The Best UK Locations to Film Top American TV Shows
The Best UK Locations to Film Top American TV Shows
Ever wondered what your favourite American TV shows would look like if they were filmed in the UK? We got you. See, as an American casino company who have made the jump to UK shores, we've got first-hand experience of awesome entertainment on both sides of the pond.
Now, we know y’all love watching TV shows, many of which are even adapted into slots games, like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire to Deal Or No Deal Live, so we were keen to see what your top hits would look like if they were brought over to the UK! From Always Sunny in Philadelphia landing in Liverpool to The Bear taking over Birmingham, the results made for a super cool read.
Go on, check them out.
Top TV Shows
Using IMDB's top-rated American shows, we pulled the top American sitcoms reimagined for British cities, with some surprising results.
Have a look and see for yourselves if our matchmaking fits the culture and style of your favourite U.S. primetime shows!
All of our scores were calculated using AI technology, with similarities and stereotypes used to provide an overall ranking out of 100, which we call our 'similarity score’'.
1) Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Liverpool - 85 (out of 100)
Coming in at #1 with a mega similarity score of 85/100 is Always Sunny in...Liverpool.
See, like Philly, Liverpool has proud working-class roots, not to mention a reputation for being super individual. Both of which make for the perfect ingredients as the location for the UK version of Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Liverpool's bustling pub scene would be perfect to replicate Paddy's Pub, where most of the show's action unfolds, too.
2) The Bear – Birmingham - 80 (out of 100)
Who knew Chicago and Birmingham were sister cities? We know, we know, it's not because of a shared love of the iconic deep dish pizza - though it is a cool coincidence. But, still, we believe Birmingham is an awesome match for The Bear due to its industrial past.
3) Two and a Half Men – Sandbanks - 75 (out of 100)
Famed for its wealth and luxurious retirement properties, the Dorset coastline of Sandbanks makes for the ideal replica of Malibu in Two and a Half Men. The affluent bachelor lifestyle depicted in the show is fitting with Sandbanks, but don't expect as many beach parties!
4) Selling Sunset – Buckinghamshire - 70 (out of 100)
Buckinghamshire's links to Pinewood Studios make for the ideal location for a British-style Selling Sunset. Given that the famous Oppenheim office from the show is just a stone's throw from the Hollywood sign, this match makes perfect sense.
The real estate of LA might not quite compare with the chilled, middle-class nature of life in leafy Buckinghamshire, but it's still a solid match.
5) Yellowstone – Lake District - 65 (out of 100)
The rugged landscape of Cumbria’s Lake District had to be the only sensible choice for a UK location for Yellowstone. The cultural match isn't quite as strong, given that life in Cumbria is way more laid back than Yellowstone, where drama and conflict lurks around every corner, but check out those mountains, folks.
6) Atlanta – Newcastle - 64 (out of 100)
With its vibrant nightlife and strong north-east cultural identity, Newcastle has some striking similarities with Atlanta, Georgia. They're both famed for their music scenes and unique personalities. However, the differences here are bigger than in some of our other matches, meaning this match is weaker than some of the other American shows listed.
7) And Just Like That – London - 62 (out of 100)
Where do you choose for a show based on the glamorous lives of New York women? London, of course! Both NYC and London are the embodiment of urban luxury and style. And Just Like That is also connected to the social dynamics of the "Big Apple", making it a solid cultural fit for London.
8) Nashville – Manchester - 60 (out of 100)
Manchester has a unique music scene, just like Nashville, making it a hotbed for the Nashville TV show. Although both cities are music capitals, Manchester is more industrial and rugged, compared with the southern charm of Nashville’s country music scene, accounting for its lower score. But, still, if there's ever going to be a UK spin-off of this American TV show, we bet it'll be in Manchester!
Methodology
We utilised a list of IMDB's top 100 TV shows, inputting descriptions of each show and adding context around places they were set and some characteristics of key cast members. We then asked AI to narrow the list down, and provide a 'similarity score' out of 100 for each TV show compared to an area of the UK.
Only shows with a score of 50+ were deemed similar enough. We then utilised OpenAI technology to craft images for the nine TV shows above, using the descriptions provided of each show and reasoning from our AI software of why certain cities matched different TV shows.