Hollywood likes to keep all its actors on sound stages in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, but it also uses a lot of real life locations for its television shows. The exterior of the home you see at the beginning of each episode of your favorite sitcom is usually a real-life house somewhere, while all the interiors are on a soundstage in Burbank.
Each season, major networks sometimes send the cast and crew of popular shows to notable landmarks which become popular because of their association with the celebrities. Here are some of the most memorable cities and spots around the nation which have been used in everyone’s favorite television shows.
1. Portland, Oregon: “Portlandia” (2011 – )
Some people call Portland a “bohemian wonderland,” like one writer from “Salon,” and they’d be right. Recycling programs, tree-huggers, people on bikes… there’s a lot of goofiness in the series that has made the show beloved by many people outside Oregon.
However, residents in and around Portland haven’t universally loved the popular show. One article on Flavorwire amusingly suggests that “Portlandia” actually ruined several favorite things for people around Portland like hip hotels, television marathons, and cacao. However, another article published by local magazine “Grist” suggests that some residents have embraced the show’s quirky attitude.
Stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein have inspired quite a few fans and website owners to create lists of places where the show filmed scenes in and around Portland.
For example, website Roadtrippers, which creates maps of notable places to visit in many towns around the country, offers a “pilgrimage” through the city where fans can walk right where the stars of the show walked in various episodes. One location visitors can visit is the Eastbank Esplanade Bike Path, where “The Dream of the 90s” was filmed with a large number of regular characters from the series.
Another location featured in the film is Portland City Hall, and the building serves the same purpose in the series. One scene features the main characters meeting with the mayor about creating a new official anthem for the city. Amusingly, the mayor, played by actor Kyle MacLachlan, sits on a giant red bouncy ball during the meeting.
Information repository About also features a slew of locations used in the film where fans can tour popular sites. For example, the introduction of the show starts with a shot of a statue. That statue is real and is located in front of the Portland Building at 1120 SW 5th Avenue in the city.