019, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeL

mostly Happy days Sanford and son Married with children

Happy Days, Family Ties, Growing Pains, Full House come to mind, although it was common across sitcoms.

I think on the Cosby Show, it was the front door more often though.

Another question:
Why do most sitcom homes only have a family room but no living room?

02-15-2019, 01:37 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,660	In sitcoms, why do many of the characters enter the house through the backdoor? Have you ever noticed on sitcoms that many of the characters enter the house from the back when coming home from school or work or wherever they were at? When friends or other people are visiting they also enter from the back a lot, it's usually the kitchen door.

02-16-2019, 02:37 AM	#7
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,883	mostly Happy days Sanford and son Married with children
	__________________ Tv And DVD Addict got over a hundred dvds in my collection more than anyone in the neighborhood. also huge Animal lover family man

02-15-2019, 02:05 AM	#2
Heenan Fan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 19, 2016 Posts: 6,001	What do you expect, there's a lot of backdoor guys in Hollywood.

02-15-2019, 08:21 AM	#3
tvfan25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 10, 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 634	We always use the back door at our house. Never the front door unless we get a package!

02-15-2019, 04:06 PM	#4
cfr1970 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 13, 2017 Location: Kissimmee, Florida Posts: 3,368	It always made no sense to me. You see it a lot on Family Ties when people other than family would knock on the kitchen door rather than the front door, as if they automatically knew everyone was in the kitchen and not in the living room.

02-15-2019, 09:04 PM	#5
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,552	It's bad writing. If the scene starts in the kitchen, and another character enters, it's probably just easier to have them come in thru the back door. If it a family member, it makes sense. A lot of other people would not normally come to the back door--then they need to do a little more writing and a little more filming and post production, and have the guest come to the front door.

02-16-2019, 02:11 AM	#6
Heenan Fan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 19, 2016 Posts: 6,001	I guess it's still slightly better than people just walking in somebody else's front door without knocking first. This happened constantly on sitcoms.

02-16-2019, 02:58 AM	#8
Heenan Fan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 19, 2016 Posts: 6,001	Marcy and Steve/Jefferson rarely ever knocked first before entering. Over the top imho.