Has there been a sitcom set in each state of the USA? If so, what was the first such sitcom (by starting year) and what was the most recent such sitcom (by ending year) by state? Note that by “set in” I mean the series as a whole, not the occasional individual episode. Settings in fictional towns are fine as long as the state is unambiguously mentioned.
Here’s an admittedly incomplete table we might work on. I’ve filled in only those shows that I’ve seen myself and where I remember the setting being explicitly stated in the show.
State
Earliest sitcom
Starting year
Latest sitcom
Ending year
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Three’s Company
1977
Fuller House
2020
Colorado
Mork & Mindy
1978
Mork & Mindy
1982
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
The Golden Girls
1985
Empty Nest
1995
Georgia
Hawaii
Big Wave Dave’s
1993
Big Wave Dave’s
1993
Idaho
Illinois
Perfect Strangers
1986
Family Matters
1998
Indiana
Parks and Recreation
2009
Parks and Recreation
2015
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Cheers
1982
Cheers
1993
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
AfterMASH
1983
AfterMASH
1985
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
All in the Family
1971
Seinfeld
1998
North Carolina
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
The Andy Griffith Show
1968
North Dakota
Ohio
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
3rd Rock from the Sun
2001
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
The Office
2005
The Office
2013
Rhode Island
Family Guy
1999
Family Guy
ongoing
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
King of the Hill
1997
King of the Hill
2010
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Harry and the Hendersons
1991
Frasier
2004
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Happy Days
1974
That '70s Show
2006
Wyoming
Would the Jackie Gleason show predate All in the Family?think i t was set in NYC, but it’s been decades since I’ve seen an episode)
You left North Takoma off of your list, for some reason.
Oh, I should clarify that I’m talking only about TV sitcoms. No radio shows or web series, please.
Aha, I thought that we’d done this before! (but didn’t realize it was 17 years ago):
Simple enough. Have all 50 states been home to a sitcom family? I mean a sitcom family has resided there. For instance, Hawaii wouldn’t qualify for The Brady Bunch since they WENT there, but that wasn’t the state they lived in. I suppose we can use animated series, too, so that I can get Family Guy for Rhode Island. Oh, and no one said they had to be GOOD sitcoms (I realize that’s usually a contradiction in terms).
Alabama:
Alaska:
Arizona:
Arkansas:
California: Too many to fully mention…
Wings, Nantucket, Massachusetts, 1990-1997
The very first American television sitcom, Mary Kay and Johnny (1947-1950), was set in New York City.
I Love Lucy was set in New York City, and in the final season they moved to Westport, Connecticut, so there’s two for one.
Can you (and anyone else proposing sitcoms) provide the years as well so that I can fill in the table?
chela
March 18, 2022, 8:59pm
10
1991-99 Michigan. Home improvement with Tim Allen.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) might be the first sitcom set in Minnesota.
I’ve seen some of that one, but was the show ever explicit about the setting? I know the main character had an affinity for Michigan sports teams and universities but that’s only circumstantial evidence.
For Ohio, WKRP in Cincinnati (premiered in 1978) predates 3rd Rock From the Sun .
chela
March 18, 2022, 9:03pm
14
Alaska- Northern Exposure. Early 90’s.
chela
March 18, 2022, 9:04pm
15
Pretty sure they Detroit area specific
doreen
March 18, 2022, 9:06pm
16
For Hawaii - The Little People/The Brian Keith Show (Title change) 1972-1974
And, for Illinois, The McLean Stevenson Show
It only ran for 12 episodes, but I imagine it still counts.
Somebody Somewhere : Kansas 2022
If you consider it a sitcom
chela
March 18, 2022, 9:08pm
19
Chicago - Good Times 1970’s
Champaign ILL : Illinois 2018