My Fave Fictional Portrayals of New York City

 New York City seems to get all the attention in American popular culture. Most successful sitcoms in recent memory - "Friends", "Seinfeld", "Sex and the City" - take place there. Both Marvel and DC's top superheroes live there, or in fictional versions of it. (You're not fooling anyone with "Metropolis", Superman.) Billy Joel has built half his career singing about how much he loves the place. And who could forget that scene from "Enchanted" when Giselle climbs out of a manhole in the middle of Times Square?

The rule seems to be that if a series or movie proposal does not require another setting, it should be set in New York. If you can't possibly get the show/book/series to happen in New York, have at least one main character be from New York, and continually harp on about how much better New York is than wherever the setting takes place. (Like The Baby-Sitter's Club does with Stacey!)

There is a reason for this: the skyline is just so darn recognizable. In addition, New York City is the most populous metropolitan area in the United States (and the 4th most populous in the world), possibly justifying the frequency with which events of great significance occur there in fiction. Further justification for this is New York's diversity. Very close to every single ethnic, racial and religious group is is represented to some degree or another on the streets of the five boroughs, and nearly every language spoken on Planet Earth can be heard there. Although most US cities are cosmopolitan to one degree or another, New York is particularly noticeable due to the larger population, thus making the diversity more obvious. Further helping matters is the fact that New York is a major hub for business, finance, politics, culture, etc., which makes it that much easier to set stories of all sorts there. At the very least, New York is where a great many writers live, or come from.

Though I know these portrayals aren't really ever that realistic, that doesn't stop me from enjoying them! And I do have my own favourites...




 5. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Okay, okay, I know, Holden Caulfield is a whiny little bitch, and the New York he describes is the New York of the 50s, not the modern-day version. But... I know people think this book is overrated, but I really like Salinger's writing style and I really enjoy Holden's account of New York, even as depressing and unreliable as it may be. Maybe I kind of liked seeing him go dancing with random strangers and then get beat up by a pimp. It's brutal, but that's the city, baby.

4. "Friends"

I KNOW IT'S UNREALISTIC, OKAY? I KNOW. LEAVE ME ALONE.

3. "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"

Speaking of unrealistic portrayals, this Netflix original show is downright surreal at times, but god is it funny. (There's even a scene in one episode which parodies "Friends" - or as the character Dong calls it, "Six White Complainers") I don't expect the real life New York to be at all how sunny Kimmy sees it, but that isn't going to stop me from trying to draw comfort from the show's trademark optimism and unbelievably catchy theme song as I binge watch the recently released second season.

2. "Hamilton"

There's a reason no one can shut up about "Hamilton". Listen to the soundtrack once and you, too, will be hooked. This show's portrayal of eighteenth-century New York feels so modern. It's uplifting to hear the Schuyler sisters proclaim "History is happenin' in Manhattan and we just happen to be in the greatest city in the world!" Listening to "Hamilton" really makes me believe anything is possible in New York City (the greatest city in the world) - after all, the very first song promises "In New York, you can be a new man."

1. "Broad City"

FOUR AND THREE AND TWO AND ONE! I love love love "Broad City". While not surreal on the same level of Kimmy Schmidt, its exaggerated portrayal of New York City can border on the surreal at times. But at its heart, something about it feels so genuine. Abbi and Ilana's antics may be absolutely ridonkulous, but beneath the jokes and loud noises the true heart of the show is the beautiful friendship between two Jewish feminist women (and can I say how refreshing it is to have two Jewish protagonists in a non-WWII piece of media instead of a token side character?) living in New York, at least one of them who is definitely somewhere on the LGBT spectrum. Can you see why that kind of thing would actually mean a lot to me? I do see a lot of Sarah and myself in Abbi and Ilana's antics. So I love this stupid, silly show. A lot.

What are your favourite examples of media that takes place in New York?
-Nym-