# The ubiquity of cell phones in today's TV police procedurals

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ubiquity-of-cell-phones-in-todays-tv-police-procedurals/1015018>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\
**Created:** [March 2, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ubiquity-of-cell-phones-in-todays-tv-police-procedurals/1015018 "2025-03-02T15:24:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2025, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ubiquity-of-cell-phones-in-todays-tv-police-procedurals/1015018/41 "2025-03-11T01:43:51Z")

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> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> they’re not nearly as **universal** as they once were

I see what you did (probably accidentally!)

Once you start recognizing locations on Universal’s backlot, you can’t NOT see them in other shows. Emergency fights a fire at a warehouse where Adam-12 foiled a burglary and Stuart McMillan hunted for clues.

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ubiquity-of-cell-phones-in-todays-tv-police-procedurals/1015018/42 "2025-03-11T01:57:07Z")

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My brother and sister-in-law visited Los Angeles and spent the time driving around to various filming locations. Like the building that stands in for the Dunder-Mifflin office building.

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ubiquity-of-cell-phones-in-todays-tv-police-procedurals/1015018/43 "2025-03-19T14:48:54Z")

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Here in the UK, we are seeing more Police Procedurals filmed in the regions. A current one is set in York (with plenty of street scenes) and Manchester is often used as a setting.

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