Sometimes, Hollywood fails to accurately reflect the lives of working-class people in popular culture. Many TV characters, for instance, live in lavish mansions and wear designer clothes far above their means. None of these people come from affluent backgrounds and don't support themselves. If they do have jobs, they tend to be low-paying service positions. And yet, they manage to live in luxury in some of the United States' priciest real estate markets.
True, watching a movie or TV show is a great way to escape reality for a while. The audience probably isn't supposed to pay that much attention to the finer points. After all, who would pay to see gorgeous actors frolic around in filthy slums? It can be difficult to get into a show when the protagonists or antagonists live in the most costly apartments possible.
7. Monica Geller From 'Friends'
Source: Friends
Friends' Monica's place is stunning. High ceilings, exposed brick, floor-to-ceiling windows, a balcony, and two huge bedrooms. The apartment is more stunning than Joey and Chandler's. It's modest but too pricey for an often-unemployed actor and a mid-level financial man. Monica's apartment is rare in actual NYC. A two-bedroom in her neighborhood costs $5,000 conservatively. A realistic monthly rent for that huge apartment is $14,000. Monica is a chef, yet a sous chef in NYC makes $56,000 a year.
6. Carrie Bradshaw From 'Sex And The City'
Source: Sex And The City
Carrie has an Upper West Side one-bedroom. The stylish room offers plenty of closet space. Exterior photos reveal a traditional NYC brownstone. Carrie, a columnist for The New York Star, likely earns $38,000 a year, while an Upper West Side one-bedroom costs $3,000. Carrie's rent-controlled apartment costs $750 a month. The main character can't afford utilities, cable, cab rides, endless cosmos, and her fancy outfit.
5. Max Black And Caroline Channing From '2 Broke Girls'
Source: 2 Broke Girls
Max and Caroline's Williamsburg apartment isn't cheap. Caroline sleeps in the living room, although it's large for NYC. Even the chaos is unrealistic. A yard is scarce and expensive. The females waitress at a diner; they're broke. One-bedroom apartments in Williamsburg cost $3,500 per month. Tipping waitresses couldn't afford that rate.
4. Josh Baskin From 'Big'
Source: Big
Big's youthful protagonist gets a great apartment. This Soho corner unit has hardwood flooring, lofty ceilings, and wall-to-wall windows. Josh becomes a toy tester in New York City. It's wonderful for a kid in an adult's body. Even in the 1980s, a fun job wouldn't support rent and living expenses in the city. Today, the such unit would cost $9,000 to rent. Josh wouldn't have enough money even if he made $100,000 yearly.
3. Mia Dolan From 'La La Land'
Source: La La Land
The characters in La La Land are dreamers, and everyone sings freely. Mia's fancy residence is implausible. It's a remodeled Old Hollywood flat with various bedrooms. The unit has vibrant colors, fancy furnishings, and murals. Mia is a barista and struggling actress throughout the film. She earns $16,000 a year, roughly. A nice four-bedroom in Los Angeles costs roughly $6,000. That's $1,500 per person. Mia earns $1,333/month.
2. Hannah Horvath From 'Girls'
Source: Girls
Hannah resides in Brooklyn's Greenpoint area. By NYC standards, it's a palace. The living room fits sofas, chairs, and a TV. Well-equipped kitchen, moderate-sized bedrooms. Even with a roommate, Hannah's monthly expenses should put her in the poorhouse, given her unpredictable employment history and low-paying jobs. Barista, instructor, and freelance writer. Hannah would need $60,000 a year to afford half of a $3,000-a-month condo.
1. Danny Tanner From 'Full House'
Source: Full House
Danny Tanner lives in San Francisco with his immediate family, extended relatives, and a buddy. Three bedrooms upstairs, a vast finished basement and attic, and a small living room alcove function as Joey's bedroom. The kitchen is huge, and the Tanners' dog can run and play in the yard. Even if all the adults contributed to the mortgage, it would be expensive. An identical Western Addition home sold for $2.9 million, creating a $14,000 mortgage. Danny leads a morning chat show, Jesse plays music, and Joey performs stand-up. Plus, they have three kids with expenditures.