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Sometimes the city in which a show is based upon is irrelevant, and sometimes, it is completely fictional. The fact that The Walking Dead is in Atlanta is only important in terms of the kinds of settings and backdrops, but not about the city vibes. In the case of a show like Game of Thrones, the seven Kingdoms, the independent and free cities; as they all come from the mind of the creator, it does not matter where it is being filmed. But in other shows, the city is another character in the story, and much more than just a canvas where to showcase storylines.
Could you imagine Seinfeld being in Los Angeles? Yeah, me neither. Even less could I picture it in Salt Lake City. Seinfeld and Sex and the City are as New York as they can be. The same way as Batman has Gotham, and Superman has Metropoli, Jerry, Kramer, George and Elaine; or Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte are New York at their most clear. Shows wouldn´t have worked elsewhere as they did there.
Some of the TV Shows also showcase the place they are set in as another character: Hawaii Five-0 is clearly all about the islands, and each CSI or NCIS tries to portray the city they are set in a different kind of light.
Chicago is another heavily showcased city, and that is mainly because you cannot mistake Chicago with other places.
And let´s talk about Miami… The importance of getting the branding in Palm Beach area right, or Little Habana or so many special places.
Dexter is all about Miami. In another place he wouldn´t have been able to go out on the sea and throw those bodies; or Burn Notice… where else could´ve Bruce Campbell´s Sam Axe turn into the smooth Chcuk Finley other than Miami? And don´t even get me started about Miami Vice.
How about you? What do you think? Which is the show in which Miami´s role or other cities are almost as big as the main characters?