Design team recreates 1970s sitcom set and engineers massive Las Vegas cube for Hacks

For a PaleyFest celebration within the series Hacks, production designer Rob Tokarz recreated a 1970s sitcom environment, drawing visual cues from shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and All in the Family and selecting avocado, orange and cream tones with wood paneling. Set decorator Jennifer Lukeheart located a matching couch on Facebook Marketplace, and archival elements from the Will and Grace set were incorporated, with temporary walls captured as large photographs.

In episode eight, the storyline required a magician’s Plexiglas cube to lift the lead character above the Las Vegas Strip; the cube, built from steel and custom Plexiglas, needed engineer stamps and a heavy-duty hinge for its eight-foot door. Because a real blackout on the Strip was impossible, the crew measured and replicated 130 feet of the boulevard, including sidewalk joints and olive trees, on a soundstage while Formula 1 preparations created logistical hurdles.

Visual effects supervisor Martin Hall stitched together footage shot in separate stages, including lighting rigs and a helicopter-style light, to create a seamless sequence. The result showcases the team’s blend of vintage homage and modern engineering to solve complex production challenges.