The Frasier Apartment is built on another iconic TV location

A lot goes into creating a truly memorable skit. In a time when sound-lit studios host an incredible amount of generic sitcoms, the magic of the genre’s golden years seems to have truly been lost. Although they’ve been around for decades, the ’90s felt like the true heyday of the format, with “Friends,” “Seinfeld,” and “Frasier” representing some of the best sitcoms ever produced. While characters and writing are integral to these shows’ enduring appeal, there are also aesthetics to consider. All three of these series had a distinct look that was a combination of how the sets were lit at the time and the design of those sets themselves.

Monica’s apartment on Friends is definitely one of the most iconic TV sets of all time. She had a personality and personality that created an indelible image in the minds of 90s fans around the world. Likewise, Dr. Crane’s apartment in “Frasier,” although less understated than its counterpart in “Friends,” approaches iconic status. The eclectic, post-modern style of Frasier’s remarkable painting became part of the show’s character and was peppered with important features, from the Martin chair to the grand piano and the impressive but completely unreal view of Seattle’s Space Needle from the balcony.

Not that the Frasier apartment needs anything else to cement its place as one of the best sitcom sets of all time, but it turns out that the apartment was actually built on an equally, if not more, legendary set.

In a Behind the scenes tour In 1993’s “Frasier,” star Kelsey Grammer gave viewers an inside look at the show, revealing that the doctor’s famous apartment was built on the same stage as “Cheers.” Yes, the sitcom in which Frasier first appeared was filmed on the exact same soundstage as the spin-off show he produced: Stage 25 at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. It’s funny to think that’s how things worked out, considering Having his own Frasier Crane wasn’t the original plan for post-“Cheers” Grammer.

But there is more to this neat little fact. Not only was Frasier’s apartment filmed on the same stage where “Cheers” was filmed, but the apartment’s living room was built on the exact spot where the Cheers bar used to be. In the feature, Grammar literally walks through the apartment pointing out where certain aspects of the original bar scene stood and what replaced them in “Frasier.” The actor even points out where all the old actors, including himself, were sitting, revealing that Frasier was propping himself up in the exact spot where his new couch is in Frasier’s apartment.

Sadly, “Cheers” and its 25th run came to an end when “Frasier” went off the air after 11 seasons in 2004. Dr. Crane returned to the series. Neither the “Frasier” revival is disappointing nor notable series in 2023, and while that show is also being filmed at Paramount Square, it’s now located on Stage 31 — not something to turn down. This same stage has hosted legendary productions such as the original “Star Trek” series (In fact, Kelsey Grammer had a cameo role in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” to further expand the connection of the two shows) and “Little House on the Prairie”. Phase 31 also saw the benefit of its amenities such as “Chinatown”, “Forrest Gump”, “Addams Family Values” and “Wayne’s World 2”.

Unfortunately, the “Frasier” set on Stage 31 for the revival show is not quite what the old set was. The good doctor’s apartment in the new series lacks the character of the original, and even when… In Season 2, Frasier returned to Seattle and the original sets were recreated, and it seemed like a missed opportunity. Aside from the difference in design language, there’s something about the HD resolution and lighting used today that robs these modern sitcoms of much of their appeal, and the streaming-era “Frasier” is no different despite bringing back several major stars to reignite the fire. magic, including sitcom maestro James Burroughs, who has never seen a sitcom that he didn’t direct.

However, it’s good to know the show will still be filmed at Paramount in front of a live studio audience. But what would be really cool is to see what will replace Frasier’s seat at the bar on Stage 25 today.