(WHTM) — Pennsylvania has been gaining popularity in the television industry, as more and more television shows are set to take place in the Keystone State.
Most of the television shows aren’t actually filmed in Pennsylvania, but there are definitely small details in shows that only true Pennsylvanians would understand.
Here are some of the most popular shows that are set in Pennsylvania, according to uncoveringpa.com.
The Office
The Office, a mockumentary-style show, followed workers at Dunder Mifflin, a fictitious paper company that was set in Scranton. The show aired from 2005-2013 and followed the employees as they lived and work in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Actor John Krasinski actually came to Scranton before the production of the show to explore the city and learn more about it. While in Scranton, he shot footage of the city that was used in the video montage for the theme song.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, to no surprise, takes place in Philadelphia. The show highlights a group of friends who run a bar in South Philly. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia ran from 2005-2019.
The show tied with another television show, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, as the longest-running live-action sitcom in American TV history.
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World takes place in Philadelphia and tells the story of a family. Corey Matthews and his friends attended a fictional high school, John Adams High School, and the show itself was not filmed in Philadelphia.
This show ran from 1993 to 2000 and highlighted Matthew’s life, as well as his interactions with friends and family.
Jon and Kate Plus 8
Jon and Kate Plus 8 was a reality television show that followed Jon and Kate Gosselin, their twins, and their sextuplets. The family lived in Elizabethtown in Lancaster County, however after Kate and Jon’s divorce, Kate later moved to Wernersville in Berks County.
Throughout the show, the family can be seen partaking in activities all across the Midstate, including playing golf at Beaver Bend in Hummelstown and getting ice cream at an ice cream shop near the Milton Hershey Medical Center.
Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary sitcom, similar to The Office, that takes place in a fictitious elementary school in Philadelphia. The show first aired in 2021 and is still airing today.
The sitcom follows teachers as they teach at a poorly funded elementary school. Many Pennsylvania references can be seen in the show, including sports references and pop culture references. One episode even takes place in Reading, where a convention is held for the teachers.
Parking Wars
Parking Wars aired from 2008 to 2012 and followed the stories of average employees working for the Philadelphia Parking Authority. If you’re familiar with Philadelphia, you’re sure to see some locations that you’ve probably seen in person while watching the show.
This is Us
This is Us has been broadcasting since 2016 and it follows three generations of the Pearson family, as they navigate their lives across parallel time frames. The family lives in the Pittsburgh area in flashback portions of the show.
In the present day, one sibling lives in Philly and other places throughout the state are sometimes mentioned in the show.
My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life only aired for one year, however, it was known for being a breakthrough show for actress Claire Danes and actor Jared Leto.
The show took place in a fictional Pittsburgh suburb called Three Rivers, where a girl named Dane lived and went to high school. The show really related to teenagers at the time.
Pretty Little Liars
Pretty Little Liars aired from 2010 to 2017 and focused on a group of friends who got mysterious members after the leader of their friend group disappeared. The show was set in a fictitious Pennsylvania suburb called Rosewood.
Rosewood is actually based in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, which was in the inspiration behind another television show All My Children.
Dance Moms
Dance Moms is a reality television show that debuted back in 2011 and ran until 2019. The show follows the training and careers of children in dance, all under Abby Lee Miller’s instruction.
The show was based originally in Pittsburgh, but then later moved to Los Angeles, California.
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was created by Latrobe native Fred Rogers in 1968. The show was filmed in Pittsburgh for its entirety.
Rogers was known to feature guests from the local area on his show. The show’s cartoon spinoff, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, is based in western Pennsylvania as well and shows a lot of local places throughout the show.
The Goldbergs
The Goldbergs first aired in 2013 and is based on the childhood of actor Adam Goldberg. The show is set in a 1980s-era Jenkintown, a suburb in Philadelphia. There are many references to the city and life in that era as well.
The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead
This show is part reality series and part crime drama. It began airing in 2016. The series focuses on the coroner of Dauphin County, Graham Hetrick.
The show focuses on Hetrick’s most unusual and intriguing cases with a mix of real-life interviews and dramatic reenactments.
Restored by the Fords
Restored by the Fords follows siblings Leanne and Steve Ford on their restoration journey throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. The show first aired in 2016.
The Fords were talking about casting for a new show back in 2020 called Back in the Burgh.
