A lot goes into making a truly memorable sitcom. At a time when overlit studio soundstages play host to a frankly staggering amount of generic sitcoms, it seems the magic of the genre's golden years has truly been lost. Although it's been around for decades, the '90s seemed to be a true peak for the format, with Friends, Seinfeld and Frasier representing some of the best sitcoms ever produced. While the characters and writing are undeniably 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 the sets themselves.

Monica's apartment on Friends is surely one of the most recognizable TV sets of all time. He had a character and personality that created an indelible image in the minds of 90s audiences around the world. Similarly, Dr. Crane's apartment in "Frasier," though underrated by its "Friends" counterpart, borders on iconic status. The eclectic, post-modern style of Frasier's impressive backdrop became part of the show's personality and was punctuated by notable features, from Martin's lounge chair to the piano and the impressive but completely unrealistic view of Seattle's Space Needle from the balcony.

Not that Frasier's apartment needs anything else to cement its status as one of the greatest 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 a behind the scenes tour from Frasier in 1993, star Kelsey Grammer gave viewers an inside look at the show and revealed that the doctor's famous apartment was built on the same set as Cheers. Yes, the sitcom on which Frasier made his debut was filmed on the same sound stage as the spin-off he produced: Stage 25 at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. It's funny to think that this is how things turned out, given that Frasier Crane spin-off wasn't Grammer's original plan after 'Cheers'.

But there's more to this neat little factoid than that. Not only was Frasier's apartment filmed on the same set as "Cheers," but the apartment's living room was built right where the Cheers bar stood. In the feature, The Grammar actually walks around the apartment pointing out where certain aspects of the bar's original set design stood and what replaced them at Fraser's. The actor even points out where all the old actors were sitting, including himself, revealing that Frasier was reclining exactly where his new couch was in Frasier's apartment.

Unfortunately, "Cheers" and its Stage 25 legacy ended when "Frasier" went off the air after 11 seasons in 2004. Dr. Crane is back for neither a disappointing nor an outstanding "Frasier" revival series in 2023, and while that show also shoots at Paramount, it's now located on Stage 31 — not that it's anything to sneeze at. The same stage hosted such legendary productions as the original Star Trek series (Kelsey Grammer actually had a cameo on Star Trek: The Next Generation. further expanding the connection of the two shows) and Little House on the Prairie. Stage 31 has also seen films such as Chinatown, Forrest Gump, Addams Family Values ​​and Wayne's World 2 use its facilities.

Unfortunately, the "Frasier" set installed on stage 31 for the revue is not quite what the old set was. The good doctor flat in the new series doesn't have the personality of the original, and even when, in season 2, Frasier returned to Seattle and the original sets were recreated, it felt like a missed opportunity. While the design language is different, there's something about the HD resolution and lighting used today that robs these modern sitcoms of much of their appeal, and the Frasier streaming period is no different, even though many of the luminaries are brought back to rekindle the magic, including sitcom maestro James Burrows, who has never seen a sitcom he didn't direct.

Still, it's nice to know that the show continues to film at Paramount in front of a live studio audience. But what would be really cool to know is what stands in place of Frasier's bar stool on stage 25 today.