TV shows set in cities that get city features horribly wrong

[pctech]

There was an episode of Charlie s Angels in which the girls  were undercover in a prison located in "Pine Parish" Louisiana. Mountains and palm trees were a dead give away that they were no where close to Louisiana  Our highest mountain is a whopping 500 ft. or so.

[place-saint-henri]

DEGRASSI takes place in TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA and in a few episodes in like season 6 or something the characters were getting ready to go to University and the schools they were choosing were: "Smithdale" and "TU" (Smithdale being York and TU being obviusly UofT). what was funny was that one of the characters (Paige) was going to BANTING wich was supposed to be in KINGSTON where there really is a school called QUEENS. I have no idea why in gods creation they couldnt just use real school names. meow.

[SteveG1988]

DEGRASSI takes place in TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA and in a few episodes in like season 6 or something the characters were getting ready to go to University and the schools they were choosing were: "Smithdale" and "TU" (Smithdale being York and TU being obviusly UofT). what was funny was that one of the characters (Paige) was going to BANTING wich was supposed to be in KINGSTON where there really is a school called QUEENS. I have no idea why in gods creation they couldnt just use real school names. meow.

Licensing, sometimes a school doesn't want to be recgonized. For example in ghostbusters, the opening is obviously columbia university, but they were not allowed to use the name.

One thing that is intersting is when they set a movie in NYC...but don't ever call it NYC by name, it is just heavily implied. Short Circuit 2 was set in a large city that probably was NYC...but was never called it by name. the main human charachter is trying to become a US Citizen in it....Yet it has toronto landmarks in it. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CaliforniaDoubling

[renegade]

I think rural counties had a lot less paved road mileage in the 70s than they do now.  And check out Lenawee, Monroe, and Washtenaw Counties in Michigan.  Just outside Metro Detroit, yet only the most important county roads are what city dwellers would call "paved".  And I'm talking about today.

There are lots of unpaved roads in Wayne County, too ... you'd be surprised at how many.   

[roadman]

The "reason" that Hazzard County had few paved roads was actually explained by the narrator in an early episode.  It was because Boss Hogg had a controlling interest in the local paving company.  As such, if a road didn't go where the Boss needed to go on a regular basis, it never got paved.

As for Boston-related gaffes, a friend of mine recently convinced me to watch a couple of episodes of Smash, which is about a hopefully Broadway-bound play that debuts in Boston.  The opening credits include a shot of the Zakim Bridge, with the northbound diagrammatic BGS photoshopped to read "Downtown Boston" instead of the "US 1 North Tobin Bridge" legend that's actually on the sign.

[1995hoo]

One of the baseball-themed "Major League" movie sequels is allegedly set in Cleveland, but the very prominent B&O Warehouse beyond right field instantly reveals it was filmed in Baltimore.

[thenetwork]

I think rural counties had a lot less paved road mileage in the 70s than they do now.  And check out Lenawee, Monroe, and Washtenaw Counties in Michigan.  Just outside Metro Detroit, yet only the most important county roads are what city dwellers would call "paved".  And I'm talking about today.

There are lots of unpaved roads in Wayne County, too ... you'd be surprised at how many.   

A loooong time ago (not sure if it has been upgraded), you could drive down US-24/Telegraph Road between Grand River and I-96.  On one side of the street was Detroit, on the other side was Redford Township.  The latter of the two municipalities had an abundance of "dirt" roads for side streets.

[roadman]

A loooong time ago (not sure if it has been upgraded), you could drive down US-24/Telegraph Road between Grand River and I-96.  On one side of the street was Detroit, on the other side was Redford Township.  The latter of the two municipalities had an abundance of "dirt" roads for side streets.

Not pavement, but for many years when the connection between the Tobin Bridge and the Central Artery in Boston was still elevated, you could tell the exact spot where Massport jurisdiction ended and MassDPW jurisdiction began.

Just beyond the Henley Street off-ramp, there was a large concrete bent.  On the Massport side of the bent, the paint on the beams was always fresh and uniform as if the bridge were brand new.  On the MassDPW side, the paint on the beams was faded, cracked and peeling, as if it had never been renewed since the structure first opened to traffic.

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

Step by Step (from ABC's old TGIF lineup). Lake Michigan looked more like an ocean in the opening credits. There isn't an amusement park in Port Washington, Wisconsin, (don't think there ever has been...the county fair grounds are further south in Cedarburg), let alone one that looks like a Six Flags theme park. IIRC, they did correctly reference taking I-43 up to Green Bay to watch the Packers, and I think they did have the population fairly accurate on the sign in the opening credits.

Step by Step (from ABC's old TGIF lineup). Lake Michigan looked more like an ocean in the opening credits. There isn't an amusement park in Port Washington, Wisconsin, (don't think there ever has been...the county fair grounds are further south in Cedarburg), let alone one that looks like a Six Flags theme park. IIRC, they did correctly reference taking I-43 up to Green Bay to watch the Packers, and I think they did have the population fairly accurate on the sign in the opening credits.

That is because it was filmed at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California.

Also, Lake Michigan was dropped into that shot using CGI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Step_by_Step_(TV_series)#Production

[OracleUsr]

I remember one I am surprised no one has brought up yet.  Beverly Hills, 90210.

During the college years, they talk in the morning at their home about going to classes at "Cal."

That's the University of California...close to 500 miles away from Beverly Hills...

[mrsman]

I have seen on the 80's sitcom The Facts of Life where Natalie learns to drive on a street in California.  The thing is the show takes place in Peekskill, NY thousands of miles away.

In the filming you will see California mast arms and backplate signaling!  In NYS the official signals are span wires and the few mast arms they have have no backplates!

As I grew up in Los Angeles, not only did I recognize that it was L.A., I recognized that it was filmed at the street corner of Beverly and Rossmore in the Hancock Park section of L.A.

As I watch TV, I constantly recognize the geographically errors, but I try to take it one step further and try to get to the very specific location since I know L.A. so well.

[cpzilliacus]

As I grew up in Los Angeles, not only did I recognize that it was L.A., I recognized that it was filmed at the street corner of Beverly and Rossmore in the Hancock Park section of L.A.

As I watch TV, I constantly recognize the geographically errors, but I try to take it one step further and try to get to the very specific location since I know L.A. so well.

On a related note, one guy that got the geography and the "look and feel" right was Jack Webb in his NBC Dragnet (1960's version) and especially Adam-12 police series.  I have never lived in California, but I know the geography of Los Angeles well enough to find my way around, and even though Adam-12 is pretty dated, I still recognize some of the places where it was filmed.

Another series that did well in terms of geography (also on NBC) was Homicide: Life on the Streets, which was filmed in Baltimore and scripted to take place there.  There was a crime scene involving a bowling ball being dropped onto a car (with fatal consequences), which very obviously was filmed on the freeway section of U.S. 40 (former I-170).  And at least once or twice, the storyline involved I-95 or I-895, which was fun to see.

The various Dick Wolf Law and Order shows were and are pretty obviously filmed in New York City. Across the Hudson River, the outside scenes on HBO's Sopranos were almost without exception shot in New Jersey (anyone remember the great episode where Paulie and Christopher end up lost in the Pine Barrens?).

[thenetwork]

As I grew up in Los Angeles, not only did I recognize that it was L.A., I recognized that it was filmed at the street corner of Beverly and Rossmore in the Hancock Park section of L.A.

As I watch TV, I constantly recognize the geographically errors, but I try to take it one step further and try to get to the very specific location since I know L.A. so well.

On a related note, one guy that got the geography and the "look and feel" right was Jack Webb in his NBC Dragnet (1960's version) and especially Adam-12 police series.  I have never lived in California, but I know the geography of Los Angeles well enough to find my way around, and even though Adam-12 is pretty dated, I still recognize some of the places where it was filmed.

Usually once every 2 or 3 episodes, they would film some scenes on the Universal Studios lot.  Particularly the modern day "Wisteria Lane" which was the setting of "Desparate Housewives".  It was always interesting to see how the set-makers could disguise some of the houses & lots to try and make it look different each time.

[mrsman]

A recent example:

Just recently, I saw an episode of the "Crazy Ones" (new show with Robin Williams).  The show is supposed to take place in Chicago and in the lead-ins they typically show scenes of the city, typically focusing on the Trump International Hotel and Tower on Wabash Street (supposedly a stand-in for the office building where the show takes place).  In one episode, Robin Williams took his daughter on driving lessons.  Very clearly, to me, there was a scene involving a left turn that was made at the corner of Constellation and Century Park E in Century City (Los Angeles).

[empirestate]

A recent example:

Just recently, I saw an episode of the "Crazy Ones" (new show with Robin Williams).  The show is supposed to take place in Chicago and in the lead-ins they typically show scenes of the city, typically focusing on the Trump International Hotel and Tower on Wabash Street (supposedly a stand-in for the office building where the show takes place).  In one episode, Robin Williams took his daughter on driving lessons.  Very clearly, to me, there was a scene involving a left turn that was made at the corner of Constellation and Century Park E in Century City (Los Angeles).

Would it have been obvious to someone not familiar with the L.A. area? In other words, was it very blatantly a California scene rather than an Illinois one, or would you really have to know the specific intersection to know it was out of place?

Point being, I think we can draw a distinction between getting something "horribly wrong" and simply using a location that's recognizable to someone familiar with the local geography. "Horribly wrong" might mean a shot of supposedly-New York City with tall Pacific mountain peaks in the background, versus simply using the corner of Main and Clinton on Rochester, NY as a stand-in for 57th and 8th in Manhattan (real example in the upcoming Spider-Man film).

[Jardine]

The Big Bus was supposedly traveling from NYC to Denver, yet most all the terrain sure looked like California!

Still a fun movie.  The bus stole the show.

Kubrick in Full Metal Jacket did a convincing imitation of South Vietnam in merry old England because he didn't like to travel.

Also, he used Going to the Sun road (in Montana as I recall) in The Shining and supposedly that was in Colorado.  (His Overlook was on a soundstage in England)

As I recall, John Waters took pains to have his characters drive off in the correct direction, and made a point of accurately using real Baltimore locations in context.

[cpzilliacus]

As I recall, John Waters took pains to have his characters drive off in the correct direction, and made a point of accurately using real Baltimore locations in context.

Waters and Barry Levinson both filmed Baltimore "correctly."

[NE2]

John Waters also filmed the ingestion of dog poo.

[thenetwork]

A recent example:

Just recently, I saw an episode of the "Crazy Ones" (new show with Robin Williams).  The show is supposed to take place in Chicago and in the lead-ins they typically show scenes of the city, typically focusing on the Trump International Hotel and Tower on Wabash Street (supposedly a stand-in for the office building where the show takes place).  In one episode, Robin Williams took his daughter on driving lessons.  Very clearly, to me, there was a scene involving a left turn that was made at the corner of Constellation and Century Park E in Century City (Los Angeles).

If you really want to get nit-picky with that scene, the girl attempting to make a left turn (Sarah Michelle Gellar), waited through MULTIPLE light cycles afraid to turn.  Yet the intersection clearly showed the lights were equipped with left turn arrows!!!

[elsmere241]

Then there were the opening credits to <i>Just the Ten of Us</i>.  They were great at showing scenery from New York City to where I-80 enters California.  But one scene had the family going past the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, which isn't on I-80.

[kkt]

Then there were the opening credits to <i>Just the Ten of Us</i>.  They were great at showing scenery from New York City to where I-80 enters California.  But one scene had the family going past the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, which isn't on I-80.

Did they say the took I-80 the entire way?  Diverting to I-70 across the midwest and Rockies would be prettier and keep from getting caught in endless traffic in Chicago.  Just curious; I haven't watched the show.

[elsmere241]

I just thought St Louis was out of place, given that they passed the Great Salt Lake and crossed into California on I-80 (I recognized the sign).  Mapquest says to take I-80 to Reno, then US 395 north and cut across and it takes 46 hours, while staying on I-80 to Sacramento and then CA 20 to US 101 takes 47 hours.  Throwing St Louis into the mix does tack on an hour or two but avoids Chicago, and PA Turnpike tolls weren't as high then.  I guess maybe it would make more sense.

[Pete from Boston]

One suggestion Sam read off was for the bar to offer a Happy Hour; Rebecca replied back, "Not legal in the State of Massachusetts.".  Massachusetts is a Commonwealth.

I'm assuming this is at least a little tongue-in-cheek, because not only is it state (whose name is styled a little differently than most), you're just as likely to hear "state" as you are "commonwealth."  Probably a little more likely.

The biggest inaccuracy in Cheers, of course, is the idea that there's much of anything down those stairs, let alone a very large bar.  The actual article is cramped, has a tiny bar against a wall, and generally contains few if any Bostonians. 

[roadman65]

I believe that Maude (CBS 1972-77)got one of its closing sequence shots that was not in NYC.  On the end of the extended closing theme song, you will see a building that I have never seen in Manhattan along with an interchange that seems foreign. 

Now I could be wrong, it might be the FDR Drive and a building that has long been gone or in a part of one of the other boroughs that I have never been to, but to my knowledge it is not there!  In fact the house that Maude lived was in a place that uses red curbs as seen in the streets in the sequence!  NYC (or the east coast) does not paint curbs red, so if another area outside of the NYC area could be inserted there, so could one again.

[roadman65]

The last episode of the QM Production The Fugitive where Dr. Kimble finally catches the one armed man who killed his wife takes place in a fictional town someplace in Indiana has the state setting all wrong!

The final scene in the last act, took place at an amusement park in Indiana that was filmed someplace else.  Because there are mountains in the back round, which Indiana does not have, proves that the writers of the show had Indiana as fictional as the town of Stafford, IN.