 The pilot was shot in April 1995 and directed by Michael Lessac . Although set in Cleveland , the show was actually filmed at the Warner Bros. Television studios in Burbank , California . Helford had noticed that the cast did not look at each other while saying their lines and he tried to encourage them to look at one another , so they would laugh . Helford told Lessac to bring the cast in on a weekend , where there was no pressure , so they could " goof around " and relax . Drew 's job required him to work from a cubicle and Helford stated that no one had really done a show dealing with that situation , as producers and networks felt it was too confined . Helford disagreed and had a set where an accessible cubicle was the center piece designed and built . The Memphis Plaza Lounge in Old Brooklyn was the inspiration for the show 's bar The Warsaw Tavern . The owner of the Lounge refused to sell the naming rights to Warner Bros , but he did agree that they could film the front of the building . The crew shot the building in 1995 and temporarily replaced The Memphis Plaza Lounge sign with their own Warsaw Tavern one . The sign was hung in the front window for two years before Warner Bros. took it down . 
