Frasier’s House Was Actually Constructed on One other Iconic TV Location

There’s rather a lot that goes into creating a very memorable sitcom. In an age the place overlit studio soundstages host a frankly unbelievable quantity of generic sitcoms, the magic of the style’s golden years appears to have been really misplaced. Regardless of having been round for many years, the ’90s appeared to be a real pinnacle for the format, with “Pals,” “Seinfeld” and “Frasier” all representing a number of the greatest sitcoms ever produced. Whereas the characters and writing are undoubtedly integral to those collection’ enduring enchantment, there’s additionally aesthetics to contemplate. These three collection had a definite look that was the mixture of how the units had been lit on the time and the design of these units themselves.

Monica’s residence in “Pals” is unquestionably one of the crucial recognizable TV units of all time. He had a personality and character that created an indelible picture within the minds of 90s audiences the world over. Likewise, Dr. Crane’s residence in “Frasier,” whereas extra subdued than its “Pals” counterpart, borders on iconic standing. The eclectic, post-modern fashion of Frasier’s spectacular pad turned a part of the present’s character and was punctuated with essential parts, from Martin’s recliner to the grand piano and the spectacular however utterly unrealistic view of the Seattle Area Needle from the balcony.

Not that Frasier’s residence wanted anything to cement its standing as one of many best sitcom units of all time, nevertheless it seems the residence was really constructed on a set simply as legendary, if no more.

In a behind the scenes tour from the filming of “Frasier” in 1993, star Kelsey Grammer gave viewers a sneak peek on the collection and revealed that the well-known physician’s residence was constructed on the identical stage as “Cheers.” Sure, the sitcom that Frasier debuted on was filmed on the very same soundstage because the spinoff it produced: Stage 25 at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. It is humorous to assume that is how issues turned out, contemplating Frasier Crane having his own spinoff wasn’t Grammer’s original plan after ‘Cheers’.

However there’s extra to this attention-grabbing little reality than that. Not solely was Frasier’s residence filmed on the identical stage as “Cheers,” however the residence’s front room was constructed on the precise spot the place the Cheers bar was situated. Within the featurette, Grammar walks by way of the residence declaring the place sure features of the bar’s unique decor had been and what changed them in “Frasier.” The actor even reveals the place all of the previous forged members, together with himself, sat, revealing that Frasier was standing within the actual spot the place his new sofa was in Frasier’s residence.

Sadly, “Cheers” and its Stage 25 legacy got here to an finish when “Frasier” went off the air after 11 seasons in 2004. Dr. Crane returned for the “Frasier” revival neither disappointing nor remarkable collection in 2023, and whereas that present can be filmed on the Paramount lot, it is now situated on Stage 31 — that is nothing to complain about. This identical stage has hosted such legendary productions as the unique “Star Trek” collection (Kelsey Grammer actually made a cameo appearance in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” additional increasing the connection of the 2 reveals) and “Little Home on the Prairie”. Stage 31 has additionally seen movies equivalent to “Chinatown”, Forrest Gump”, “Addams Household Values” and “Wayne’s World 2” use its services.

Sadly, the “Frasier” set erected on Stage 31 for the revival present shouldn’t be fairly what the previous set was. The nice physician’s residence within the new collection lacks the character of the unique, and even when, in season 2, Frasier returned to Seattle and the original sets were recreated, it felt like a missed opportunity. Except for the totally different design language, there’s one thing in regards to the HD decision and lighting used right this moment that robs these trendy sitcoms of a lot of their enchantment, and the “Frasier” streaming period would not t’s no totally different regardless that many luminaries have been introduced again to rekindle the magic, together with sitcom maestro James Burrows, who has by no means seen a sitcom he did not direct.

Nonetheless, it is good to know that the collection continues to be filmed at Paramount in entrance of a studio viewers. However what could be actually cool to know is what replaces Frasier’s bar seat on Stage 25 right this moment.