The 5 Must-Watch Mid-Century Modern TV Shows Defining Design In 2025

The Mid-Century Modern (MCM) aesthetic is not just a trend; it's a cultural phenomenon that continues to dominate television in 2025. While the classic era of shows like Mad Men cemented the look in the public consciousness, a new wave of television series is using the clean lines, organic shapes, and functional beauty of MCM architecture and design to tell fresh, compelling stories. This guide dives into the most current and essential TV shows—including a brand-new Hulu sitcom and a buzzy Apple TV+ satire—that are setting the pace for design lovers and offering a masterclass in the timeless style right now.

The popularity of this design movement, which spans roughly from the mid-1940s to 1960s, is experiencing another massive resurgence, fueled by these hyper-stylized productions. From the sun-drenched, desert-modern homes of Palm Springs to the brutalist-inspired corporate offices of Hollywood, these shows prove that the appeal of Eames chairs, Saarinen tables, and post-and-beam construction is truly eternal, providing a perfect backdrop for contemporary drama and comedy.

The New Wave: Fresh Mid-Century Modern TV Shows Defining 2025

The 2024-2025 television season has introduced two major players that have instantly become the new benchmarks for on-screen MCM design. These shows utilize the aesthetic not just as a setting, but as an integral part of their character and plot, making them essential viewing for design enthusiasts.

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1. Mid-Century Modern (Hulu Sitcom)

This is the show that literally puts the aesthetic in the title, and it is the freshest entry on the list. Premiering recently on Hulu, Mid-Century Modern is a multi-camera sitcom from Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, with Ryan Murphy serving as an executive producer.

A Palm Springs Paradise and The New Golden Girls

The series stars an all-star cast including Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham, and the legendary Linda Lavin. The plot follows three gay best friends of a "certain age" who decide to spend their golden years together in the sunny, glittering retirement capital of Palm Springs, California.

The setting is crucial, as Palm Springs is globally synonymous with Mid-Century Modern architecture. The show's production design, overseen by set decorator Greg J. Grande (known for his work on Friends), features a stunning, archetypal Palm Springs home that is a character in itself. The set is a veritable architectural heaven, filled with design elements that are both authentic to the era and beautifully rendered for a contemporary audience.

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• Key Entities & Design Focus: Palm Springs architecture, multi-camera sitcom format, bright color palettes, Greg J. Grande (Set Decorator), Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Hulu.
• MCM Elements: Clean lines, expansive glass walls, kidney-shaped pools, statement lighting, and a deliberate nod to the "Desert Modern" style.

2. The Studio (Apple TV+)

Apple TV+'s sharp Hollywood satire, The Studio, is another recent must-watch that uses Mid-Century Modern architecture to establish its dramatic and often cynical tone.

Architecture as a Power Statement

Set within the cutthroat world of a major Hollywood studio, the show’s production design is a masterclass in how architecture can convey power, ambition, and isolation. The offices of Continental Studios are modeled after the grand, imposing style of Frank Lloyd Wright's Mayan Revival architecture, specifically taking inspiration from structures like the Ennis House.

However, the real star for MCM aficionados is the use of an actual architectural masterpiece: the Foster Carling House. This iconic home, built in 1949 in the Hollywood Hills by John Lautner (a former apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright), serves as a key filming location. The use of this authentic, high-drama location immediately elevates the show’s visual appeal beyond mere set decoration, blending design, drama, and deadpan humor effortlessly.

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• Key Entities & Design Focus: John Lautner, Frank Lloyd Wright, Foster Carling House, Mayan Revival architecture, Hollywood Hills, Apple TV+, Seth Rogen.
• MCM Elements: Decorative concrete blocks, dramatic cantilevered roofs, indoor-outdoor living, and large, panoramic windows that frame the Los Angeles landscape.

The Classics: Essential Mid-Century Modern TV Shows

No discussion of MCM on television is complete without acknowledging the groundbreaking series that popularized the aesthetic for a new generation. These shows remain vital sources of inspiration for designers and viewers alike, offering a rich, detailed look at the era’s interiors and fashion.

3. Mad Men (AMC)

Mad Men is arguably the most influential television show in modern design history and remains the gold standard for Mid-Century Modern representation.

The Don Draper Effect on Design

The series, which ran from 2007 to 2015, single-handedly sparked the massive resurgence of the MCM trend that we still see today. The meticulous attention to detail in the sets—from the sleek, minimalist offices of Sterling Cooper to Don and Megan Draper's stunning Manhattan penthouse—makes it a perpetual source of design inspiration.

The show's production designers were obsessed with authenticity, ensuring that every piece of furniture, every piece of glassware, and every architectural detail looked and felt right for the 1960s. This dedication showcased iconic pieces like the Knoll Barcelona Chair, Eames Lounge Chair, and the clean-lined sectional couches that defined the era's sophisticated, yet often sterile, corporate and domestic life.

• Key Entities & Design Focus: Don Draper, Knoll, Eames, Saarinen, Manhattan penthouse, Madison Avenue, 1960s corporate America, Matthew Weiner.
• MCM Elements: Teak wood, low-profile furniture, geometric patterns, bold color pops (orange, avocado green, mustard yellow), and sharp, clean edges.

4. Masters of Sex (Showtime)

Running from 2013 to 2016, Masters of Sex offered a more intimate, academic, and slightly darker take on the Mid-Century period than its counterpart, Mad Men. Set in the 1950s and 60s, the show meticulously recreated the offices, homes, and university settings of William Masters and Virginia Johnson.

The interiors often reflect the characters' professional and personal lives: the university settings feature institutional but elegantly designed furniture, while the private homes showcase a more traditional, yet still distinctly MCM, domesticity. The show is an excellent resource for those interested in the subtle, less flashy side of the era's design, focusing on texture, muted color palettes, and the functional beauty of the period’s residential architecture.

• Key Entities & Design Focus: William Masters, Virginia Johnson, 1950s Academia, St. Louis, muted color palettes, functional design.
• MCM Elements: Wood paneling, tailored upholstery, classic desk lamps, and the quiet sophistication of post-war suburban interiors.

5. The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS)

While often overlooked in modern MCM lists due to its age, The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–1966) offers one of the most authentic and beloved representations of a Mid-Century Modern suburban home.

The Petrie Home: A Suburban MCM Gem

The home of Rob and Laura Petrie in New Rochelle, New York, is a classic example of the American suburban MCM style. Unlike the high-fashion, high-concept sets of Mad Men, the Petrie house showcases the style as it was practically lived in by an upwardly mobile family in the early 1960s.

The living room, in particular, is famous for its open plan, clean-lined sofa, and the characteristic low-slung furniture that made the space feel modern and airy. It demonstrates how MCM principles—simplicity, integration with nature (implied by the large windows), and a rejection of fussy ornamentation—translated into accessible, middle-class domestic life.

• Key Entities & Design Focus: Rob and Laura Petrie, New Rochelle, suburban design, 1960s domesticity, Carl Reiner.
• MCM Elements: Open-plan living, low-slung sofas, patterned wallpaper, minimalist shelving, and a focus on comfortable, family-friendly furnishings.

The Enduring Appeal of Mid-Century Modern on Screen

The continued prominence of Mid-Century Modern design in new and hit TV shows like Mid-Century Modern and The Studio confirms its status as more than just a passing retro fad. The aesthetic provides a perfect visual language for filmmakers: its clean lines offer a sense of order, its open spaces can create dramatic tension, and its association with the post-war boom represents a time of both optimism and deep social change.

For viewers, these shows are not just entertainment; they are a free, high-quality design catalogue. Whether you're drawn to the sun-drenched hedonism of Palm Springs or the sleek corporate power of Manhattan, the television landscape of 2025 offers endless inspiration for incorporating the timeless elegance of Mid-Century Modern into your own life. From authentic John Lautner architecture to the playful sets of a new sitcom, the MCM era is alive and well on your screen.