# Largest City without a TV Show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 2001, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011 "2001-08-13T09:42:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![gorewonfla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@gorewonfla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gorewonfla)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/61 "2001-08-14T04:02:58Z")
If we count variety shows, we should count Donnie and Marie. Quality is not a criterion here. ---
**Author:** ![MrDeath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@MrDeath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDeath)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/62 "2001-08-14T04:11:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pkbites \* > **the show “Step by Step” staring Suzanne Somers** Oh, stop staring already! ---
**Author:** ![Falafel\_Waffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@Falafel\_Waffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falafel_Waffle)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/63 "2001-08-14T04:26:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guy Propski \* > \*\*Doesn’t appear that any TV shows set in Memphis or San Jose. I tried both a plot and a location search at IMDB, came up empty. > > Are you sure about “Walker, TR”, Fallafel? I checked IMDB and not only does the summary say he solves crimes in and around Dallas, but the locations for filming list Dallas (as well as Fort Worth). \*\* I am quite sure. Fort Worth is 35 miles from Dallas so I can see how some damyankee would lump them together. But the show is set in Fort Worth. Walker’s office was in the Old Courthouse in downtown Fort Worth. Most of the street scenes were filmed in the city and the surronding suburbs. They went to Dallas a little bit but mostly they did it in Tarrant and Parker counties. Maybe the location fees were to expensive in Dallas? Also, Dallas doesn’t look much like stereotypical Texas, which the producers seemed to love. It could be any city in the US… well maybe not _any_ city. There are also a lot of scenes of Las Colinas, where the movie studios are. That’s not Dallas either. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/64 "2001-08-14T04:39:50Z")
We’ve had several threads about where the Simpson’s Springfield is and the last couple were closed because the moderators (specifically manhattan) realized the question has no answer: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=64250](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=64250) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=60584](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=60584) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=58054](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=58054) And **Evno** , your link is missing a double quote mark before the first close bracket. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/65 "2001-08-14T05:19:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elmwood \* > \*\*Buffalo, New York is the setting for … > _Hill Street Blues_ > \*\* Really? I always thought that it was a very thinly-disguised **Chicago**. ---
**Author:** ![frock75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@frock75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frock75)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/66 "2001-08-14T05:30:28Z")
Add Boy Meets World to the Philly list. I think there was a cop drama called Year One or something set in Philly. Not positive on that one. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/67 "2001-08-14T13:42:46Z")
Is there anything left in this thread that even vaguely resembles a General Question? ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/68 "2001-08-14T14:10:25Z")
Sure looks like a IMHO to me, but what do I know? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/69 "2001-08-14T14:18:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Terminus Est \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by elmwood \* > > \*\*Buffalo, New York is the setting for … > > _Hill Street Blues_ > > \*\* > > Really? I always thought that it was a very thinly-disguised **Chicago**. \*\* I remember reading that _Hill Street_ was set in a non-specific city between New York and Chicago. Anyway, the show was filmed in L.A. ---
**Author:** ![JS\_Princeton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@JS\_Princeton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JS_Princeton)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/70 "2001-08-14T15:18:36Z")
I agree with the IMHO analysis. I think we’ve arrived at the answer I was looking for: San Jose, CA, unless you are into Silicon Valley lumping, is number one. Number two is Memphis… and we have no shows even in the metro area. Can we call it answered? I think we can. Thanks everyone for their help. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/71 "2001-08-14T16:00:25Z")
In the list of states with a TV show, South Dakota was listed as the location of “Little House on the Prairie”. Actually the show was set in Walnut Grove, Minnesota (even though the Ingalls spent only a year or so there before moving to South Dakota, but that’s a different discussion). Regarding South Dakota TV or film, all I can think of is Tom Brokow or “Dances with Wolves”, but no TV shows. ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/72 "2001-08-14T16:11:53Z")
No, you can’t count suburbs, because the thread is about largest city without a TV show, not largest metropolitan area without a TV show. The largest cities are New York, NY Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL Houston, TX Philadelphia, PA The largest metropolitan areas are: New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ---
**Author:** ![gorewonfla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@gorewonfla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gorewonfla)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/73 "2001-08-14T18:19:41Z")
TV Time said that Hotel de Paree (Earl Holliman played a character named Sundance) was in Rapid City, SD, so the Mt. Rushmore state still has representation. I always thought that LHOTP was set in Plum Creek, not Walnut Grove, anyways. Still, it looks like Alabama is still the winner of the most populous state without a TV show, with North Dakota, Delaware and Idaho also lacking representation. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/74 "2001-08-14T18:41:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hilow \* > **I don’t think any TV show has been explicitly announced as being set in Utah.** _Hearts of the West_ starring Beau Bridges was set in Utah. ---
**Author:** ![gorewonfla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@gorewonfla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gorewonfla)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/75 "2001-08-14T23:35:40Z")
OK, to settle this, Memphis is the most populous city without a TV show, and Alabama is the most populous state. Here’s a ranking of metropolitan areas: 1. New York City-Northern NJ-Long Island NY NY-NJ-CT-PA: Friends 2. Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County CA: Starsky and Hutch 3. Chicago-Gary-Kenosha IL-IN-WI: E.R. 4. Washington-Baltimore DC-MD-VA-WV: The West Wing 5. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose CA: Hanging with Mr. Cooper 6. Philadelhpia-Wilmington-Atlantic City PA-DE-NJ: thirtysomething 7. Boston-Worcester-Lawrence MA-NH-ME-CT: Boston Public 8. Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint MI: Martin 9. Dallas-Fort Worth TX: Dallas 10. Houston-Galveston-Brazoria TX: Houston Knights 11. Atlanta GA: Designing Women 12. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale FL: Miami Vice 13. Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton WA: Frasier 14. Phoenix-Mesa AZ: Alice 15. Minneapolis-St. Paul MN: Mary Tyler Moore Show 16. Cleveland-Akron OH: Drew Carey Show 17. San Diego CA: Simon and Simon 18. St. Louis MO-IL: The John Laroquette Show 19. Denver-Boulder-Greely CO: Mork and Mindy 20. San Juan-Caguas-Arecibo PR: ? 21. Tampa-St. Petersburg FL: ? 22. Pittsburgh PA: The Guardian 23. Portland-Salem OR-WA: Hello, Larry 24. Cincinnati-Hamilton OH-KY-IN: WKRP Cincinnati 25. Sacramento-Yolo CA: Eight is Enough 26. Kansas City MO-KS: The Popcorn Kid 27. Milwaukee-Racine WI: Happy Days 28. Orlando FL: ? 29. Indianapolis IN: One Day at a Time 30. San Antonio TX: The Brothers Garcia All right, San Juan could be the most populous, if we count Puerto Rico as part of this. Otherwise Tampa would be the most populous metro area without one, unless we find one for either city. ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/76 "2001-08-15T00:32:51Z")
Arrrrrrgh for about the 6th time - San Jose, CA is the largest US city that has not been the subject of a tv series. Read up a few posts. ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/77 "2001-08-15T00:33:12Z")
For a Tv show set ins San Juan Puerto Rico. the Flying Nun with Sally Field. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/78 "2001-08-15T01:59:13Z")
In **Hill Street Blues** , the exterior of the Hill Street station was the [7th District (Maxwell Street) Police Station in Chicago](http://www.ci.chi.il.us/CAPS/AboutCPD/PressReleases/PressReleases97/MaxStreetClose.html). Many other exterior shots (if not all) were also in Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![gorewonfla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@gorewonfla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gorewonfla)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/79 "2001-08-15T02:25:42Z")
Sorry evilhanz, so our winners are Alabama, San Jose and Tampa, so far. ---
**Author:** ![d12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71c47a/32.png) [@d12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d12)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011/80 "2002-05-04T17:13:26Z")
Well if you wanna expand to Canada, Ottawa has never had a show if IIRC. Population 1,000,000 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-city-without-a-tv-show/76011.md?page=5)