What great truths about cities have you learned from movies and TV?

[hauntedheadnc]

Considering the neverending sluice of shit in the news these days, let's chat about something a tad more lighthearted. Namely, what irrefutable truths have movies and TV shows taught you about these great cities we all love?

For instance, did you know that every third resident of Portland is a were-possum or some such? Had I never watched Grimm this knowledge would have been hidden from me.

Then there's the fact that Atlanta is the only place on God's gray earth where Black people live lives of sufficient fullness to allow them to function as main characters. Everywhere else -- everywhere else -- Blacks just can't thrive enough to get past the sidekick or ensemble team member stage. It's very sad, really. Oh, occasionally you'll get a Black person who tries to forge a main character path somewhere else, such as when Jada Pinkett Smith played a doctor in a medical drama set in Richmond, but it never takes.

And Miami! Who knew that all the crimes committed in Miami are committed by rich white people with sufficient engineering and welding experience to commit their crimes with remote-controlled robotic guns attached the front of luxury cars? Thank goodness CSI: Miami was there to inform me!

And let's not even talk about how nice it is to live in New York, be in your early twenties, and have the time and the money to spend days at a time sitting around in coffee shops. Friends reruns taught me about that.

More will be added as they occur to me, but in the meantime, what universal truths have you learned from your studious media consumption?

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by hauntedheadnc

Considering the neverending sluice of shit in the news these days, let's chat about something a tad more lighthearted. Namely, what irrefutable truths have movies and TV shows taught you about these great cities we all love?

For instance, did you know that every third resident of Portland is a were-possum or some such? Had I never watched Grimm this knowledge would have been hidden from me.

[/b]Then there's the fact that Atlanta is the only place on God's gray earth where Black people live lives of sufficient fullness to allow them to function as main characters. Everywhere else -- everywhere else -- Blacks just can't thrive enough to get past the sidekick or ensemble team member stage. It's very sad, really. Oh, occasionally you'll get a Black person who tries to forge a main character path somewhere else, such as when Jada Pinkett Smith played a doctor in a medical drama set in Richmond, but it never takes.[/b]

And Miami! Who knew that all the crimes committed in Miami are committed by rich white people with sufficient engineering and welding experience to commit their crimes with remote-controlled robotic guns attached the front of luxury cars? Thank goodness CSI: Miami was there to inform me!

And let's not even talk about how nice it is to live in New York, be in your early twenties, and have the time and the money to spend days at a time sitting around in coffee shops. Friends reruns taught me about that.

More will be added as they occur to me, but in the meantime, what universal truths have you learned from your studious media consumption?

You should check out Insecure then. Very few people have captured what life is like in middle class black Los Angeles (Crenshaw, View Park-Windsor Hills, Leimert Park, Inglewood, Baldwin Hills) but Insecure does that part of LA justice. Plus it's a truly great show. Captures the soul of Los Angeles perfectly.

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[Metro-One]

That no matter where I go in this world, I will always see Vancouver on TV... standing in for somewhere else.

Even at the damn karaoke bar in Japan, the background filler video is ariel shots of Vancouver...

[Buckeye Native 001]

Turkeys can't fly and radio stations throw them out of helicopters and onto unsuspecting shoppers at strip malls during Thanksgiving - WKRP in Cincinnati

[HomeInMyShoes]

^Haha. I also learned that some people's reaction times get better with drinking.

I learned from Way Downtown that you can live without going outside in Calgary for long periods of time.

[ChargerCarl]

I've learned that you can make LA look like any city in the world.

[Sam Hill]

The Wire taught me that Baltimore is hell on earth.

[Nite]

Originally Posted by ChargerCarl

I've learned that you can make LA look like any city in the world.

I think you mean Vancouver. I see it constantly in TV, movies and commercials, standing in for others cities more.

[ThePhun1]

@ OP

Many popular shows and movies feature a black in the lead role in places other than Atlanta , especially in the 90's. Martin was set in Detroit before it completely cratered, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was obviously set in and around LA and Bad Boys, featuring both main leads from those shows, was in Miami. Atlanta is popular as a setting for black sitcoms but hardly the only place where they take place. Sister Sister also took place in Detroit and Tia and Tamara's brother's show, Smart Guy, was set in Washington. The Wayans Bros. was set in Manhattan.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Nite

I think you mean Vancouver. I see it constantly in TV, movies and commercials, standing in for others cities more.

Lol Vancouver might stand in for a few places here and there. LA has stood in for practically every place on earth.

[ChargerCarl]

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

The Wire taught me that Baltimore is hell on earth.

Bodymore Murdaland

Seriously though, I love those row houses. If it was safe to live there I'd move in a heart beat.

[ThePhun1]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Lol Vancouver might stand in for a few places here and there. LA has stood in for practically every place on earth.

Also, many movies are made in Australia because of its similarities to the US and US cities.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by ThePhun1

@ OP

Many popular shows and movies feature a black in the lead role in places other than Atlanta , especially in the 90's. Martin was set in Detroit before it completely cratered, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was obviously set in and around LA and Bad Boys, featuring both main leads from those shows, was in Miami. Atlanta is popular as a setting for black sitcoms but hardly the only place where they take place. Sister Sister also took place in Detroit and Tia and Tamara's brother's show, Smart Guy, was set in Washington. The Wayans Bros. was set in Manhattan.

also, the cosby show (professional class black family) set in brooklyn and family matters (middle class black family) set in chicago.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by ThePhun1

Also, many movies are made in Australia because of its similarities to the US and US cities.

Absolutely. Many parts of Australia / New Zealand resemble California and the rest of the west.

Sam Hill, thats a good one. The Wire's version of Baltimore really shaped peoples opinions of the city.

Shameless has taught me that many parts of Chicago are filled with white trash who love to sleep in the streets and do drugs 24 hours a day

[pdxtex]

sometimes, tv cities and real cities are the same! lots of Detroit still looks like the intro to Beverly hills cop. of the few times ive been to the tenderloin, it totally looked like an 80s eddie murphy movie. packs of transvestites yelling at each other around a payphone, surly bums racing each other in wheelchairs....parts of porland are like that now too!

[badrunner]

90s piss filter makes any city look like a hellhole.

[James Bond Agent 007]

I learned that on TV, people who work in crappy jobs can still get a nice apartment in an expensive city.

The only realistic one I think was Laverne and Shirley, whose apartment was in the basement.

[pdxtex]

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

I learned that on TV, people who work in crappy jobs can still get a nice apartment in an expensive city.

The only realistic one I think was Laverne and Shirley, whose apartment was in the basement.

except for duckie in pretty in pink. he lived in a total craphole!! but yeah, friends??

[James Bond Agent 007]

Hmm I never saw Pretty in Pink. In fact there's a whole lotta shows I've never seen so I could be wrong.

[mrsmartman]

Originally Posted by ChargerCarl

I've learned that you can make LA look like any city in the world.

Los Santos in GTA V was carefully planned and precisely executed. Everything has its meaning and purpose like the words of the Bible. It is a perfect rendition of American superiority.