Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989-1993)

 

Child prodigy Douglas "Doogie" Howser earned a perfect SAT score at the age of six.  He completed high school in just nine weeks.  He graduated Princeton at the age of ten.  He completed medical school at the age of fourteen.  He can prescribe drugs, but he can't buy beer.  Now in his second year residency at Eastman Medical Center, Doogie saves lives in between studying for his road test, hanging with his best friend Vinnie and his girlfriend Wanda.  

Doogie Howser, M.D. was the brainchild of Steven Bochco and David E. Kelly.  The series was not particularly loved by critics nor a Nielsen favorite, but premiered during the television dramedy craze and entertained audiences for four seasons.  Neil Patrick Harris was not the ABC executives first choice for the role but their temperature eventually warmed up after successful test screenings.  The series had a memorable theme song for the opening credits, which told the series' premise through newspaper headlines.  Ratings eventually flatlined and the show was canceled, with Doogie resigning from Eastman Medical and heading for Europe.

Location: Eastman Medical Center

Address: 18350 Roscoe Boulevard, Northridge, CA  Northridge Hospital

Location: The Howser Residence

Address: 796 Amalfi Drive, Pacific Palisades, CA

The house seen on the show was torn down after the series went off the air...

Locations Visited: April 2023

Locations Master List

Wilson Phillips - Hold On (1990)

 

What do you do when your parents were part of  successful singing groups?  Why, form one yourselves!  That's what the offspring of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys and John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas did.  In 1989, Chynna Phillips & Wendy and Carnie Wilson merged to form Wilson Phillips.  Their smooth harmonies helped catapult their debut album to #2, which produced three #1 hits.  

Their first single, Hold On, not to be confused with other Hold On song by En Vogue that was released at the same time, is an inspirational track about finding inner strength to make it to tomorrow.  Chynna Phillips wrote the lyrics during a stint with drug abuse.  For the video, the girls are seen up in the mountains and down at the beach singing while tourists look on with intrigue and bewilderment.

Hold On was filmed in Venice and Mt. Baldy, CA

Location: The Beach

Address: Speedway & Sunset Court, Venice, CA

Location Visited: April 2023

Locations Master List

A Different World (1987-1993)

Denise Huxtable found herself college bound after the third season of The Cosby Show (1984-1992).  Her obvious choice for higher education was Hillman College, the alma mater of Cliff, Claire and Russell Huxtable.  Among the student body were Denise's roommates Jaleesa Vinson and Maggie Lauten, one of the few white students at the historically black college.  Southern belle Whitley Gilbert and ladies' man Dwayne Wayne rounded out the cast.  Cast changes occurred after the first season, with Denise dropping out and Maggie disappearing, making room for new characters Kim and Freddie while stories shifted more to social issues.    

The premise for A Different World originally revolved around a white student attending a historically black college, but that then changed to a black student with a white friend at a historically black college.  It was decided to spin-off The Cosby Show since Denise Huxtable had graduated high school.  After Meg Ryan dropped out, a pre-Oscar Marisa Tomei was cast as Maggie.  Prior to the second season's production, Lisa Bonet announced she was pregnant and it was decided to have her character drop out and return home.  Denise would travel to Africa during The Cosby Show's fifth season and be off-screen while Bonet was pregnant.  Debbie Allen took over the creative reigns to make the series more realistic in its portrayal of a historically black college.  A Different World ran for six seasons, and thanks to its lead-in, was a ratings success during its first four seasons.

Location: Hillman College
Address: 350 Spelman Lane, Atlanta, GA 30314 

Spelman College

Spelman College is America's oldest historically black college for women and was one of the institutions that inspired Hillman College.  Bessie Strong Hall served as Gilbert Hall, the dorm for Denise, Whitley, Jaleesa and Maggie...

Giles Hall is seen as the main classroom building...

Location Visited: August 2017

Related Locations:

The Cosby Show (1984-1992)

Locations Master List

Fleetwood Mac - Big Love (1987)

It had been five long years since Fleetwood Mac released an album.  During their extended hiatus, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham all released solo efforts, some having more success than others.  After eighteen months in the studio, Tango In The Night was finally released.  It was well-received, spawning four hit singles.  Initially meant to be included on his solo album, Big Love was the first song released and became a top 5 hit.  Sadly, Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac shortly after the album's release and Big Love would not be performed live until the band reunited for The Dance in 1997.  For the video, the band plays on the grounds of a sprawling estate as the camera continuously zooms out layering in shots of Lindsey and his big love.

Location: The Mansion

Address: 1325 Prospect Drive, Redlands, CA

The "house on a hill" used in the video is the Kimberly Crest House, built in 1897.  

This location was also used in Hell Night (1981).

Location Visited: February 2023

Related Locations:

Fleetwood Mac - Gypsy

Locations Master List

 

Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation (1989)

After two lackluster albums, Janet Jackson finally broke out with Control.  With five singles reaching the top five, plus another top twenty hit, following that up seemed like a chore.  But she was more than up for it as her Rhythm Nation 1814 album surpassed its predecessor in sales and charting singles.  All seven reached the top five, with four of them going to number one.  Rhythm Nation remains the only album to have seven top five hits on the Billboard Hot 100.  Still with me?  While the bulk of the album tackled social issues, many of the singles dealt with the usual topic of love.  But Rhythm Nation was not one of them.  Calling for racial harmony, the song was an anthem at the dawn of a new decade.

The video for Rhythm Nation is one of Janet's all-time best, most notably the choreography.  Janet and her nation members perform elaborate dance moves in a post apocalyptic warehouse.  Rhythm Nation was filmed in black & white, driving home the call for racial unity.  It came as no surprise when it won Best Choreography at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards.  Part of the video was filmed in The Bradbury Building, the oldest commercial building in Downtown Los Angeles, and most notably used in 1982's Blade Runner.

Location: The Elevator

Address: 304 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA

Location Visited: February 2023

Related Locations:

Janet Jackson - Nasty (1986), Janet Jackson - Let's Wait Awhile (1987), Janet Jackson - Escapade (1990)

 

Locations Master List

 

Coming 2 America (2021)

 

Prince Akeem is about the celebrate his 30th wedding anniversary to Lisa McDowell when he learns he has an illegitimate son from his time in New York.  After reuniting with Lavelle, he and Akeem return to Zamunda where Lavelle is groomed to follow in his father's footsteps.  He prefers one of his groomers over a General's daughter and is eventually given his father's blessing to marry.

While a sequel to Coming To America (1988) sounded like a good idea, what we got was a tired, rehash of the 80's classic comedy.  Though it wasn't a total wash.  It was nice to see the original cast reassembled and a performance by Sexual Chocolate goes a long away.     

 

Coming 2 America was filmed in Atlanta, GA

Location: The Zamundan Palace

Address: 760 GA-279 Old National Highway, Fayetteville, GA

Rapper Rick Ross' mansion was used as the inspiration for the Zamundan Palace with a little CGI help...

Location: Akeem Meets Lavelle

Address: 240 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA

Locations Visited: March 2021

Related Locations:

Coming to America (1988)

Locations Master List

Better Call Saul (2015-2022)

 

Jimmy McGill is a former con artist on a journey to become a lawyer.  After being passed over for a job at his brother Chuck's firm, Jimmy takes on the persona of Saul Goodman, working as a public defender and later delving into elder law.  Throughout this time, Jimmy's relationship with colleague Kim Wexler turns romantic and his involvement with criminals increases, sending him back to his con artist days.  Things come to a head when Jimmy needs to leave Albuquerque and assumes the identity of Gene Takavic, a manager at an Ohama Cinnabon.

A prequel to the ever popular Breaking Bad (2008-2013) was tossed around after its first season, though it would not come to fruition until two years after it went off the air.  The series would be based on events leading up to Breaking Bad, with guest appearances by some of the characters.  Better Call Saul is one of the few spinoffs that has achieved success, such as The Facts of Life (1979-1988) and Melrose Place (19921-1999).  For some odd reason, it was not an Emmy darling that its predecessor was.

Better Call Saul was filmed in Albuquerque, NM

Location: Gene Takavic's Omaha Apartment

Address: 2820 Cutler Avenue NE, Albuquerque, NM

Location: Cinnabon

Address: 10000 Coors Bypass NW, Albuquerque, NM

Cottonwood Mall

Location: Kim Wexler's Apartment 

Address: 1751 Bellamah Avenue NW, Albuquerque, NM

Artisan Apartments, Building 3

Location: Mike Ermantraut's House 

Address: 204 Edith Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM

Location: Jimmy & Kim's Office

Address: 6311 Montaro Road NW, Albuquerque, NM

Location: Saul Goodman's Office

Address: 9800 Montgomery Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM

Locations Visited: October 2022

Related Locations:

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

Locations Master List