Filthiest House on the Block
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terryshilo — 11 years ago(November 29, 2014 09:40 AM)
Because I read your OP; and 1976 being a bit too far back to remember the state of upkeep in the home, I recently watched the pilot.. YOU ARE CORRECT. I can only think set decorators obviously went overkill with the older home, needs paint and clean up. It certainly seems for the time they were considered upper middle class.. I don't remember seeing this much grime on walls, doors and cabinets being pervasive at the time, and I saw several unkept homes back in the day. Once I looked for it, I couldn't miss it. Thanks.. it was all I was watching for.. heh heh. Still a very good show starting in my mid teens.
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thedavidavin — 11 years ago(March 10, 2015 03:45 PM)
I just went back and watched the first 6 episodes and yes, there is a noticeable difference in the art direction between the pilot and the 2nd episode. The dirt, dust and cobwebs are gone by the 2nd episode, even to the extent where you can see the adjustments, especially on the kitchen cabinets, and it looks like the earlier "dirt" and "grease stains" were actually painted over. The darkened areas around the knobs is a little brighter, "new paint touch-up" looking. It also looks like the stairway was perhaps restructured. I'm not sure how factual the post is that suggests that the pilot was shot using some of the actual interiors of the house, but had I originally watched this in 1976, I would have noticed the crud and asked why. Especially with "Willie the House Boy" on hand.
So I think enough people probably noticed after the pilot (even back then) that it was perhaps a little too realistic for color TV. What I found rather comical were shots that look like they had endless cathedral ceilings. Interesting house, but the interior doesn't really match the exterior frame. The set decore is an essay unto itself, and very realistic for the time. Note the number of antique lamps, even in Buddy's room. The production crew also tweaked the items appearing in the background of every shot and there's some subtle but very poetic symbolism in the technique, much like in The Waltons. And Dame Kate spent a fortune on fresh flower arrangements. Not quite as comical as we see on soaps. I once counted 5 fresh flower arrangements in a college student's studio apartment on an episode of Days of Our Lives.
Great show though. Still holds up.