The original idea was a group of workers who interacted like a family, the goal being a concept similar to "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". The creators considered making an American version of the British "Fawlty Towers," set in a hotel or an inn. When the creators settled on a bar as their setting, the show began to resemble the radio programming "Duffy's Tavern," a program originally written and co-created by James Burrows' father Abe Burrows. They liked the idea of a tavern, as it provided a continuous stream of new people, for a variety of characters. An early concept revolved around a woman becoming the new owner of the bar and the animosity created between her and the regulars, an idea which was used later in Season 6 when the character of Rebecca Howe was introduced.