TV's Hottest Club Is Philadelphia — Why This American City Is a Perfect Playground for New Shows
On May 29, 'Abbott Elementary' creator and star Quinta Brunson received the key to the city of Philadelphia.
As a Philly native, Brunson never planned to set her series elsewhere. 'Abbott' is based on her own elementary school and her mother's experience as a teacher, and the show's Philadelphia setting is part of its unforgettable charm.
More from IndieWire
How 'A Man on the Inside' Crafted a 'True Rom-Com' Ending Without the Typical Romance
Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi on 'Beatles '64,' the Fab Four's Influence on Cinema, and David Lynch at Their First U.S. Concert
'Quinta loves Philadelphia, loves it so deeply that she pores over every little detail that is Philly specific in the show, down to what's in the vending machines in the school,' showrunner Justin Halpern told IndieWire. 'She has a deep, deep love for the city, and because of that she wants the show to feel as authentic as possible.'
TV fans may have noticed that Philadelphia is having a moment; from 'Abbott' to the ongoing 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' (and their unlikely but seamless crossover) and 'Deli Boys' in the comedy world to dramatic projects like Peacock's 'Long Bright River' and 'Dope Thief' starring Brian Tyree Henry. It stands out from the popularity of other cities on TV (especially New York or Los Angeles) by embodying 'an energy and a specific vibe.'
'So often when you're creating shows or taking pitches out, you're like, 'Where should we set this?,'' Halpern said. 'Sometimes it doesn't really matter. You can set it anywhere — but you're making a real choice when you set something in Philly.'
When 'Deli Boys' creator Abdullah Saeed first wrote the sample script that would become his Hulu series, it was set in New York. Despite the notes of 'Succession' in 'Deli Boys,' he wanted it to be fun, but remembered New York as 'stressful and anxiety-inducing.'
'I want to love it,' he said of 'Deli Boys.' 'So I wanted it to be set in Philadelphia.'
In Philly, the Dar brothers (Saagar Shaikh and Asif Ali) made sense as 'low-rent moguls' in an environment less cutthroat (and less policed) than New York. 'I do think of Philadelphia, especially south Philadelphia, as a somewhat lawless place, where as a young college student I would get wild with my friends and it seemed there was no consequences,' Saeed said. 'College kids are the least of the Philly Police Department's problems, right? It felt like a place to be very free.'
While 'Deli Boys' takes a humorous and 'explosive' approach to local crime, 'Long Bright River' stays true to the serious takeaways of Liz Moore's eponymous novel. The limited series is based on her experiences growing up and volunteering in the Kensington area, which became a 'North Star' for production, according to showrunner Nikki Toscano.
'Because of Liz's close ties and presence in that community, I think that there was an openness to help us portray it accurately, as well as an investment in educating the cast and crew on what it felt like to live there,' she told IndieWire. 'When you're carefully coordinating with the people that work there and live there, with your production design departments, with your music departments, with casting and everything, it enriches what it is you're trying to accomplish.'
'Long Bright River' filmed in New York, but brought in a number of Kensington locals to educate those working on the show about life in the neighborhood and especially dealing with substance abuse, a central theme of the show. Many of the smaller speaking and background roles were played by Philadelphia actors, and Philly graffiti artists came out to tag the sets and leave their mark on the visuals.
Toscano said that the city has been underrepresented, which is part of the allure drawing storytellers there. 'I do think that there is a spirit to the community in Philadelphia that people are trying to represent and use as a metaphor for their series, and I think that we are no exception to that,' she said.
During a Zoom meeting to write out the 'Abbott' and 'Always Sunny' crossover, Brunson and Rob McElhaney got very excited about 'some in-the-weeds Philly thing,' Halpern recalled.
'For like two minutes they were in a fugue state where they were just talking about Philly shit that was so deep in the weeds that even some of the Philly people were like, 'We don't really know what you're talking about,'' he said. 'When you meet somebody who has that same kind of love for your town, it feels connective.'
Saeed found that kinship with 'Deli Boys' showrunner Michelle Nader, who was born and raised in South Philly and once appeared in a Geno's Steaks commercial. Though the show filmed in Chicago, Saeed doesn't feel that it compromised the city's spirit at all.
'In an ideal world, we would have our exact same crew that we had in Chicago, and shoot in Philly,' he said. 'But that doesn't make any sense, so… the actors are all playing characters Chicago's playing Philly.'
From the college culture to the diehard sports fans, Halpern said that Philly pride is infectious — and once you're in, you stay in.
'If there's a group of friends and one friend everybody shits on, but then somebody outside of that group tries to shit on them, they'll be like, 'Hey, nobody talks shit about our friend except for us,'' he said.
'Abbott' films on-location roughly once a season, this time for the Season 4 finale episode. Co-showrunner Patrick Schumaker recalled the surreal experience of that journey, 'he looks on people's faces as they entered the plane as other passengers on the plane as they started to do the math.'
'They'd notice one cast member, then ping pong to another, then another, then another, and the looks of like joyful recognition and wonder about what they're all doing on this plane was really cool,' he said. 'It was really indicative of just how meaningful the show is to Philadelphians.'
One day on set, the mayor showed up; another day it was representatives from the Philadelphia Eagles, including offensive tackle Jordan Mailata and the actual Lombardi trophy. The show's casting department receives constant requests for guest spots, but Philly gets the priority (and even then it can be tricky to organically write into the story, like Bradley Cooper as himself).
Schumaker said Philadelphia represents a perfect microcosm of the country, on its best days and its worst. And when Hollywood gets too high on its bullshit, Philly is the perfect chaser.
'You can act like an asshole in LA you can act like an asshole in New York — and you might even be champion for it in both those places,' Schumaker said. 'But you can't be a bullshit phony in Philly and get away with it. I really do feel like that's the best of America: Philly is not going to buy your bullshit.'
Best of IndieWire
2023 Emmy Predictions: Who Will Win at the Primetime Emmy Awards?
2023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
2023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
21 hours ago
Barbara Walters biggest interviews revisited, from Monica Lewinsky to the Menendez brothers
Barbara Walters had a trailblazing, decades-long broadcast journalism career that was most defined by the interviews she did with newsmakers and celebrities alike. Over her 50-year television career, Walters, who died in 2022 at the age of 93, interviewed thousands of people, including everyone from Fidel Castro and Barbra Streisand to the Kardashian sisters, Vladimir Putin, Lady Gaga, Saddam Hussein, Monica Lewinsky, Robin Givens and Mike Tyson, Bashar Al-Assad and the Menendez brothers. A new documentary looks at Walters' life and career and shows the impact those interviews had on the world. "She asked the question that nobody else had asked, and asked it in a way that always hit a nerve," Oprah Winfrey says of Walters in the documentary, "Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything," streaming June 23 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. "No one ever got out totally unscathed," journalist and friend Cynthia McFadden says in the documentary of Walters' interviews. Bette Midler, herself the subject of Walters' interviews over the years, says of Walters' style, "She was fearless, and sometimes she got under people's skin." In the documentary, Victor Neufeld, a senior executive producer who worked with Walters for years on ABC News' "20/20," details how diligently Walters prepared for each interview. "When she prepared for an interview, the whole world stopped when you were in this session with her. Nothing could interrupt," Neufeld said. "She went through hundreds of questions and then she, in a moment, said, 'That's enough. We're ready.'" Take a look back at some of the most memorable interviews of Walters' career. Fidel Castro In 1977, Walters traveled to Cuba to interview Fidel Castro, then the country's Communist leader. The nearly five-hour session became one of the most memorable moments in Walters' career, and in broadcast journalism history. "It took us many years to actually get it," Walters told ABC News' Byron Pitts in 2016 of the interview. "For a man who likes to talk, he does very few interviews. When he finally sat down, it was, for me, memorable, and to a large degree because we crossed the Bay of Pigs together." Nearly 30 years later, in 2002, Walters interviewed Castro for a second time. "It wasn't as important an interview, I didn't think, or as exciting an interview because a lot had happened and we'd learned a great about him that we hadn't known," Walters told Pitts of the second interview. Monica Lewinsky In 1998, Walters sat down for an hours-long interview with Monica Lewinsky about her relationship with then-President Bill Clinton while she was a White House intern. After Walters' death in 2022, Lewinsky posted a tribute on social media, writing, in part, "I remarked that this was the first time I'd ever been in serious trouble. I'd basically been a good kid – got good grades, didn't do drugs, never shoplifted etc. Without missing a beat, Barbara said: Monica, next time shoplift." Katharine Hepburn Walters' interview with actress Katharine Hepburn in 1981 became famous for a single question. After Hepburn told Walters she felt like a strong tree at her age, Walters replied, "What kind of tree are you?' The question became fodder for late-night show jokes for years. In 2006, Walters herself described it as one of her biggest mistakes in the special, "The Barbara Walters Special: 30 Mistakes in 30 Years." "Starting out at number 30 in our countdown, and it's a big one, never ask anyone what kind of tree they want to be," Walters said in the special, which aired on ABC News to mark the 30th anniversary of Walters' career. Erik and Lyle Menendez Walters traveled to California in 1996 for the biggest interview get at the time, an exclusive jailhouse interview with Erik and Lyle Menendez after they were found guilty of murdering their parents. In the interview, the brothers discussed with Walters the closeness of their relationship, and how that may have played a role in their parents' murder. Lyle Menendez said the killing of his parents 'happened, in part, because Erik Menendez wanted, needed my help' and blames himself 'for not protecting him earlier.' In another moment, Walters pressed Erik Menendez when he described himself as "just a normal kid." "I'm just a normal - I'm just a normal kid," he said, to which Walters replied, "Oh Eric, you're a normal kid who killed your parents." "I know," Erik Menendez said. Clint Eastwood In 1982, Walters interviewed actor Clint Eastwood. The two shared a flirtatious moment that caused Walters to jokingly call for a break in the interview. After Eastwood told Walters he is not one to share emotions easily, Walters responded to the Hollywood superstar by saying, "You would drive me nuts and I would drive you crazy because I would be saying, 'But, you know.'" Eastwood, sitting close to Walters at a picnic table in a field of wild flowers, then told her, "Well we could try it and see if it worked out." After a quick laugh and a second of silence, Walters looked off-camera and said, "I think we'll stop and reload." Discussing the interview clip on " Good Morning America" in May, co-anchor George Stephanopoulos noted, "That's the only time I've ever seen Barbara Walters blush." Bashar al-Assad In 2011, at the age of 82, Walters traveled to Syria to interview Bashar al-Assad, the then-president of Syria. The interview took place during an escalating civil war in Syria and al-Assad's first American interview. Walters pressed al-Assad on the uprising and whether he felt "guilty" for the deaths in his country. "You don't feel guilty when you don't kill people," he told Walters.
Los Angeles Times
21 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
‘The Chosen,' a celebration of Black life and motorcycle diaries for your weekend streaming
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who needs a break from politicians' interpretations of the Bible. The fifth season of 'The Chosen,' the faith-based TV series that has found success releasing select seasons in theaters, has begun its three-week rollout on Prime Video. George Xanthis, who plays John the Apostle, stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the show. Also in this week's Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations include a documentary that delves into the origin story of New Orleans' first Black Mardi Gras krewe, and the latest installment in the travelogue adventures of actors/BFFs Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, known for their motorcycle journeys in 'Long Way Round' and 'Long Way Down.' This time, the pair is riding from McGregor's home in Scotland to Boorman's in England. Must-read stories you might have missed Is it too late to reverse Hollywood's runaway production? Writers on the 'stark' reality: Writers from six of the year's most entertaining and acclaimed TV series open up about runaway production, the binge model and tuning out (or into) social media. In 'The Waterfront,' 'Dawson's Creek' creator Kevin Williamson returns to his gritty roots: The main characters in the new Netflix series are a multigenerational cast of adults whose lives are glossier and grittier than what audiences remember from the 'Dawson's' gang. Before social media, Barbara Walters said 'Tell Me Everything.' And many did: A new documentary coming to Hulu recounts Walters' groundbreaking TV career from the early days of 'Today' to 'The View.' A dream team reunites to bring zombie horror home again in '28 Years Later': Director Danny Boyle, screenwriter Alex Garland and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle return to the terrifying world they created for 2002's '28 Days Later.' Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times 'A King Like Me' (Netflix) Matthew O. Henderson has made a lively, lovely documentary about the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club of New Orleans, preeminent among the krewes that parade on Mardis Gras. (You will know them by the painted coconuts they toss, their makeup and grass skirts.) It's a history, a celebration and a disquisition, whose interests range from the benevolent societies that provided a form of neighborhood insurance, to the electioneering of men hoping to become that year's king — Louis Armstrong served in 1949 — to surviving racism, Katrina and COVID (or not). The question is raised of whether the Zulus, Black men who have paraded in a sort of altered blackface and 'African' dress for more than 100 years, should give up the long-controversial makeup or preserve it as a generations-old tradition; Henderson doesn't take a side, but lets his subjects have their nuanced say. And as any film about New Orleans must, it's full of music and food, hanging out and dancing in the streets. — Robert Lloyd 'Long Way Home' (AppleTV+) When 'Outlander' debuted on Starz in August 2014, many Americans were as dazzled by Scotland, with its looming fells, pristine lakes and lyrical accents as they were by the time traveling love story. Since then, Scotland has become the new England, at least on television. Streamers are bursting with all manner of Scottish series, from the classics ('Rebus,' the 2000s original available on BritBox and the remake, on ViaPlay) to the brand new ('Dept. Q' on Netflix). In between are shows too numerous and diverse to name but given my penchant for murder mysteries, it is not surprising that my favorites include: 'Case Histories' (Acorn TV, Tubi), 'Shetland' (BritBox), 'The Loch' (BritBox), 'Karen Pirie' (BritBox) and 'Annika' (PBS) — all of which offer breathtaking scenery, ancient stone edifices and, most important, a glowering, windswept alternative to Los Angeles, particularly in summer That's exactly what I was looking for when I tuned into 'Long Way Home' on Apple TV+. The fourth installment of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's motorcycle adventures around the world begins at McGregor's Scottish home, winds its way through Scandinavia into the Arctic, thence through the Baltic states and through continental Europe before finishing up back in Scotland. Having no European vacation plans of my own, it seemed a fine visual substitute; McGregor is always a charming screen presence, as is Boorman. It's been five years since they joined forces for 'Long Way Down,' 20 since their first trip in 'Long Way Round,' and watching two 50-somethings hitch themselves onto vintage bikes to embark on a 19,000-mile journey to the Arctic and back is pretty inspiring — even if one of them has a name and face that guarantees a certain starstruck quality from even citizens of rural Finland and both have a multiperson camera crew/backup team should anything go seriously wrong. Unlike other travelogues, this series does not linger over cuisine, haute or otherwise (there is a continual quest for coffee), aiming instead for a scattering of local crafts, traditions and events. The ever-shifting landscape is, in fact, amazingly beautiful, the people they meet along the way are often quite fascinating. The best parts, of course, are the unexpected bad weather, an unexpected road closure, an impromptu concertand mosquitoes. The bikes grumble and occasionally break down, as do the 50-somethings, which is reassuring to us ordinary folk who get to see the glory of all without having to straddle a motorcycle for two months. At 10 episodes that average 40 minutes, 'Long Way Home' covers a lot of ground in a way that is both slow and speedy. My only complaint? Not nearly enough Scotland. — Mary McNamara A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching Season 5 of 'The Chosen,' the TV series about the life of Jesus that became a surprise hit, already played in movie theaters earlier this year, but fans looking for ways to fill prime rest hours can now watch all eight episodes at home. Created by Dallas Jenkins, the faith-based drama has attracted a devoted audience since its premiere in 2017 with its look at Jesus' life and teachings — and has found success leaning into an unconventional distribution strategy, with theatrical releases of Seasons 3 through 5 that have made millions at the box office. The first two episodes of the fifth season, which is titled 'Last Supper' and chronicles the events of Holy Week, are available to stream on Prime Video, with the next three episodes dropping Sunday, before concluding with another three-episode release on June 29. Australian actor George Xanthis, who plays John the Apostle, stopped by Guest Spot via email to talk about the show's success and the Pixar film that's become scripture to him. — Yvonne Villarreal 'The Chosen' is striking a chord with an underserved audience often overlooked by major Hollywood studios. As an actor, did you feel any stigma about venturing into faith-based content? What has the experience of making it — and the response to it — illuminated for you? I'll start by saying that upon reading the first episode and finding out I was playing a 'fisherman' by the name of 'John,' I actually had no idea the project was faith-based! I think that tells you where this series has found success — it doesn't read or play like something that is strictly faith-based, or something that is attempting to convert you. It's a show about the real people that would have lived through first century Judea, how they battled against crippling Roman occupation and how they found refuge in a peaceful, love-preaching Rabbi. I guess I didn't have time to feel any stigma, and before I knew it, we were a megahit all around the globe! For the audience, there's often a blurring of lines between performer and role. That would seem to be an interesting dynamic when portraying a figure of faith — how do you grapple with that push and pull of serving as a conduit for someone's relationship to their faith while maintaining your grip on your function as an actor? The show's success has come from taking these 'saints' in the apostles and bringing them away from the paintings and iconography we recognize and telling an origin story that audiences can relate to. At the end of the day, I am not necessarily depicting a saint as a figure of faith, but rather, I am a fisherman from Capernaum with a hot temperament learning to control his impulses with the lessons of love and compassion his Rabbi is teaching him. It's important to respect people's identification with these figures in whatever way they want to, but for me the best feedback I've received from fans about my portrayal of John has been how they see parts of themselves in John, when he makes mistakes, when he learns from his mistakes, when he makes them AGAIN and so on. You've played real-life figures like George Stephanopoulos in 'Impeachment: American Crime Story' and John Travolta in an Olivia Newton-John TV biopic. How does your approach and your mission with those known figures compare to what you're striving to achieve with your portrayal of John the Apostle? I started out in this industry in comedy, both stand-up and sketch comedy. A large part of my comedic success has come from doing impressions and impersonating notable people. When I got the roles of John Travolta and George Stephanopoulos, my process was the same as any impression — find the voice, find the body, mold myself into the people based on what I could see of them and mimic them as well as I could. With John [the Apostle], I'm depicting a real person but I don't have the luxury of watching videos of him. So instead, the character arc helps govern my character building. An eager-to-please 'Son of Thunder' has a short temper, sometimes waning patience but at the center of him is a compassionate soul who always looks out for others he cares about. It means my palate to play with is quite broad, and John's temperament for any given moment usually exists somewhere between these extremes of 'thunder' and 'love.' What have you watched recently that you're recommending to everyone you know? The most recent series I finished was 'Peaky Blinders' (Netflix). Being an Australian and part of the Commonwealth, British-based television holds a special place in my heart, and I loved watching Birmingham come to life through the brutal eyes of Thomas Shelby. It's a bucket list item of mine to be in a British film or series watching so much of it growing up. Here's to hoping! What's your go-to comfort watch, the film or TV show you return to again and again? There are so many, but becoming a new father, I realized just how much I have watched 'Toy Story' (Disney+) and how much time I still have for that film. I'll still watch it on planes as I make the 14-hour commute between Australia and the U.S. when there's nothing else to watch. Fun fact: I can quote the movie word-for-word from beginning to end. Pick a moment, and I can carry on the movie verbatim — voices, music, sound effects and all!
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
When Does ‘Power Book IV: Force' Return? ‘Power Book IV: Force' Season 3 Update
The fourth season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan is in our rearview — the series will eventually return for a fifth and final season — which means Power fans are now focusing on the next installment of the franchise: Power Book IV: Force. The beloved Joseph Sikora-led spinoff was renewed for a third season all the way back in December 2023, but it was announced in June 2024 that Season 3 would be the final installment. If you find yourself missing Tommy, the official Starz YouTube page has an 11-minute video featuring the character's best moments. When exactly does Power Book IV: Force return with new episodes? Here's everything you need to know. Nope. The series isn't airing any new episodes this month. Yes! But in June 2024, it was announced that the third season of Force would be the show's final installment. There's no official premiere date, but Starz has announced that the third and final season of Force debuts 'this fall' on the network. The fourth season of BMF concludes on August 15, so our best guess would be September or October for Force. The new season will be available to watch on and the Starz app (available to download on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon). For a limited time, you can purchase three months of Starz for $3.99/month or $3.00/month when you prepay $17.99 for six months. Starz is also available with an active subscription to Philo (as well as Sling TV and fuboTV) for an extra $10.99/month. A seven-day free trial is available for new subscribers. You bet! You can add Hulu to your Starz account for an additional $10.99/month. Hulu offers a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. You know it. You can add Starz to your Prime Video account for an additional $10.99/month. Amazon offers a seven-day free trial for eligible subscribers.
