The “Chicago” franchise and “Easy” aren’t the only shows Chicago boasts—plenty of series call the Windy City home. In recent years, there’s been a mix of shows set here and shows shot here. Let’s break it down.
Set in Chicago
“The Good Wife” – Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) is a high-powered attorney in Chicago and her husband is the governor of Illinois, but the show was shot in New York.
“Mike & Molly” – The couple meets at a Chicago Overeaters Anonymous meeting and Mike (Billy Gardell) is a Chicago police officer, but it’s normal for sitcoms to be shot in L.A.
“The Girlfriend Experience” – Christine (Riley Keough) is a student at the fictional Chicago-Burnham Law School and has an internship at a prestigious law firm. Despite some shooting in Chicago, principal photography was in Toronto.
Filmed in Chicago
“Empire” – The Lyon family runs Empire Entertainment, a major record label in New York City. Despite this, the hit drama shoots in Chicago dressed up to look like NYC. Still, we’ve spotted a RedEye box or two in episodes.
Both
“Shameless” – An alcoholic (William H. Macy) is father to six children on the South Side of Chicago, and the show follows the family’s dysfunction. Some of the series is shot in L.A., but exterior shots happen in Chicago to ensure it has the city’s feel.
“Sense8” – This Netflix series from the Wachowskis is a science-fiction drama about eight strangers from different parts of the world (so obviously not all the filming was in Chicago). Will Gorski (Brian J. Smith), a Chicago police officer, is one of the eight.
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