# American Sit-coms that never took place in America. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342 "2016-01-16T19:38:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/21 "2016-01-16T21:21:32Z")
Cowboy in Africa with Chuck Connors. I know it wasn’t supposed to be a sitcom, but have you ever seen an episode? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/22 "2016-01-16T21:26:04Z")
There was an episode of McHale’s Navy with a flash forward to see a couple of the guys in New York years later. They were heading out to Brooklyn to see a Dodgers game. In story it was their imagination, so they were still physically in the South Pacific somewhere (or in Italy). ETA: could have been a Giants game ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/23 "2016-01-16T21:26:21Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The UK comedy Allo Allo (85 episodes) was set entirely in WWII-era France. There was also a British sitcom where Mrs Slocombe (the rainbow-haired woman from _ **Are You Being Served?** _) was accidentally launched into space. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/24 "2016-01-16T21:29:18Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Cowboy in Africa with Chuck Connors. I know it wasn’t supposed to be a sitcom, but have you ever seen an episode? I have indeed. One of the few “relevant” series of the late '60s (there was an adorable black African boy and a culturally-proud Native American sidekick) I actually enjoyed watching. Lasted only one season, IIRC. I liked the colonial British official too! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/25 "2016-01-16T21:29:43Z")
In the Gilligan’s Island episode The Friendly Physician the castaways are taken by boat to another island. In theory it could have been an island that was a US possession. The island they were marooned on obviously was not because it was uncharted. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/26 "2016-01-16T21:31:38Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > There was an episode of McHale’s Navy with a flash forward to see a couple of the guys in New York years later. They were heading out to Brooklyn to see a Dodgers game. Had to be Gruber and “Tinker” Bell, right? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/27 "2016-01-16T21:38:26Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Also, When Things Were Rotten was set in England. That’s right. I remembered that one after I made the initial post, good call. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/28 "2016-01-16T21:39:06Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > In the Gilligan’s Island episode The Friendly Physician the castaways are taken by boat to another island. In theory it could have been an island that was a US possession. The man was a mad scientist with an East European name and accent. I doubt the island was a US possession. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/29 "2016-01-16T21:39:15Z")
Do kids’ cartoons count as sitcoms? Because there are a few of those that are set in space, like the Alf cartoon. And I’m not sure if one can meaningfully assign a physical location for Reboot, which was some sort of virtual world. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/30 "2016-01-16T21:44:05Z")
**Colonel Humphrey Flack** may the first. It ran in 1953 on the DuPont network, starring a couple of con artists conning con artists, playing Robin Hoods around the world. No idea if any of the shows were set in the U.S. If that doesn’t count, **Dick and the Duchess** was set in London in 1957. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/31 "2016-01-16T21:48:53Z")
St:tos ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/32 "2016-01-16T21:52:54Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The UK comedy Allo Allo (85 episodes) was set entirely in WWII-era France. I didn’t want to include other countries, but if I did, along with \*\*'Allo 'Allo \*\*I think \*\*Red Dwarf \*\*would qualify as a British sit-com that takes place entirely away from the UK. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/33 "2016-01-16T21:55:02Z")
I wonder if “The Rogues” count? It’s been awhile, but didn’t the action take place in Europe, or were there stateside episodes as well? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/34 "2016-01-16T21:59:22Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Had to be Gruber and “Tinker” Bell, right? 😉 Pretty sure it was Gruber. Tink would be my best guess for the other guy. > [@terentii](#): > > The man was a mad scientist with an East European name and accent. I doubt the island was a US possession. 😉 Very unlikely to be a US possession, but they are shown elsewhere than the brief clip in Hawaii and on the regular island. Very few people seem to recall this episode. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/35 "2016-01-16T22:08:01Z")
The TV show “Dinosaurs” was set in a time far before an American land-mass could have been identified. Similarly the Flintsones. Possibly the Jetsons, as well, though I don’t know enough about the socio-political history of their universe to say for sure. Going back to UK shows, the recent comedy Bluestone 42 follows a military unit in Afghanistan (recommended, incidentally). ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/36 "2016-01-16T22:09:37Z")
> [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](#): > > I didn’t want to include other countries Oh. I’m sorry for responding to this part of your OP: > [@](#): > > I know this is an obscure subject, but it got me wondering just how rare a TV comedy that’s made in a country never has an episode take place in that country. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/37 "2016-01-16T22:13:54Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Oh. I’m sorry for responding to this part of your OP: That’s alright. I just initially thought of American shows though with the post of 'Allo 'Allo that got me thinking of other BBC comedies. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/38 "2016-01-16T22:28:31Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Yes… And when the US space capsule was lost, we saw a general and a NASA scientist debating whether to destroy it by remote control. > > Except for the scenes set in Hawaii immediately before they left on the “three-hour tour,” however, the castaways themselves were never shown back in the States during the original run, were they? This is a stretch, but there were some dream sequences - one took place in the old west, another in, presumably, 18th-19th century England (featuring ‘Lord Admiral Gilligan’). > [@terentii](#): > > Wasn’t the second Gladys Kravitz (of _ **Bewitched** _ fame) one of the people who hung up on them? \* “Why do I get all the kooks?!?”\* :mad: That could be - I don’t remember, but I do remember that call, and Gilligan’s insufficiently convincing description of their plight. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/39 "2016-01-16T22:40:11Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > This is a stretch, but there were some dream sequences - one took place in the old west, another in, presumably, 18th-19th century England (featuring ‘Lord Admiral Gilligan’). There was also the “Jack and the Beanstalk” episode where Mary Ann was dressed in a French maid outfit. :o Unfortunately, dream sequences don’t count! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342/40 "2016-01-16T22:42:55Z")
> [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](#): > > I didn’t want to include other countries, but if I did, along with \*\*'Allo 'Allo \*\*I think \*\*Red Dwarf \*\*would qualify as a British sit-com that takes place entirely away from the UK. **Red Dwarf** had at least a couple of flashback scenes that took place in England, such as the opening of “Ouroboros.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-that-never-took-place-in-america/743342.md?page=3)