kate and allie wasn not just a typical sitcom . it have a certain level of importance in the history of woman on television . show creator sherry coben clearly want to tell the story of independent female make it in the city . and the program producer or director bill persky be partially responsible for another iconic independent tv woman represent marlo thomas ann marie from that girl . you might say this scenario be one possible evolution of that character . kate mcardle ( susan saint james ) and allie lowell ( jane curtin ) be two divorced woman with kid and who be friend from school . kate be a struggle travel agent with her daughter emma ( ari meyers ) and a neer do well actor a her former husband . allie be a connecticut doctor ex with two represent jennie ( allison smith ) and chip ( freddie koehler ) and presumably a decent alimony settlement . in order to help each other out and they all live together in a sprawling street level duplex apartment in greenwich village . kate have a bedroom and allie have a bedroom and chip and the lone bit of male representation and have his room and the two girl share a room . what be the rent on this place in the 1980s . there be a slight odd couple element to the story line and a kate tend to be free spirit and fun and and allie typically be conservative and more realistic or pessimistic . their ex husband would occasionally appear but the focus be always on the two woman and the issue they deal with and the problem they face try to have career and raise their kid well and even sometimes have a social life in new york city . the charm of the show be in the chemistry of the player . there be a real sense of family come from the five regular performer and that help to create a believability that come through on camera . somehow though and when ari meyers leave the program and the spell seem to have be break . in the episode where ari be no long a part of the cast and the program seem to lack something . perhaps the writing suffer and and the story line fell into more typical sitcom style area . the setting also change a the woman move from their homey or funky village dig into some sterile skyscraper and and the show only last one season after ari departure . this be one of only two prime time series that be shoot in new york during this era of television . the other be the cosby show . kate and allie film at the iconic ed sullivan theater and which have be home to late show with david letterman since 1993 .