Questions About Flashback Shows Filmed Live

[Dr. Thong]

I was watching Two And A Half Men tonight and the episode was about Charlie visiting a psychiatrist. They kept having flashbacks to a weird night he had with his brother Alan.

Now, I believe the show is filmed live in front of a studio audience. My question is this: How do shows that are filmed live handle going back and forth between the present scenes and the flashbacks?? Particularly when there are different costumes and hair, etc??

Friends had a similar episode where the pre-opening sequence was a set-up and the rest of the show was a flashback to about a year before the show began. I know Friends was filmed live, so I wonder how they did it.

If anyone can shed any light on this, please do!!:cool:

[factsoflife]

well usually sitcoms shoot thier scenes in order so they probrally just explain to the audience that this or that scene is a flashback.

[Dr. Thong]

Anything that isnt done on the normal set, whether its a flashback or location shoot, is shot a day or two before the "live" performance. Then, if its a flashback, it is shown to the same audience in video form and then their laughs are recorded. If its a location shoot, often times the actors will renact the dialogue on the set.

That makes sense. Thanks!:)