Hollywood Trip

This past weekend (March 14-17, 2009) I had the pleasure to take a tour of Warner Bros., Universal, and Paramount Studios in the Los Angeles, California, area.

Warner's was great. I was able to see the exterior set of "ER", which finished filming it's last episode that day, the 16th. I also was able to walk onto the office set of "The Mentalist". The town square set (Dukes of Hazard, Gillmore Girls, The Music Man) was being dressed for the pilot "Eastwick", which is based on the movie "The Witches of Eastwick".

On the 17th I first went to Universal. The tour was not nearly as good as Warner's. It did not go into a soundstage and the guide is forced to lie about the backlot. They also go through these stupid stories about sets being shot on, then we go inside and it turns out it is a ride (Earthquake or the Mummy tunnel). We did get to go onto Colonial Drive (Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives). It is not something I would probably do again until the Court House Square and New York Street's are rebuilt (they burned on June 1, 2008).

Paramount was next and the best of the three. I got to go onto stage 25. This is where "The Lucy Show", "Bosom Buddies", "Cheers", and "Frasier" were filmed. At the moment "True Jackson" is done there. I know one of the designers who worked on "Cheers". And I am a huge Lucy fan. I then went onto the set of "Monk". I was able to go into his apartment and the police station. Sadly, the show is coming to an end. And I learned that "Everybody Hates Chris" has been canceled.

If you get to LA make sure to take the Paramount Tour. It is the best of the three.