Summary

New York is one of the most iconic city in America and has been the background for some of the best television ever made . These shows are the most successful at utilizing what the city has to offer . Many of these show stand out , but only some becharm the substance of what it ’s like to live in New York . Even if the reality of that life is n’t as glamorous as some of these shows might make it seem , they still leave the right worked up resonance of city living .

Using a famous city as the setting for a goggle box show can be a double - border sword . The legacy of the city can easily overshadow the characters and story . Or , the story might not take full advantage of what the setting has to offer , wee the choice of city experience sequent . There must be a open role for a show to be do in New York , or any iconic place , so the forcible history elevates the show and take it feel that it could n’t be set up anywhere else .

10Friends (1994 - 2004)

Greenwich Village, Manhattan

Cast

Friendshas inspired many incorrect assumptions about what it ’s like to live on in New York City with a tight - knit group of friend . Very few people living in Manhattan can claim to have an apartment as grownup as Monica’s(Courteney Cox ) , but even ifFriendsisn’t always the most precise , it does feel like house . Friendsmade looker want to live in New Yorkand not want to in adequate amount , which is what any good New York show should do . Where it fails is in fully flesh out the magnitude of the city . The gang rarely go out their little street corner of Manhattan .

9Gossip Girl (2007 - 2012)

Upper East Side, Manhattan

One of the most outrageous portrayals of what affluent teenager get up to in New York , Gossip Girlis also one of the best - known stripling dramas of the 21st century . It ’s fun to watch wealthy people sail New York , since so much of the city is so expensive , and the world that the eccentric ofGossip Girlare privy to is straight out of a fantasy . boast gorgeous galas , restaurants , fashion display , and more , the series makes New York sense elect and sole . Of course , this is the point of the show , but it is its fall , as New York feels unattainable to anyone watch at place .

8Sex and the City (1998 - 2004)

West Village, Manhattan

Carrie Bradshaw ( Sarah Jessica Parker ) loves New York almost as much as she loves her shoes . The question that Carrie poses in her editorial and to her champion are not just " Why am I individual ? " but " Why am I single in New York ? " . Every problem and pitfall the main eccentric confront is not a resultant of biography as a whole , but how life turn in New York .

In the abbreviated episode in time of year 3when the ladies go to L.A. , they quickly become disenchanted with the opposite seashore and long for their New York issues . Sex and the Citydoes have a narrow worldview of the New York life-style , but the late rebootAnd Just Like That … is trying to fix the problems of the original series . unluckily , whileAnd Just Like That … does make positive representational updates , it mislay the edge that madeSex and the Cityquintessentially New York .

7Seinfeld (1989 - 1998)

Upper West Side, Manhattan

Seinfeld ’s creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David knew that the small , infuriating , everyday moments that come with living in New York are the most hilarious and relatable parts of the city . Though many , if not all , ofSeinfeld ’s plot could only occur in New York , they have a razor - sharp universality that makes the consultation experience like they ’re living there too . As the show evolved , each season became more exaggerated , and the fictitious character ’s mischance were more unbelievable . Seinfeldnever shied away from show the terrible part of New York , but there ’s nowhere else the characters would rather live .

Deemed one of the dandy sitcoms ever , Seinfeld was a show about nothing for 9 season , but which time of year hold in the secure shows about nothing ?

6Broad City (2014 - 2019)

Astoria, Queens and Gowanus, Brooklyn

Abbi ( Abbi Jacobson ) and Ilana ( Ilana Glazer ) treat New York the way that any two broke millennials would , by adhere tightly to their friendship with each other . As the two better friends grow , the city and their human relationship with it commute around them . Though New York is tough on them , it ’s never disallow or attempt to keep them out . The urban center is only romanticized because of the memories they make there , not of necessity because it does n’t have its challenges . By the end of the series , New York does n’t defy the promise it once did for the protagonists , but it will always be there for them .

As those ‘ 90s Kyd begin reaching their 30 and 40s , here are ten tv shows that perfectly capture the millennial experience of grow up .

5The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017 - 2023)

The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselis a candy - color , glittering iteration of New York in the late fifties and onward . That sound out , as Midge ( Rachel Brosnahan ) take up to snuff it her sheltered lifestyle , the world of the city opens up to her . Thoughthe show never loses the resplendently stylise translation of New York that it started with , it does n’t shy aside from yield Midge a tough clip breaking into the funniness reality and exhibiting the rampant sexism of the clock time . If the New York that exists inThe Marvelous Mrs. Maiselwas material it would be wonderful , but , unfortunately , much of that New York is only a phantasy .

430 Rock (2006 - 2013)

Midtown, Manhattan

The show within the show , TGS , on30 Rock , is a satire of the existent sketch - comedy show , SNL.Creator and star Tina Fey drop a line and performed onSNLfor many age , and used her experience to make one of the expert New York clowning of all time.30 Rockis known for its outrageous characters , and how it reinvented the situation comedy formula . Along with those with child - than - life characters and plot line is a tumid - than - biography New York that is constantly at warfare with Liz Lemon ( Fey ) and her counterpart . Despite being forever scramble down by the urban center , Liz and the other characters consistently express their hatred for everywhere else in the human race .

3Girls (2012 - 2017)

Greenpoint, Brooklyn

There are many shows about young women being lost in their twenties while live on in New York , but none do it as well asGirls . Created by and star Lena Dunham , the serial caused equal portion disceptation and revelationabout what television could be , and what was break down on inside the minds of the up - and - coming generation of creative person and filmmakers . Dunham pushed boundaries and was not afraid to negate herself in the writing of the show .

The four titulary girls are constantly making themselves miserable for the saki of their estimate of success , adulthood , and the dream of New York . The city is scarcely ever a dream for any of the characters , and every daylight is a competitiveness to finger that living there is worth the heartache . However , only in New York would these character feel that all affair are possible . This is made particularly clear in the New York Odyssey in season 5 , installment 6 , " The Panic In Central Park " .

2Succession (2018 - 2023)

Upper East Side and Upper West Side, Manhattan

The New York in HBO’sSuccessionis less a real place and more like a distant playground to be looked down upon from the most lush penthouse ever seen on television receiver . The Roy family is too deep and transfer from reality to ever experience New York as intend . Due to this , the city becomes another one of the tools with which the Roy sib can show off their wealthand make grand displays of superpower .

The series was compare to a Shakespearean drama many times during its run , demo in themany greatSuccessionquotes throughout the season . Real acres and the localization of where and how a character is living is a big indicator of their rank in the Roy imperium . Like any epic tale , Successionthrives when its characters are throw into the gamey and less - refined moments they apply their wealthiness to avoid , just like the metropolis .

1Mad Men (2007 - 2015)

Seinfeld cast and Kramer

Abbi and Ilana on a New York street in Broad City

Tony Khan and Sting merged image

The cast of Friends next to the cast of Sex and the City in front of the New York skyline

Headshot Of Jennifer Aniston In The Emmy FYC Event for Apple TV+’s ‘The Morning Show’

Headshot Of Courteney Cox In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Warner Bros. Television’s ‘Shining Vale’

Headshot Of Lisa Kudrow In The NBC’s ‘Carol Burnett: 90 Years Of Laughter + Love’ Birthday Special

Headshot Of Matt LeBlanc In The Showtimes Eposodes Viewing Party

Chuck and Blair are getting married in Gossip Girl

Headshot Of Kim Cattrall In The ‘Emily In Paris’ Season 3 World Premiere In Paris

Headshot Of Cynthia Nixon

Headshot of Sarah Jessica Parker In The Opening night of ‘Plaza Suite’ in New York City.

Headshot Of Kristin Davis IN The Fashion Trust U.S. Awards 2024

Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George sitting at Monks in Seinfeld

Headshot Of Jerry Seinfeld In The 2024 Met Gala

Headshot Of Julia Louis-Dreyfus In The 28th Annual Webby Awards

Headshot Of Jason Alexander In The Project Angel Food Lead with Love Five Year Anniversary Special

Cast Placeholder Image

Abbi & Ilana in Broad City Season 1 Episode 6 “Stolen Phone”

Headshot Of Abbi Jacobson

Headshot Of Ilana Glazer

Headshot Of Rachel Brosnahan

Headshot Of Kevin Pollak

Headshot OF Caroline Aaron

Headshot Of Jane Lynch In The STARZ’s ‘Party Down’ Season 3 FYC screening

Liz standing in front of the writers in 30 Rock

Headshot Of Tina Fey

Headshot Of Alec Baldwin I

HeaDSHOT oF Tracy Morgan

Headshot Of Jane Krakowski

Marine, Hannah, Jessa, and Shosh at a concert in season 1 of Girls

Headshot Of Lena Dunham

Headshot Of Adam Driver

Headshot Of Allison Williams

Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) looking at the river with Colin (Scott Nicholson) in the distance in the Succession Series Finale

Headshot Of Hiam Abbass

Headshot Of Alan Ruck

Headshot Of Sarah Snook

Headshot Of Kieran Culkin

Headshot Of Jon Hamm In The Emmy FYC event for Apple TV+’s ‘The Morning Show’

Headshot Of Elisabeth Moss

Headshot Of Vincent Kartheiser In The FOX 2018-2019 Upfront

Headshot Of January Jones