# Biggest city without a TV show based in it **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086 "2003-01-01T20:30:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/21 "2003-01-02T01:29:49Z")
[Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=81604&highlight=city+show+alice) is the last thread where this was asked. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/22 "2003-01-02T04:08:28Z")
[hijack-ical aside] > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\*For some reason, Sacremento came to mind, but I think that was the “Biggest City Without an Interstate”. \*\* I-80 goes through Sacramento. The answer to that one is Fresno. [/hijack-ical aside] ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/23 "2003-01-02T04:10:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hastur \* > \*\*What show was set in Portland, Oregon? \*\* That was McLean Stevenson’s **Hello, Larry** , a 1979 sitcom that only lasted one 33-episode go-round. As the IMDB has it, > [@](#): > > After a divorce, middle-aged Larry Alder moved from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon with his teenage daughters Diane and Ruthie. He landed a job as a radio talkshow host, where he dealt with his attractive producer Morgan and his corpulent engineer Earl. Larry also hung out with legendary Harlem Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon, who owned a Portland sporting goods store. By the way, AFAIK, Mr. Lemon was not involved in a sporting goods store in the Rose City. ---
**Author:** ![Flowerchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@Flowerchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flowerchild)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/24 "2003-01-02T05:26:20Z")
I though, in the sense of land area that Jacksonville is like the biggest city in the country. They should have a show by now, shouldnt they? ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/25 "2003-01-02T07:26:36Z")
What about Oklahoma City? ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/26 "2003-01-02T07:36:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RichietheGrenzlander \* > \*\*Philadelphia. \*\* Not trying to make a pile on, but _Philly_ was also set in Philly! ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/27 "2003-01-02T08:20:36Z")
Those population numbers, by the way, indicate only populations within actual city limits; i.e., they don’t include suburbs and thus don’t reflect the more commonly accepted figures for the Metropolitan Statistical Areas of the cities named. If they did, Memphis would be 49th as of the 2000 census, instead of 18th. I just went to [www.census.gov](http://www.census.gov) to try to find a list of cities ranked by MSA population, but I got frustrated quickly and left. Please carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/28 "2003-01-02T10:57:36Z")
I also remember the other thread on this - I think it was a GQ thread from before the Cafe - and I could’ve sworn the answer was Fresno. Maybe I’m getting it mixed up with the largest city without an interstate though. Wasn’t _Perfect Strangers_ set in Philly? ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/29 "2003-01-02T11:51:28Z")
OK, for those of you who didn’t see or won’t click the link **hajario** has kindly provided, we came to the following conclusions: Based purely on city limit populations, the answer is San Jose. 1: New York - NYPD Blue 2: Los Angeles - A-Team 3: Chicago - ER 4: Houston - Houston Knights 5: Philadelphia - thirtysomething 6: Phoenix - Alice 7: San Diego - Simon and Simon 8: Dallas - Dallas 9: San Antonio - The Brothers Garcia 10: Detroit - Martin **11: San Jose - ???** The most populous state without a show is Alabama. The largest metropolitan area without one is Tampa-St. Petersburg ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/30 "2003-01-02T13:57:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cisco \* > \*\*Wasn’t _Perfect Strangers_ set in Philly? \*\* Perfect Strangers was set in Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/31 "2003-01-02T18:39:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alphagene \* > \*\*Based purely on city limit populations, the answer is San Jose. > > \*\* Because no one knows the way, to San Jose? [sub]d&r[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/32 "2003-01-02T18:40:31Z")
More like, because the town is so stupefyingly blah and nothing that nobody could come up with a reason to have a series there. Then again, there’s a series set in Fresno… ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/33 "2003-01-02T18:44:08Z")
You would think that someone would have come up with a sitcom based on the life and times of a sofware developer in Silicon Valley or some such nonsense like that. ---
**Author:** ![Realhoops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8dc957/32.png) [@Realhoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Realhoops)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/34 "2003-01-02T18:57:57Z")
Was “Dallas” actually set in Dallas? As the last post in the earlier thread noted, Southfork Ranch is really in Parker, a suburb of Dallas… or is that close enough for this topic? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/35 "2003-01-02T19:21:49Z")
Whilst trying to figure out where the Dilbert tv series is set, I notice that there’s going to be a series called Millenium Penguin, set in Silicon Valley, which San Jose is in. I also found [this,](http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2002/11/11/tidbits.html) on a series they’re hoping to start taping soon: > [@](#): > > Meanwhile, Mr. Home’s company, AC&DH Enterprises Inc., is preparing to tape 12 episodes of a sitcom set in San Jose that he hopes KRON will add to its prime-time lineup. The five characters — two straight guys, one gay guy, and two straight women — are all laid-off tech workers who share an apartment and all work at a bar in San Jose. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/36 "2003-01-02T19:41:40Z")
Well, I don’t think there’s been a TV series set in Raleigh. The movie “Bull Durham” is close, but still a movie, not a TV series. (Well WE think wer’e a major city! (Even got a post office, so there!) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/37 "2003-01-02T21:12:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bean\_shadow \* > \*\*What about Kansas City? \*\* The Popcorn Kid. ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/38 "2003-01-02T21:43:43Z")
If we include shows made for Nickelodeon, _The Brothers Garcia_ takes place in San Antonio, taking it out of the running. Cite: [http://www.nick.com/all\_nick/tv\_supersites/garcia/index.jhtml](http://www.nick.com/all_nick/tv_supersites/garcia/index.jhtml) ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/39 "2003-01-02T21:46:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Realhoops \* > \*\*Was “Dallas” actually set in Dallas? As the last post in the earlier thread noted, Southfork Ranch is really in Parker, a suburb of Dallas… or is that close enough for this topic? \*\* J.R.'s building (real-life [Renaisannce Tower](http://www.skyscrapers.com/english/worldmap/building/0.9/118427/)) is actually in Dallas, which should be enough to qualify it, even if Southfork Ranch doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086/40 "2003-01-02T21:54:28Z")
Wasn’t there a workplace sitcom a few years ago set in Silicon Valley? I recall the wacky premise being the show focused on the one woman in an office of geeks. I suppose it might not have actually been set in San Jose (I know I like pretty much everyone else never watched the show)… Okay, googled it and the show was “Dweebs”. Eight episodes made, six aired, and I can’t find anything about the setting… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-city-without-a-tv-show-based-in-it/146086.md?page=3)