Something TV homes rarely have (stumper) (1 Viewer)

[Jon_Are]

This is to see how sharp y'all are.
The Bunkers don't have one. Nor do the Cleavers, the Petries, or the Bradys.
For years I've been puzzled by the omission of an everyday household object from television shows. Ever since I first noticed this phenomenon, I've been attuned to watching for it, and I have found that this omission is nearly universal in TV Land.
Again, this is an everyday object that virtually every (real) house has that is (almost) never shown on TV. I'll wait a week or so before I post the answer.
Notes: It is not a crapper, nor any other bathroom item (these have been shown on more than a few shows, I'm certain). It is nothing that a viewer might find offensive, controversial, sexual, or unpleasant in any way.
And in all my years of television viewing, there is just ONE show I've noticed - as far as I can recall - on which you can consistently see this object. (Lemme know if you want to know which show this is.)
Don't kill yourself trying to solve this (although it is a legitimate stumper); just trying to have a little fun here.
Jon
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--Owner of the North American rights to the small-orange-for-a-head joke. http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/005319.html

 

[Jeff_Krueger]

A fourth wall?

 

[SteveGon]

The ceiling? Heck, what do I know? I hardly ever watch regular tv anymore...
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[Chuck C]

a clock; drew carey show
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Chuck
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[Michael*K]

The DVD player.

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--Mike
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[Jeff Ulmer]

I'd second the clock.
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[Patrick_S]

I know that the answer is not a television set and while a clock is rarely seen on TV shows I’m fairly certain that I’ve spied one on the sets of All in the Family and The Brady Bunch.
So in the end I don’t have an answer.
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[Jeffrey Noel]

An air-conditioner?
A water purifier?
An escalator?
Ok, two of the three are absurd. But hey, have you ever seen those in the shows?
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God bless!
jeffrey noel
My DVD Collection

 

[Steve Enemark]

Dead bodies buried in the basement? Oh wait, that's just my house...
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[Jeremy-P]

I'll guess it's a mirror. The only times i've seen them is when they're specifically needed for a scene, otherwise it would be a pain to have to shoot around it.

 

[cafink]

A ceiling.

 

[Carl Johnson]

A picture of me?

 

[McPaul]

I believe the bunkers had a mirror on the wall by the door.
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[Mitty]

Hmmm.
1. A clock. It'd be a constant effort to maintain continuity when shooting out of sequence (or even when shooting IN sequence).
2. A television. This seems to USUALLY occupy the "fourth wall" on sets. In other words, you don't usually see it, just people looking at a sight line which you infer to be a television. However, there are MANY exceptions to this rule.
3. A ceiling. For sitcoms mostly. On location shoots often reveal ceilings, obviously.
4. Pets. Too much work. Especially in a show with a live studio audience.
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http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/Forum9/HTML/007822.html
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[Edited last by Mitty on October 31, 2001 at 04:57 AM]

 

[Max Leung]

Clock sounds likely, although, admittedly, I don't have a clock at home except for the microwave.
What about a calendar on the wall? Don't see those either. And you hardly ever see a living room window!

 

[Jay H]

4. Pets. Too much work. Especially in a show with a live studio audience.

A bunch of shows had pets, Married with children (dog), Frasier (dog), X-files (Mulder's fish)
Hmmm, common household item.....
A cooking pot?????????????????
Jay

 

[James RD]

On all of the shows you mention they all have televisions. None have remote controls.

 

[Jon_Are]

(Original poster here, checking in)
A fourth wall: Nice try, but a bit too obvious. And its omission is easily explained/non-puzzling.
The ceiling: Likewise. Although it did appear in that old sit-com about the newspaper tycoon and the sled (its name escapes me )
A clock: Great answer, but not what I had in mind. This may be a better answer than mine. I'll have to start watching to see if this is so. Wristwatches are commonplace, I know.
DVD player: C'mon...ya really thing every real home has one?
Air conditioner: The Bunkers had one, for sure (Irene Lorenzo repaired it). Maybe everyone else had central air
Mirror: Good thought, but I've seen plenty of them.
A picture of Carl Johnson: No comment necessary.
Pets: Plenty of them, as noted. Tigger (Brady Bunch), Eddie (Frasier), Astro (Jetsons), Dino (Flintstones), Tramp (My Three Sons), Arnold (Green Acres). Although, I guess you could argue that Arnold was more a member of the family than a pet.
Calendar: I've seen these, notably on Andy Griffith and Good Times. Good guess, though.
Living room window: All in the Family, Dick Van Dyke Show (though obscured by curtains).
Cooking pot: Multiple examples come to mind; lots of folks cook on TV.
TV Remotes: All in the Family (again), Married with Children, The Odd Couple.
Keep 'em coming!
Jon
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--Owner of the North American rights to the small-orange-for-a-head joke. http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/005319.html

 

[Doug_H]

Clocks always show up to tick off the last few seconds of a nail biter scene. They may not show the clock on the wall but you are left with the impression they do indeed have a clock.
I have no idea wht the answer is though.
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[Michael*K]

Calendar: I've seen these, notably on Andy Griffith and Good Times.

Some people pay WAY too much attention to TV shows.

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--Mike
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