Two behind-the-scenes photos: on the left, people construct a giant set piece resembling a bed inside a sphere; on the right, puppeteers operate Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch and another character from behind set props.
UserDeleted / tomhagen via Reddit.com

Over the decades, TV shows have succeeded in creating detailed worlds that feel incredibly real. They’ve done such a good job, in fact, that taking a peak behind the scenes is pretty mind-blowing. These photos depicting on-set life from some of the most iconic shows on television are proof that it’s all just play pretend.

1. Gillian Anderson on the Set of ‘The X-Files’ 

A woman with shoulder-length red hair and a white robe holds a banana in her mouth, positioned like a mustache. She looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression. A person in a hat is in the background.
OldandBlue / Reddit.com

2. Norm Abram Doing His Thing for ‘This Old House’ 

A man wearing glasses, a plaid shirt, and a tool belt is sawing a piece of wood outdoors. He is leaning over the wood and looking at the camera, with a house wall in the background.
Garchy / Reddit.com

3. Getting Creepy With the Crypt Keeper on ‘Tales from the Crypt’

A man and a woman pose and smile next to a life-sized animatronic zombie in a colorful cap, surrounded by books. The man is playfully giving the zombie "bunny ears" with his fingers.
abrooks0812 / Reddit.com

4. Barbara Eden Climbing Into Her Bottle on the ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ Set

A behind-the-scenes view of three people working on the set of a giant, ornate, purple and pink clamshell bed with cushions, likely from a film or TV production. One person stands inside, two are at the base on a ladder.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

5. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy Taking a Lunch Break on ‘Star Trek’

Two men in Star Trek uniforms smile and eat from plates, one laughing joyfully while the other looks at the camera with a slight smile. The photo is black and white.
gliggett / Reddit.com

6. Johnny Cash Bringing the Brood to ‘Sesame Street’

A man plays an acoustic guitar in front of a building labeled 123, with a puppet character peeking out of a trash can beside him; the scene appears to be from a television set.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

7. Under the Lights of ‘I Love Lucy’

Four people stand on a stage set resembling a rustic cabin bedroom, with bunk beds, a dresser, and visible studio lights and equipment overhead.
Fury57 / Reddit.com

8. Brandon Tartikoff, Woody Harrelson, and George Wendt Letting Loose After Filming an Episode of ‘Cheers’

Three men, two shirtless, dance and laugh together in a lively bar, with a live band playing in the background. One man holds a beer bottle. The bar walls are decorated with various memorabilia and pictures.
tomhagen / Reddit.com

9. ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ Giving Us Perspective

Four men, shirtless and smiling, operate a small-scale movie set outdoors with a model orange car, blue truck, and trailer on a dirt track, surrounded by shrubs and hills in the background.
tomhagen / Reddit.com

10. Unlocked Nostalgia Courtesy of ‘Mr. Rogers Neighborhood’

A group of people laugh and smile on a television set. One man holds a puppet, while others stand nearby with papers, enjoying the moment under studio lights.
AdSpecialist6598/ Reddit.com

11. Arsenio Hall Collides with the ‘Power Rangers’ 

Three men pose together and smile. Two are dressed as Power Rangers—one in a blue suit and the other in a green and gold suit. The third man in the middle wears sunglasses, a dark jacket, and a "YO! YO!" hat.
AdSpecialist6598 / Reddit.com

12. Getting Cozy on ‘The Big Comfy Couch’

Four adults sit close together on a green floral couch with pink pillows, viewed from above. One is dressed as a clown holding a doll. The others smile warmly, and the setting appears cozy and whimsical.
AdSpecialist6598 / Reddit.com

13. Caroll Spinney Operating Oscar the Grouch While Wearing His Big Bird Legs — Seeing This Feels Illegal

A person kneels on the ground, peering through a large camera. Behind them, the green puppet Oscar the Grouch pops out of a trash can. Bright orange and pink fuzzy legs are in the foreground, suggesting another puppet nearby.
tomhagen / Reddit.com

14. Ann-Margret Recording Her Voice for Her Role as Ann Margrock on ‘The Flintstones’

A man in a suit and a woman in a white jacket sit at a desk reviewing papers, with cartoon cutouts of Fred Flintstone and Wilma Flintstone from "The Flintstones" behind them.
Bruinsrock11 / Reddit.com

15. A Glimpse Into the Set of ‘All in the Family’

Black-and-white photo of a TV studio set showing actors talking and sitting at a table, crew members operating cameras, and stage lights overhead. The set is arranged like a living room and kitchen.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

16. Getting in the Zone for ‘Bewitched’

A black-and-white photo shows a man in a suit talking to a woman sitting cross-legged on a floral sofa, reading a book. Another man sits at a coffee table covered with books and papers in a cozy living room.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

More entertainment stories:

Split image: On the left, a woman in a sleeveless purple dress smiles while kneeling against a white background. On the right, a man in glasses and a black leather vest stands in front of a brick wall with framed photos.
UserDeleted / nialldude3 via Reddit.com

Meet the Writer

Rachel is a Michigan-based writer with a bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing and English. Throughout her career, she has dabbled in a variety of subject matter from finance and higher education to lifestyle pieces and food writing. She also enjoys writing stories based on social media trends.

Find her on Instagram @rachel.schneider922