# Where do TV shows take place? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882 "2006-07-17T17:04:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/1 "2006-07-17T17:04:38Z")
For purposes of this thread, let’s say that a TV show is a 30-60 minute weekly dramatic or comedic series that one might watch in prime time. They should not be cartoons, news shows, mini-series, documentaries, infomercials, etc. Also, let’s limit ourselves to the US (although if anyone wants to start a non-US thread, that could be fun too). So where TV shows take place? For instance, The Flying Nun took place in (I think) Puerto Rico. Night Court was in New York, one of the few shows in TV history that have. Cheers was in Boston, The Drew Carey Show was in Cleveland, Gilligan’s Island was within 2000 feet of Hawaii. Miami Vice, Vegas, and Beverly Hills 90210 were probably set someplace specific, though I don’t know where. :dubious: What other shows were set in what other places? Outside of Viet Nam and Korea, any other international places? How about Nebraska, Iowa, or Delaware? Are any US states not represented? How about any New York boroughs? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/2 "2006-07-17T17:16:10Z")
Seriously, the list is almost endless. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/3 "2006-07-17T17:16:13Z")
Frasier had Seattle. My Name is Earl apparently takes place in Maryland. The Office takes place in Ohio. Everwood was in Colorado I think. Smallville is in Kansas. Frank’s Place took place in New Orleans. Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia I assume takes place in Philly. You mentioned New York boroughs… 90percent of tv shows take place in LA or NY so I’m sure there are tons…bucoming to mind Everybody Hates Chris takes place in Brooklyn(?) Full House was in San Diego Monk is in San Fran An old Carol Burnett soap opera parody series “Fresno” took place in Fresno. Dallas took place in Dallas. There was a short lived series a couple of years ago about life at an American Embassy, I believe in England. Keen Eddie also took place in England. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/4 "2006-07-17T17:20:05Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > \Night Court was in New York, one of the few shows in TV history that have. \ How about any New York boroughs? I don’t watch much TV, but you’re kidding here, aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/5 "2006-07-17T17:20:09Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Night Court was in New York, one of the few shows in TV history that have. … > How about any New York boroughs? One of the few? Lots of sitcoms took place in New York. _Friends, Caroline in the City, The Single Guy, Sex and the City, Seinfeld, Mad About You, Just Shoot Me, Becker, Will & Grace, The Cosby Show, NewsRadio, Veronica’s Closet, Sports Night, The King of Queens, All in the Family The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times_ and even \*The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Love Lucy, Barney Miller, The Odd Couple, Welcome Back, Kotter, Kate & Allie, \* and _The Nanny_ all took place in New York. I know I’m missing some. Dramas, you have the various _Law & Order_ shows, _Third Watch, NYPD Blue, CSI: New York, and The Sopranos_. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/6 "2006-07-17T17:26:54Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > I know I’m missing some. Notably _The Honeymooners_. Less notably _The Patty Duke Show_. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/7 "2006-07-17T17:27:04Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Are any US states not represented? I’m sure this has been done before. Do a search in CS and it’ll turn up. I don’t remember the conclusion, if all 50 states were covered. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/8 "2006-07-17T17:27:25Z")
Few shows take place in New York? How about Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, the King of Queens, Law and Order (all of its incarnations), Rescue Me, Spin City, CSI: New York, the Odd Couple, All In the Family. I could go on. Baretta, Barney Miller, Welcome Back, Kotter, Taxi, Sex and the City. OK, I’ll stop. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/9 "2006-07-17T17:27:35Z")
Rock and Homicide were set in my old home town of Baltimore. ---
**Author:** ![MagicXylophone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@MagicXylophone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicXylophone)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/10 "2006-07-17T17:27:43Z")
Whoosh! ---
**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:** [July 17, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/11 "2006-07-17T17:30:30Z")
> [@MagicXylophone](#): > > Whoosh! Ah, yes. Set in Yellowstone Park. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/12 "2006-07-17T17:33:43Z")
Colorado - Dynasty, Mork and Mindy, South Park ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/13 "2006-07-17T17:38:01Z")
> [@MagicXylophone](#): > > Whoosh! Indeed, some sarcasm meters need to be adjusted. Because if we exclude shows set either in NYC or the LA area, we have but to determine where the other three are. And I swear this thread has been done before, but I couldn’t find it. I’m serious about NY boroughs, though. Manhattan is over-represented. King of Queens and All in the Family: Queens Welcome Back Kotter: Brooklyn The Bronx? Staten Island? ---
**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:** [July 17, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/14 "2006-07-17T17:39:39Z")
I think the other threads were for TV shows that _weren’t_ set anyplace specific, or that were someplace fictional. A much shorter list, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/15 "2006-07-17T17:40:39Z")
Well, to be picky, most of the DVD show took place in New Rochelle, and The Sopranos hardly ever shows NYC, because they live and operate in New Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/16 "2006-07-17T17:44:29Z")
> [@Push You Down](#): > > …The Office takes place in Ohio. > … It most certainly does not! The Office is set in Scranton, Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/17 "2006-07-17T17:56:03Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > It most certainly does not! The Office is set in Scranton, Pennsylvania. …damn… that’s right… How did I get Ohio? Oh is the other Dunder Mifflin branch in Ohio? Do they go to Ohio at some point? ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/18 "2006-07-17T17:59:28Z")
Wikipedia lists a bunch of shows by setting: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_American\_television\_series\_by\_setting](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_television_series_by_setting) ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/19 "2006-07-17T18:07:12Z")
One Day At A Time was in Indiana Murphy Brown – Washington, DC Hot L Baltimore – Baltimore, I believe Soap was in Dunns River (?) CT Who’s The Boss was also in CT Yes, Dear – Los Angeles Bob Newhart – Chicago, then Vermont, unless he just dreamed that. I watch way too much TV. And then there are all the shows I’ve forgotten, which I guess numbers in the zillions. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882/20 "2006-07-17T19:26:06Z")
_Happy Days_ was set in Milwaukee. The John Cleese classic _Fawlty Towers_ takes place in Torquay, England. _Twin Peaks_ is set in David Lynch’s head. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-tv-shows-take-place/364882.md?page=2)