Where: The Paley Center for Media

Location: 465 North Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills

If you’re in the area looking for something fun and inexpensive to do on an otherwise uneventful L.A. weekend between now and 2015, take a trip to The Paley Center for Media (after a stop at Sprinkles for a cupcake fix, of course!). They are currently hosting an exhibition highlighting 60 years of Warner Bros. Television. Television: Out of the Box, takes guests outside the confines of your TV screen and into the actual series. Costumes, props, scripts, set re-constructions, photos, and (sorry to say) a pretty mediocre audio tour welcome you as you walk into the mid-sized gallery space.

Enjoy the legendary history of how now famed Warner Bros. Television Studios came to be through a visual journey of its beloved sitcoms, prime-time dramas, and even the first stints of reality based programming. Spend some time analyzing just how small Jennifer Aniston’s waist really is as you look closely at one of her trendy Rachel Green ensembles, smile at the huge collection of staff badges for everyone from George Clooney to Angela Bassett as they solved the medical conundrum of the week at County General Hospital on ER, hang out at Monk’s Diner (minus Jerry and the gang), then sing-a-long karaoke style to some of the most well-known opening credit sequences from your favorite shows.

“In West Philadelphia, born and raised…” (Don’t even get me started. This song will be in my head all day!)

In short, it’s an entertaining way to spend an afternoon. The staff was extremely friendly and passionate about all things TV. What most impressed me is how vast the catalog of WB television programming actually is when you take it in collectively. Some of the shows that made my childhood and teen years were thanks to the production arm of Warner Bros. Television. Without them, Family Matters, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Sisters, Gilmore Girls, Living Single, ER (though I gave up a few years on this one before it actually went off the air), Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs among others were staples in my life for many years.

A note about the audio tour: while I know how much work goes into creating any form of media, especially these types of tours, this one is pretty bland, but it is free if you want to check it out to prove me wrong anyway. The equipment that the center uses desperately needs an update, and overall I found the level of the content to be pretty surface and un-engaging.

Otherwise, what a treat! If you make to it to the exhibition between now and 2015, please drop me a line! I’d love to know your thoughts.

{Rachel Green Costume / Friends 1994-2004.}

{Cast signed final shooting script / ER 1994-2009.}

{Lynda Carter Costume / Wonder Woman 1976-1979.}

{A nod to all things WB Animation. I loved Animaniacs!}

{And your host (me!) hanging out on the famous Central Perk sofa from Friends.}