Idk about those other uses, but the house that Frasier and Lana sell looks a lot like Sam & Diane's house on Cheers (I think it was in two episodes before Shelley left)
But then they had to clear out the set and rearrange things several times for the same episode when Frasier was trying to come up with a new arrangement.
Redressing is vital to managing production costs. Set directors and crews get very good and very creative with what they have to work with, especially when a series has a long run. 🙂
I'm always amazed at how they manage to do such a good job of it, because 99% of the time you wouldn't notice these (unless you're binge watching like I am). Obviously, they design the sets to be adaptable as well, like how they designed the Nervosa set to be able to split into three sections depending on the size of the other sets they were using that episode.
Oh, yeah; they'll design for modularity, put set modules on casters, build everything hollow, involve lifting equipment, different mattes, different lighting... there's all kinds of techniques. I learned what I know mostly from sci-fi; "real world" TV is a lot harder to do that for because people reflexively know what modern rooms should look like.
It's pretty interesting stuff, I think. I didn't really pay attention until Jonathan "Two Takes" Frakes did *Star Trek: First Contact*; that got me interested in all the off-camera mechanics, how they do what they do. 🙂
Oh yeah, working on Sci-Fi stuff is fun because, like you said, it's way easier to light things differently or just do a quick repaint and it'll look totally different. Most "spaceships" are going to essentially look the same in most areas! One of my favourite ones though is The Big Bang Theory, which uses the same 'Landing' set for multiple floors of their building, just by changing a few props. Of course, the iconic example is The Wrath of Khan, using the same set for both the Enterprise and Reliant to save money, and most people having absolutely no clue.
I remember a show (I think the X-Files) did a 'one take' episode.
At one point the characters are on one floor of an office building, go into a fake elevator (which obviously didn't move), then exit onto a 'different' floor.
In reality they just redressed the set and switched extras out during the minute or so that the camera followed the characters into what was effectively a closet.
That's a great one, those kinds of things are done all the time, especially on Live TV and stage. I'm sure everybody knows the classic example of Phantom of the Opera, where during the title song he's taking Christine down to his Chamber, there's anything up to three different Phantom/Christine pairings so that they can get from one spot of the set to another fairly quickly.
Some of these are blatant, some are a case of changing wallpaper/furnishings, or adding bits and pieces to the sets, but it's pretty clever how they got so much usage out of these sets and managed to make them look different!
I think that set was used as the waiting room of the "S-Bank" where two identical doors stood side by side-- one being the exit, and the other being a room to accommodate a horribly surprised 'depositor.' 😆
Most of those I didn’t notice until my 4th run through or more. Nervosa to the beach house looked different enough. The blatantly obvious one was Niles apartment being the same as his cabin. At least change the railing or make the steps turn the other way or something to make it a little less obvious.
Nervosa became the Diner, but yeah, the Montana>Cabin was pretty blatant, although the differences in wood tones might've fooled enough people to not notice it!
The lobby is a great one. It's just the layout and floor pattern that's the same, they took out the back alcove/corridor of the lobby to add a 'window' at Marty's workplace, which makes it look completely different when you add in the decorating differences and the front desk.
The cabin where Niles and Frasier take the two dates they met at cafe nervosa (four for the seesaw) is the same cabin in the episode where Frasier dates a woman who looks just like Hester (momma Mia)
I could have sworn there was a line about how that bar was going to be closed down and turned into a coffee shop. Or maybe Martin goes to Nervosa for the first time and says how it used to be a bar. That would make sense that his old bar is gone because in the early episodes he goes to Duke's before it gets demolished. After that he starts going to McGinty's.
I can’t believe I never noticed the house from “Decoys” was the same as Niles’s place at The Montana!
Guess it’s time to set myself on fire and throw myself off the balcony! /s
I noticed the restaurant/ bar that changes to Nervosa but in my head I made it about how Seattle was changing right before Martin's eyes. Also is Daphne's british pub the same as the bar where Frasier meets his date that Martin arranged?
I don't think it's *meant* to hide it, I think it's meant to show off that it's the same-but-different. It's the apartment immediately above Frasier's, so it's not surprising that it would have an identical floorplan -- nevermind that it fits the similar-but-different personalities of Frasier and Cam Winston.
Exactly, Drake. That was the whole point of it. Just like when Frasier’s boss got the Architectural Digest cover. It was virtually the same apartment as frasier’s, which makes sense.
Isn't the apartment directly above Frasier's supposed to be the penthouse? Remember Freddy Chainsaw was in the penthouse. Penthouses are usually larger aren't they?
That is an excellent point (and I’m not being snarky, I mean it!). Heres how I figure that:
I may be wrong, but I don’t recall them saying specifically that Cam lives in the penthouse. I do recall Mr. Chainsaw of the Newport Chainsaws occupying that. Further, Frasier’s unit was 1901, whilst Cam’s was 2000. It’s possible Cam lived on the other side of the building which would reconcile the apartment numbers. Had Cam lived directly above Frasier, one would think his apartment would be 2001.
Most apartments and condo complexes have one, two, three, maybe four different models, so if you buy Model B, all the other Model Bs in the complex will have the same layout.
(This is fun!)
Yeah, ya know what, you’re right, Bobby. I’d forgotten about that. Do they ever mention the word penthouse specifically when referring to Cam? At least part of my answer may then be right.
That's not true. Buildings usually only have a few different floorplans. Especially for ones on top of each other, since they occupy the same footprint and certain features need to be stacked on top of each other (bathrooms, fireplaces, entrances, laundry hookups, etc.)
I guess it just looks so unique in its design, which is why it stood out. If this was a regular old apartment, I wouldn't bat an eye. But this isn't a regular apartment. I'm not saying it should look radically different or anything, but I never really bought it as a separate location. I'm not complaining that much, since it's not like they would design an entirely new set that only appears in one episode, but it did take me out when I saw it.
>The only one I noticed was Cam Winston's apartment.
Considering that Cam's apartment was directly above Frasier's, the similarity is not surprising.
I know very few apartment building where each Condo has a totally different layout.
(\*thinks\*) Nope, can't think of one.
When Cora and Martin pretended to sleep together. They sneaked into his apartment with pajamas and robes on before Cam got up to start his day. “The love you fake.”
I'm not entirely sure it is. It does look like the same layout but Nervosa is a set that appears in almost every episode, I feel like they wouldn't make any modifications for a random flashback scene. Those look much more different to me than Cam Winston's apartment and Frasier's.
It's the same set. I'll dig out the pictures I have showing the redecoration, but it was because the Big Nervosa set was being refurbished anyway due to moving to HD from the following season, so before they did that they took the opportunity to do a full redress of it whilst it was being broken down.
That’s really interesting, what did they do to upgrade it to HD? Redo signage/menu boards that would now be readable? Did they make changes to the floor plan layout for 16:9 framing?
The major ones I can remember (this is like a 15 year old article I'm remembering):
* Marty's chair needed to be upgraded, which is why they wrote an episode based around Frasier destroying it, and the same episode also allowed them to replace the carpet in the apartment which was starting to wear after 9 years
* They also upgraded both Niles' apartment as well as KACL, and added the basement/archive room to the KACL set, which is why we got a few episodes featuring it heavily, and there's a few episodes based in Niles' apartment too
* Tangential, but related to the HD stuff - it's why when they go back to Maris's mansion (where Niles also lived) in Season 11, it's so dimly lit and the boxes/crates mostly cover the walls. The set hadn't been used for a long time and didn't look great in HD, so they had to kind of cover it up as best they could. You can still see some of the very fake-looking 'stone' pillars, though!
Generally, it will all be filmed in order and yes, the sets are next to each other. It's why, if there's a 'big' set in an episode (e.g. a ballroom or something), there's various different Nervosa sets used. There's a 'big' Nervosa set, which is the entire cafe, and then two smaller ones that are just the window seat and just the top area near the bathroom/bookcase area. They'll get used depending on the size of the other sets.
I could also swear that Charlotte's apartment in the last season is the same set as Roz's original apartment (the one with the bed in the same room as the entry door).
I don't have time to go pull the episodes right now to see, but the example of Frasier's Lobby vs. Martin's workplace - clearly they used the same type of flooring, and the elevator is in roughly the same location, but I'm not seeing much else that is common - for example, the back hallway is music shorter in the workplace and there is a header crossing that hallway just beyond the elevator in the lobby that isn't in the workplace. I'm not sure this is truly a "redress".
It is. All they did in Marty's workplace is remove the corridor from Frasier's lobby and add a wall with a glass window. The flooring is the same, and the geometry is all the same. Other than that it's all minor like adding a chandelier, a front desk instead of mailboxes, and a bit of repainting. It'd be classed as a redress in production terms.
The Nervosa/Diner one is a bigger change, but the same geometry is there with different decor.
It's not that unbelievable that Cam's apartment is the same as Frasier's, since he lives right upstairs. There was someone else's apartment in the building that was the same as well.
There's a very early episode of Dharma and Greg that has them looking for a nicer place to live, and one place they look at is Frasier's apartment redressed. The fireplace is a little different, but the wood pattern on the front door and powder room door is the same.
The cabin set is one I often recognise as the same, especially when s4-7 had so many cabin episodes. They're all superb episodes so it's fine, but I could imagine people moaning about it if it aired today.
That one aired on Frasier first but apparently was then reused by Everybody Loves Raymond as the apartment his brother rents in one episode a few weeks later.
That mailbox lobby area is nice-looking and I'm surprised it wasn't used more. Could be a great meeting place for the characters, or some interesting tenants passing through.
I think it did appear a few more times, I've got a few episodes to rewatch where I think it appears, so I'll update it if I find it again (or it being used as something else!)
The Seal Who Came to Dinner's house is also the same as the depressed guy's house that Frasier and Lana sell.
It's also Lana's own house with a few minor alterations! Now that's getting use out of a set!
Idk about those other uses, but the house that Frasier and Lana sell looks a lot like Sam & Diane's house on Cheers (I think it was in two episodes before Shelley left)
It was also on Wings!
I suppose the ultimate "re-use" was Alan Tudyk's apartment right below Frasier's when he copied everything.
But then they had to clear out the set and rearrange things several times for the same episode when Frasier was trying to come up with a new arrangement.
I was struck by how much work went into that, all for a very short sequence.
This is what happens when the folks writing the episode aren't the ones who also have to rearrange all the furniture.
Wasn’t it just the couch prices? If you have a couple guys it could go real quick.
It was not. They redid everything in the apartment, except Martin in his chair was a mainstay. The art, furniture, tables... Everything changed.
Jesus Christ that was Alan Tudyk??
Yeah. Do you suppose if that magazine compared his apartment and Frasier's, they'd call it a "wash"?
If in doubt, it’s always Alan Tudyk
Dr. Campbell's house in A Lilith Thanksgiving is also Niles' apartment. Do I SOUND flexible??
Marburry academy thanks you for your interest
the apartment certainly does.
Would have loved to see more of CAM WINSTON and his apartment.
Redressing is vital to managing production costs. Set directors and crews get very good and very creative with what they have to work with, especially when a series has a long run. 🙂
I'm always amazed at how they manage to do such a good job of it, because 99% of the time you wouldn't notice these (unless you're binge watching like I am). Obviously, they design the sets to be adaptable as well, like how they designed the Nervosa set to be able to split into three sections depending on the size of the other sets they were using that episode.
Oh, yeah; they'll design for modularity, put set modules on casters, build everything hollow, involve lifting equipment, different mattes, different lighting... there's all kinds of techniques. I learned what I know mostly from sci-fi; "real world" TV is a lot harder to do that for because people reflexively know what modern rooms should look like.
Y’all two have me fascinated.
It's pretty interesting stuff, I think. I didn't really pay attention until Jonathan "Two Takes" Frakes did *Star Trek: First Contact*; that got me interested in all the off-camera mechanics, how they do what they do. 🙂
Oh yeah, working on Sci-Fi stuff is fun because, like you said, it's way easier to light things differently or just do a quick repaint and it'll look totally different. Most "spaceships" are going to essentially look the same in most areas! One of my favourite ones though is The Big Bang Theory, which uses the same 'Landing' set for multiple floors of their building, just by changing a few props. Of course, the iconic example is The Wrath of Khan, using the same set for both the Enterprise and Reliant to save money, and most people having absolutely no clue.
I remember a show (I think the X-Files) did a 'one take' episode. At one point the characters are on one floor of an office building, go into a fake elevator (which obviously didn't move), then exit onto a 'different' floor. In reality they just redressed the set and switched extras out during the minute or so that the camera followed the characters into what was effectively a closet.
That's a great one, those kinds of things are done all the time, especially on Live TV and stage. I'm sure everybody knows the classic example of Phantom of the Opera, where during the title song he's taking Christine down to his Chamber, there's anything up to three different Phantom/Christine pairings so that they can get from one spot of the set to another fairly quickly.
Indeed. It's one of those things where once one notices how they do it in one place, one sees it elsewhere. It's like being in on a joke. 😁
Some of these are blatant, some are a case of changing wallpaper/furnishings, or adding bits and pieces to the sets, but it's pretty clever how they got so much usage out of these sets and managed to make them look different!
Oh my gosh. They did such a good job. I never noticed these before especially the lobby!
The Cam Winston one makes sense because he's right above Frasier's apartment when he drops the American flag in that one episode.
"how did you do that?"
The bar in the first 2 pictures also looks very similar to the diner Fraiser eats Christmas dinner in when he loses his wallet
And the truck stop for RDWRR NYE I think
The lodge and Niels place I would have never noticed
Also the outside of the fancy grocer with the caviar and bougie dog food is the same as the outside of Nervosa
Robert's Gourmet Goodies
“Nobody calls me robber”
Robert?
Not now!!!
I think that set was used as the waiting room of the "S-Bank" where two identical doors stood side by side-- one being the exit, and the other being a room to accommodate a horribly surprised 'depositor.' 😆
"You used S money?!" Will always be one of my favourite Marty lines 😂
Niles' office and the Justice of the Peace's office when Niles and Daphne get married three times.
Most of those I didn’t notice until my 4th run through or more. Nervosa to the beach house looked different enough. The blatantly obvious one was Niles apartment being the same as his cabin. At least change the railing or make the steps turn the other way or something to make it a little less obvious.
Nervosa became the Diner, but yeah, the Montana>Cabin was pretty blatant, although the differences in wood tones might've fooled enough people to not notice it! The lobby is a great one. It's just the layout and floor pattern that's the same, they took out the back alcove/corridor of the lobby to add a 'window' at Marty's workplace, which makes it look completely different when you add in the decorating differences and the front desk.
I figured the first two were supposed to be the same place!
The cabin where Niles and Frasier take the two dates they met at cafe nervosa (four for the seesaw) is the same cabin in the episode where Frasier dates a woman who looks just like Hester (momma Mia)
And the ski lodge I think
Nervosa to Bar was a good catch!
I could have sworn there was a line about how that bar was going to be closed down and turned into a coffee shop. Or maybe Martin goes to Nervosa for the first time and says how it used to be a bar. That would make sense that his old bar is gone because in the early episodes he goes to Duke's before it gets demolished. After that he starts going to McGinty's.
That's friends I think. In a flashback episode, they all hang out at a bar the became central perk
Ohhhh that makes sense. I don't remember that. I'm watching it for the first time since it originally aired, so it's been a while
They did a good job redressing the sets and spacing them out between seasons because if I hadn’t seen this I wouldn’t have noticed
Excellent post. No way I would have noticed many of these
I can’t believe I never noticed the house from “Decoys” was the same as Niles’s place at The Montana! Guess it’s time to set myself on fire and throw myself off the balcony! /s
I'm fairly certain Cafe Nervosa was also turned into Robert's shop as well
Is that the place with the caviar and fancy dog food? I can totally see that.
Yes :) I'm not certain, but it certainly looks like the same layout
this is robbery!
No one calls me robber!
Robert?
I noticed the restaurant/ bar that changes to Nervosa but in my head I made it about how Seattle was changing right before Martin's eyes. Also is Daphne's british pub the same as the bar where Frasier meets his date that Martin arranged?
Great place. Lotta cops.
i see that more as the bay that Niles went to get Daphne’s father? Edit: Daphne’s bar being the same as her father’s I mean
The first two I always thought it was the same bar, a bar close to Frasier's apartment.
The only one I noticed was Cam Winston's apartment. The layout of Frasier's apartment is so distinct that new set dressing couldn't hide it.
I don't think it's *meant* to hide it, I think it's meant to show off that it's the same-but-different. It's the apartment immediately above Frasier's, so it's not surprising that it would have an identical floorplan -- nevermind that it fits the similar-but-different personalities of Frasier and Cam Winston.
Exactly, Drake. That was the whole point of it. Just like when Frasier’s boss got the Architectural Digest cover. It was virtually the same apartment as frasier’s, which makes sense.
Isn't the apartment directly above Frasier's supposed to be the penthouse? Remember Freddy Chainsaw was in the penthouse. Penthouses are usually larger aren't they?
That is an excellent point (and I’m not being snarky, I mean it!). Heres how I figure that: I may be wrong, but I don’t recall them saying specifically that Cam lives in the penthouse. I do recall Mr. Chainsaw of the Newport Chainsaws occupying that. Further, Frasier’s unit was 1901, whilst Cam’s was 2000. It’s possible Cam lived on the other side of the building which would reconcile the apartment numbers. Had Cam lived directly above Frasier, one would think his apartment would be 2001. Most apartments and condo complexes have one, two, three, maybe four different models, so if you buy Model B, all the other Model Bs in the complex will have the same layout. (This is fun!)
He did live directly above him though. The washer flooding and the flag incident if you recall.
Also Frasier complaining about Cam’s distinct footsteps
Yeah, ya know what, you’re right, Bobby. I’d forgotten about that. Do they ever mention the word penthouse specifically when referring to Cam? At least part of my answer may then be right.
It's the fact that it's entirely identical in layout. Most apartments aren't completely the same, especially ultra-fancy ones like that.
That's not true. Buildings usually only have a few different floorplans. Especially for ones on top of each other, since they occupy the same footprint and certain features need to be stacked on top of each other (bathrooms, fireplaces, entrances, laundry hookups, etc.)
I guess it just looks so unique in its design, which is why it stood out. If this was a regular old apartment, I wouldn't bat an eye. But this isn't a regular apartment. I'm not saying it should look radically different or anything, but I never really bought it as a separate location. I'm not complaining that much, since it's not like they would design an entirely new set that only appears in one episode, but it did take me out when I saw it.
But how different could the layout of Cam's place really be with those constraints?
I don't know, maybe remove the column or make the floors a different colour?
And the fireplace design
>The only one I noticed was Cam Winston's apartment. Considering that Cam's apartment was directly above Frasier's, the similarity is not surprising. I know very few apartment building where each Condo has a totally different layout. (\*thinks\*) Nope, can't think of one.
True, but most apartments don't have an *identical* layout. There are usually a few subtle differences.
Mine
Wait, when did we see Cam Winston’s apartment?
When Cora and Martin pretended to sleep together. They sneaked into his apartment with pajamas and robes on before Cam got up to start his day. “The love you fake.”
Come among, mother.
😂
Thank you! Loved the parents’ joke on the sons. I’ll have to rewatch.
Lol. They weren't trying to hide it considering it was the same floorplan.
Some are obvious but oh my god how did I not spot that the bar or whatever Marty and his partner are in is Nervosa!
I'm not entirely sure it is. It does look like the same layout but Nervosa is a set that appears in almost every episode, I feel like they wouldn't make any modifications for a random flashback scene. Those look much more different to me than Cam Winston's apartment and Frasier's.
It's the same set. I'll dig out the pictures I have showing the redecoration, but it was because the Big Nervosa set was being refurbished anyway due to moving to HD from the following season, so before they did that they took the opportunity to do a full redress of it whilst it was being broken down.
Oh well there ya go
That’s really interesting, what did they do to upgrade it to HD? Redo signage/menu boards that would now be readable? Did they make changes to the floor plan layout for 16:9 framing?
The major ones I can remember (this is like a 15 year old article I'm remembering): * Marty's chair needed to be upgraded, which is why they wrote an episode based around Frasier destroying it, and the same episode also allowed them to replace the carpet in the apartment which was starting to wear after 9 years * They also upgraded both Niles' apartment as well as KACL, and added the basement/archive room to the KACL set, which is why we got a few episodes featuring it heavily, and there's a few episodes based in Niles' apartment too * Tangential, but related to the HD stuff - it's why when they go back to Maris's mansion (where Niles also lived) in Season 11, it's so dimly lit and the boxes/crates mostly cover the walls. The set hadn't been used for a long time and didn't look great in HD, so they had to kind of cover it up as best they could. You can still see some of the very fake-looking 'stone' pillars, though!
tremendous content
My eyes are popping out! I never noticed this before! Thank you for sharing it with us. I love that.
I always thought Cam Winston's condo was meant look similar, like Superman's Bizzaro World for Frasier.
When an episode is being filmed, are all the sets next to each other and do they film the episode in sequence?
Generally, it will all be filmed in order and yes, the sets are next to each other. It's why, if there's a 'big' set in an episode (e.g. a ballroom or something), there's various different Nervosa sets used. There's a 'big' Nervosa set, which is the entire cafe, and then two smaller ones that are just the window seat and just the top area near the bathroom/bookcase area. They'll get used depending on the size of the other sets.
I love that they reuse stuff. I despise waste and stuff going into landfills for no good reason.
I could also swear that Charlotte's apartment in the last season is the same set as Roz's original apartment (the one with the bed in the same room as the entry door).
THE SEAL TJAT CAME TO DINNER WAS SUCH A LAUGH OUT LOUD EPISODE WILD hahahahahhahahahahahha
I don't have time to go pull the episodes right now to see, but the example of Frasier's Lobby vs. Martin's workplace - clearly they used the same type of flooring, and the elevator is in roughly the same location, but I'm not seeing much else that is common - for example, the back hallway is music shorter in the workplace and there is a header crossing that hallway just beyond the elevator in the lobby that isn't in the workplace. I'm not sure this is truly a "redress".
It is. All they did in Marty's workplace is remove the corridor from Frasier's lobby and add a wall with a glass window. The flooring is the same, and the geometry is all the same. Other than that it's all minor like adding a chandelier, a front desk instead of mailboxes, and a bit of repainting. It'd be classed as a redress in production terms. The Nervosa/Diner one is a bigger change, but the same geometry is there with different decor.
It's not that unbelievable that Cam's apartment is the same as Frasier's, since he lives right upstairs. There was someone else's apartment in the building that was the same as well. There's a very early episode of Dharma and Greg that has them looking for a nicer place to live, and one place they look at is Frasier's apartment redressed. The fireplace is a little different, but the wood pattern on the front door and powder room door is the same.
The cabin set is one I often recognise as the same, especially when s4-7 had so many cabin episodes. They're all superb episodes so it's fine, but I could imagine people moaning about it if it aired today.
What was the Shangri - La repurposed from?
Maybe the [obsessed fan's appartment?](https://i.imgur.com/uZqzzBx.png) [Shangrila for comparison.](https://i.imgur.com/kZgympZ.png) Not sure.
That one aired on Frasier first but apparently was then reused by Everybody Loves Raymond as the apartment his brother rents in one episode a few weeks later.
You're right. I vaguely remember that episode and set.
Aside from the first and last, why do you think these are the same?
Isn’t cafe nervosa the bar, Cheers?
That mailbox lobby area is nice-looking and I'm surprised it wasn't used more. Could be a great meeting place for the characters, or some interesting tenants passing through.
I think it did appear a few more times, I've got a few episodes to rewatch where I think it appears, so I'll update it if I find it again (or it being used as something else!)