
Continuity mistake: When Joel is shot at the poker game, the gunshot leaves a gaping hole in the door. Later, when Mac and Stella return to the crime scene, the hole is gone. The door color also changes from a dull blue to bright blue. (00:03:05 - 00:32:20)
Chosen answer: Probably to broaden the scope of the show's plot and give the audience a chance to see the characters in a different setting, People act differently at home from the way they do at their workplace. By the ninth season, the characters would have become overly familiar and predictable. It gives the writers a chance to do something different with them.
raywest