From Jake Peralta to Uncle Jesse, our favorite characters live from coast to coast and in between. Can we still relate to a show even if it is set on the opposite side of the country then we are? Many questions are posed from this about politics, gender, race, occupation and general relatability. Are the shows we watch a reflection of our politics? Shows like The Connors and Last Man Standing are some of the more conservative shows on the list. They, respectively, are set in the suburbs of Illinois and Denver. Both places voted for the Democratic nominee, Hilary Clinton, in the 2016 election. However, shows like Young Sheldon and Perfect Harmony reflect a stereotypical southern persona. The three shows set in Oregon; Shrill, Trinkets and Slumptown all have females as their lead characters. Both shows taking place in Hawaii are crime-fighting dramas, are we to believe everyone residing in Oahu is a P.I or detective? Does representation on the screen need to directly represent where we live? How important is it that our favorite fictional families and friends live in our neighborhoods or is it the characteristic and morals that attract us to them?

We have selected the top 200 American scripted drama or comedy television shows currently on air. To select them, we picked the top viewing channels on each platform, according to Nelsons ratings and subscription numbers- free-to-air, cable, premium cable and streaming- that have scripted content of the comedy or drama variety. Animation, reality, sketch and talk shows have been ruled out. The top channels are as follows;


Of the 200 shows from the 52 of them are set outside the US, in a non-descript location or another universe (Marvel, out-of-space or heaven are some of the biggest in this category). Of the 148 remaining, we have located where they are set. Some are giving a description of Rural X or Suburban Y or larger cities, so locations aren’t exact. Several states don't have any shows set in them currently. These are Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, South Carolina, Michigan, West Virginia, Maine, Rhode Island & Iowa