10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Your Favorite TV Shows

There’s no denying that we have been blessed with many, many great television shows. But have you ever been watching an episode of something and thought to yourself, “Why is this character wearing something different than they were a second ago?” or, “I wonder where the writers got the idea for this episode?” If you answered yes, you have come to the right place. Join us as we explore everyone’s favorite TV shows and uncover little-known facts in the world of television.

#1: The Muppet Show

If you think about it, it makes sense that being left-handed plays a crucial role in puppetry. Most puppeteers are right-handed, and this preference surprisingly impacts the characters they bring to life. It turns out that many beloved Muppet characters are left-handed because of this very reason!

The Muppet Show, a beloved television series, features a cast of iconic characters, many of whom are left-handed. This unique characteristic results from the puppeteers’ dominant hand being used to operate the puppet’s mouth. With their right hand busy, they naturally use their left hand to manipulate the puppet’s left hand.

In the world of television, a show’s logo can be just as iconic and memorable as its characters and storylines. The logo of The Sopranos, designed by Brett Wicks, is a prime example of how a well-crafted logo can become a cultural touchstone.

The weapon in the logo, a visual metaphor for the show’s themes of violence and power, is now instantly recognizable to fans of the show. If you have ever seen The Sopranos, then you know just how relevant this themed logo is for the show.

We all know actors memorize their lines, but that dedication takes a hilarious turn on the set of Fresh Prince. Apparently, Will Smith was so determined to succeed in his first major role that he went above and beyond! Not only did he learn his own part, but he also memorized the entire script.

Can you imagine being another actor on set, focused on delivering your lines and catching a glimpse of Will Smith silently mouthing along with you? Talk about a unique way to prepare for a role. You have to wonder if it ever got distracting for the rest of the cast!

Sometimes, the best opportunities hide in the most unexpected places. Phyllis Smith originally worked behind the scenes on The Office as an assistant casting director, helping find the show’s perfect actors. She was not expecting this to lead to a big break for her…

Little did she know, she was the perfect fit all along! During auditions, the producers were so taken with her while she read lines with actors that they decided to cast her as Phyllis Vance. It shows you never know where your talents might take you!

So, in the world of TV, whether dreams come true or not, there are many stories about what could’ve been. Just imagine if some of our favorite characters never came to life, if those iconic lines were never said, and if pop culture was totally different. One of those stories involves the show Friends and the iconic Rachel Green.

As luck would have it, Jennifer Aniston, the actress who played Rachel, wasn’t really into the role initially because she was busy with another show. But the Friends producers were determined to have her, so they devised a clever plan for the show’s promo pictures during the photoshoot. They asked Aniston to step out of a few photos, just in case she decided not to do the show.

The relationship between a popular TV show and its merchandise seems like a one-way street, right? Shows create cool characters and worlds, and then the merch machine turns those into toys and t-shirts for fans to enjoy. But sometimes, that dynamic gets flipped on its head, and the toys themselves end up shaping the show in unexpected ways!

The classic cartoon The Flintstones is a prime example. Originally, the creators imagined Fred and Wilma welcoming a baby boy into their stone-age family. But a toy company saw dollar signs in their eyes when thinking about a little girl Pebble… It turns out they were right; those dolls were a cash cow, raking in millions and proving that the merchandise calls the shots.

The Huxtables’ living room was always filled with the warmth of family laughter. Remember the funky patterned sweaters and how the kids always schemed their way into (and sometimes out of) a little trouble? Those Thursday nights watching The Cosby Show were the best.

So imagine if instead of Sabrina Le Beauf playing the intelligent, hard-working, and family-oriented eldest daughter, Sondra, on our screens, we would have seen none other than Whitney Houston! But no, as it turned out, she turned down the role to pursue what would become an incredibly successful music career.

The Golden Girls might not have been on air for a while now. Still, it doesn’t take much to remind you of the good old days in Miami. The witty banter, the shared laughter, the hilarious mishaps – those Saturday nights with Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia felt like a slice of pure, unfiltered joy, a testament to the enduring power of friendship.

So I can see how Rue McClanahan, who played Blanche, would want to keep a little something to remind her of this part of her life and career. We all like a little souvenir from important events, and all the better when it’s legit, not something just bought from a gift shop.

Remember those Happy Days scenes? Chrome on classic cars, milkshakes at Arnold’s, and rock ‘n’ roll crackling through the jukebox. There was a motorcycle’s thrill, the sweetness of a crush, and that iconic leather-jacketed wisdom. It was a simpler time, filled with greasy hair and a whole lot of “Heyyyys!”

With the exception of that one episode where Richie and his friends briefly consider the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, this show could not be further from the military. But in real life, Ron Howard (Richie) actually accepted a role in the show’s pilot due to having an exceptionally bad draft number for the military.

A Different World was a whirlwind of dorm room drama, campus hijinks, and enough ’90s fashion to make you regret the many different fashion choices. Dwayne Wayne’s forever-unrequited crush on Whitley, Kim’s never-ending quest for social justice, and Freddie’s hilarious one-liners were like a weekly dose of pure, relatable fun.

I’ve always wondered how writers manage to write from experiences that are very different from their own – men writing about childbirth from a mother’s perspective, grief when you haven’t lost a loved one, etc. Debbie Allen had a great way of dealing with that by taking her writers on field trips in Atlanta to really get to know historically black colleges