The 80+ Best TV Shows Set In NYC, Ranked
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Vote up the best scripted television shows that take place in New York city.
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Over 2.9K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The 80+ Best TV Shows Set In NYC, Ranked
In the world of television, there's something captivating about the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple that has inspired directors to set their narratives against its gritty yet glamorous backdrop. This explains why numerous storytelling masterpieces are set in New York City. Spanning a number of different genres, these set-in-NYC shows range from sitcoms echoing with laughter to drama series brimming with intensity, each presenting a unique facet of New York City.
Few places compare to NYC when it comes to vibrant culture and diverse, urban charm, and that is why the city has caught the creative eye of countless directors. Each of the shows in this set-in-New-York television series collection were carefully selected for their compelling plots, engaging characterization, and the remarkable finesse with which they encapsulate city life. Whether it's love unfolding in a Manhattan coffee shop or friendships forged in Manhattan offices, these series offer more than just entertainment; they depict a reality, albeit dramatized, woven into the fabric of a city that never sleeps.
Take a journey to NYC through these shows, and experience a range of narratives resonating with the spirit of New York. Noteworthy mentions in this collection include the classics Seinfeld and Friends, characterized by their sharp humor and memorable characters, and considered some of the best shows set in New York. Sex and the City and Mad Men are other gems that offer glimpses into the city's romantic escapades and corporate scenarios, enriched by nuanced storytelling. Underneath each entry, you'll find handy streaming buttons for platforms like HBO Max, Netflix, and Paramount+, making each episode just a click away.
The selection offers a comprehensive grouping of TV shows in New York, each stamped with quintessential NYC charm. From laughter-filled apartments to tense boardrooms, these standout series weave tales that are as diverse as the streets of New York itself. Each series encapsulates the elements that makes New York City an enchanting setting for some of the most loved narratives on screen. Embark on this journey as you watch the best TV shows set in NYC; it promises to be an engaging ride through the lanes and skyscrapers of this captivating city.
- 1A con artist assists an FBI agent, in exchange for his freedom.
- Actors: Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, Willie Garson, Marsha Thomason
- 2Six friends living in New York hang out at a coffee bar.
- Actors: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry
- 3Friends living in Manhattan obsess over little things.
- Actors: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, Ruth Cohen
- 4Capt. Benson and her NYPD squad fight for justice in cases ripped straight from the headlines.
- Actors: Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Kelli Giddish, Peter Scanavino, Octavio Pisano
- 1Law & Order18 Votes
- 2To Kill a Mockingbird10 Votes
- 3The Wire9 Votes
- 5Detectives and prosecutors pursue justice in the New York City streets and courtrooms.
- Actors: Hugh Dancy, Odelya Halevi, Tony Goldwyn, Mehcad Brooks, Reid Scott
- 1Lennie Briscoe4,981 Votes
- 2John Munch4,578 Votes
- 3Fin Tutuola4,407 Votes
- 6Through a series of flashbacks, Ted tells his kids how he met their mother.
- Actors: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan
- 7The lives of privileged but dysfunctional friends on Manhattan's Upper East Side.
- Actors: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick
- 8Four single women search for romance in New York.
- Actors: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth
- 9Preparing children socially and academically for school.
- Actors: Fran Brill, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Ryan Dillon, Eric Jacobson, Joey Mazzarino
- 10Clint Barton and Kate Bishop shoot a few arrows and try to avoid becoming the target themselves.
- Actors: Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Vera Farmiga, Florence Pugh, Fra Fee
- 11Cab company employees share in each other's lives.
- Actors: Judd Hirsch, Jeff Conaway, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza
- 12Top adman Don Draper seals the deal in the boardroom and bedroom but struggles with changing times.
- Actors: Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones, Christina Hendricks
- 1Marten Holden Weiner (Glen Bishop)253 Votes
- 2Kiernan Shipka (Sally Draper )212 Votes
- 3Vincent Kartheiser (Pete Campbell)226 Votes
- 13The scion of a conservative family embarks on a mission to infiltrate the wealthy neighboring clan.
- Actors: Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Denée Benton
- 14Three strangers share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one.
- Actors: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Michael Cyril Creighton, Meryl Streep
- 15A witch marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typical suburban housewife.
- Actors: Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, Dick Sargent, Agnes Moorehead, Maurice Evans
- 16
Bridget Loves Bernie
1972Bridget Loves Bernie is an American television comedy program created by Bernard Slade, the creator of the 1970–74 ABC sitcom The Partridge Family and the 1967-70 sitcom The Flying Nun. Bridget Loves Bernie was based loosely on the premise of the 1920s Broadway play and 1940s radio show Abie's Irish Rose. It stars Meredith Baxter and David Birney as the title characters. It ran for one season, from 1972 to 1973, on CBS. Baxter and Birney married in real life after the program went off the air.- Actors: Meredith Baxter, Audra Lindley, David Doyle, David Birney, Ned Glass
- 17Lucy Ricardo makes life difficult for her Cuban bandleader husband.
- Actors: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, William Frawley
- 18The life of the head writer at a late-night TV variety show.
- Actors: Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer
- 19The trials and traumas of a teen during the 1980s.
- Actors: Tyler James Williams, Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold, Tequan Richmond, Imani Hakim
- 20A Brooklyn-born teacher returns to teach at his old high school.
- Actors: Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Sylvester White, Robert Hegyes, Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs
- 21Rhoda Morgenstern returns home to New York City and reconnects with her meddling family.
- Actors: Valerie Harper, Julie Kavner, Nancy Walker, Harold Gould, David Groh
- 22Judge Harry Stone presides over the night shift of a Manhattan courtroom.
- Actors: Harry Anderson, John Larroquette, Richard Moll, Markie Post, Charlie Robinson
- 23Black family moves into an apartment building on Manhattan's East Side.
- Actors: Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Mike Evans, Damon Evans, Roxie Roker
- 24New York City police officers deal with their professional and personal lives.
- Actors: Dennis Franz, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gordon Clapp, Bill Brochtrup, Henry Simmons
- 25Two best friends try to navigate their 20s in New York City where things never go as planned.
- Actors: Abbi Jacobson, Ilana Glazer
- 26A top corporate lawyer hires an unmotivated college dropout with street smarts.
- Actors: Gabriel Macht, Rick Hoffman, Sarah Rafferty, Katherine Heigl, Dulé Hill
- 1White Collar77 Votes
- 2The Mentalist42 Votes
- 3The Blacklist26 Votes
- 27Two brothers from Harlem are adopted by wealthy Philip Drummond.
- Actors: Conrad Bain, Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges, Dana Plato, Charlotte Rae
- 28Cops and criminals cross paths in a New York police precinct.
- Actors: Hal Linden, Max Gail, Ron Glass, Abe Vigoda, Steve Landesberg
- 29Archie Bunker's bigoted ideas conflict with those of everyone around him.
- Actors: Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner, Sally Struthers, Betty Garrett
- 30The adventures of three siblings who are wizards in training.
- Actors: Selena Gomez, David Henrie, Jake T. Austin, David DeLuise, Maria Canals-Barrera
- 31A blind lawyer, with his other senses superhumanly enhanced, fights crime as a costumed superhero.
- Actors: Charlie Cox, Elodie Yung, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Rosario Dawson
- 1The Punisher85 Votes
- 2Dark Knight Trilogy57 Votes
- 3Avengers Franchise31 Votes
- 32A woman is hired to care for the family of a widowed Broadway producer.
- Actors: Fran Drescher, Charles Shaughnessy, Lauren Lane, Daniel Davis, Nicholle Tom
- 33Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood protects her community with the help of her officers and detectives.
- Actors: Amanda Warren, Jimmy Smits, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Kevin Rankin, Richard Kind
- 34Sloppy Oscar Madison and neat Felix Unger share a Manhattan apartment.
- Actors: Tony Randall, Jack Klugman
- 35Kate & Allie is an American television situation comedy which ran from March 19, 1984, to May 22, 1989 on CBS, starring Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin as two divorced women, both with children, who decide to live together in the same house. The series was created by Sherry Coben.
- Actors: Jane Curtin, Susan Saint James, Sam Freed, Ari Meyers, Paul Hecht
- 36Two waitresses form an unlikely friendship in the hope of launching a business.
- Actors: Kat Dennings, Beth Behrs, Matthew Moy, Jonathan Kite, Garrett Morris
- 37A would-be actress works odd jobs while waiting for her big break.
- Actors: Marlo Thomas, Ted Bessell, Lew Parker, Rosemary DeCamp, Bonnie Scott
- 38A teen from Texas moves to New York City and becomes a nanny to a high profile couple's children.
- Actors: Debby Ryan, Kevin Chamberlin, Peyton List, Karan Brar, Cameron Boyce
- 39A gay lawyer and an interior designer share an apartment and constantly mind each other's business.
- Actors: Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes, Megan Mullally
- 40Bus driver Ralph Kramden schemes to improve his lot in life.
- Actors: Jackie Gleason, Audrey Meadows, Art Carney, Joyce Randolph, Sheila MacRae
- 41Eccentric Sherlock Holmes solves crime in present-day New York with his companion, Dr. Joan Watson.
- Actors: Jonny Lee Miller, Lucy Liu, Aidan Quinn, Jon Michael Hill, James Frain
- 1The Mentalist375 Votes
- 2Sherlock399 Votes
- 3Forever159 Votes
- 42Rescued after 15 years in a cult, Kimmy Schmidt gets reacquainted with the real world in New York.
- Actors: Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski, Carol Kane, Lauren Adams
- 43An unfashionable young writer from Queens tries to fit into the world of couture at Mode magazine.
- Actors: America Ferrera, Eric Mabius, Tony Plana, Ana Ortiz, Becki Newton
- 44A young man is arrested for a shocking crime, and an investigator must solve the mystery behind it.
- Actors: Tom Holland, Amanda Seyfried, Emmy Rossum, Sasha Lane, Will Chase
- 45Sports writer Ray Barone tries to be a good husband, father -- and son.
- Actors: Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle, Brad Garrett
- 46A divorced man starts app-based dating; his ex-wife disappears, leaving him with Hannah and Solly.
- Actors: Jesse Eisenberg, Claire Danes, Lizzy Caplan, Adam Brody, Meara Mahoney-Gross
- 47Petey gets a new lease on life when she tries to modernize her father's small-town cult.
- Actors: Annie Murphy, John Cho, Kiersey Clemons, Stephen Root, Amy Hill
- 48Dolores is driven to extremes to sustain her massage parlor located in a stoner friend's basement.
- Actors: Justina Machado, Alejandro Hernández, K. Todd Freeman, Kita Updike
- 49A newly divorced mom rebuilds her life and starts a cosmetics line.
- Actors: Brandy Norwood, Dorian Missick, Jaylon Gordon, Tory Devon Smith, Haneefah Wood
- 50Paul and Jamie Buchman balance family and careers in Manhattan.
- Actors: Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt, Cloris Leachman, Abby Quinn, Cynthia Harris
- 51The rise of the porn industry in New York's Times Square from the early 1970s through the mid-1980s.
- Actors: James Franco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Margarita Levieva, Lawrence Gilliard, Dominique Fishback
- 52The personal and professional life of an actor in New York who has trouble making decisions.
- Actors: Aziz Ansari, Lena Waithe, Eric Wareheim, Naomi Ackie, Ravi Patel
- 53Nazi hunters discover hundreds of high-ranking Nazi officials in 1977 New York City.
- Actors: Al Pacino, Logan Lerman, Jerrika Hinton, Josh Radnor, Kate Mulvany
- 54When Brooke blindsides Blake and ends their relationship, Blake jumps back into the dating scene.
- Actors: Nicolette Ellis, Omar Salmon, Kamel Goffin, Olive Gray, Karmia Berry
- 55A college student is found shot in Central Park on the Fourth of July.
- Actors: Chase Sui Wonders, Wyatt Oleff, Jemima Kirke, Nico Tortorella, Ashley Zukerman
- 56One of the best and most exclusive restaurants in the Hamptons.
- Actors: Samantha Crichton, Jodie Bisasor, Jillian Gough
- 57Capote is a confidante to society's most elite women until his act of betrayal destroys everything.
- Actors: Naomi Watts, Tom Hollander, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny, Calista Flockhart
- 58Young performers study at New York's High School for the Performing Arts.
- Actors: Debbie Allen, Carlo Imperato, Gene Anthony Ray, Albert Hague, Erica Gimpel
- 59Fifteen-year-old Kanan is eager to join his family's drug business in 1990s South Jamaica, Queens.
- Actors: Malcolm M. Mays, Mekai Curtis, Omar Epps, Hailey Kilgore, Patina Miller
- 60Tenants of a historic apartment building fall victim to its creepy owners and supernatural forces.
- Actors: Rachael Taylor, Dave Annable, Mercedes Mason, Robert Buckley, Helena Mattsson
- 61
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
May 21, 1987The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd is an American comedy-drama series that aired on NBC from 1987 to 1988, and on Lifetime from 1988 to 1991. It was created by Jay Tarses and stars Blair Brown in the title role.- Actors: Blair Brown, James Greene, Allyn Ann McLerie
- 62
American Horror Story: New York City
October 19, 2022In New York City, mysterious deaths and disappearances ramp up.- Actors: Joe Mantello, Billie Lourd, Zachary Quinto, Russell Tovey, Leslie Grossman
- 63An investigation into a botched kidnapping uncovers long-held secrets.
- Actors: Zazie Beetz, Claire Danes, Jim Gaffigan, Jharrel Jerome, Timothy Olyphant
- 64Four doctors navigate the highs and lows of working at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
- Actors: John Boockvar, David Langer, Mirtha Macri
- 65A new generation of private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl.
- Actors: Jordan Alexander, Eli Brown, Thomas Doherty, Tavi Gevinson, Emily Alyn Lind
- 66A plus-sized Black woman finds herself having to rebuild her life as a struggling stylist.
- Actors: Michelle Buteau, Tone Bell
- 67Elsbeth Tascioni utilizes her point of view to corner brilliant criminals alongside the NYPD.
- Actors: Carrie Preston, Wendell Pierce, Carra Patterson, Fredric Lehne, Gloria Reuben
- 68An NYPD detective on a spiritual mission to do justice relies on his own humanity to solve crimes.
- Actors: Jeff Wilbusch, Juliana Canfield, Karen Robinson, Michael Mosley
- 69Dan and Kevin struggle to thrive in their new surroundings in Flatbush, Brooklyn.
- Actors: Dan Perlman, Kevin Iso, Kristin Dodson, Hassan Johnson, Zuri Reed
- 70A family of Central Park caretakers become world saviors.
- Actors: Josh Gad, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom, Tituss Burgess, Daveed Diggs
- 71City leaders act in the wake of a temblor.
- Actors: Tom Skerritt, Sharon Lawrence, Charles S. Dutton, Lisa Nicole Carson, Cicely Tyson
- 72A man has had his life turned upside down after his partner walks out on him after 17 years.
- Actors: Neil Patrick Harris, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Emerson Brooks, Brooks Ashmanskas, Tuc Watkins
- 73Italian-American Benny Zerletta faces struggles being a cog in a crime family in 1980s Brooklyn.
- Actors: William DeMeo, Christina DeRosa, Ken Lerner, Paul Ben-Victor, Craig DiFrancia
- 74A man's son goes missing.
- Actors: Benedict Cumberbatch, Gaby Hoffmann, Jeff Hephner, Amy Louise Pemberton, McKinley Belcher
- 75A friend request from God on social media turns an outspoken atheist's life upside down.
- Actors: Brandon Micheal Hall, Violett Beane, Joe Morton, Suraj Sharma, Javicia Leslie
- 76A writer works for her father's fashion magazine.
- Actors: Laura San Giacomo, George Segal, David Spade, Wendie Malick, Enrico Colantoni
- 77Julio Torres goes on a search for a lost golden oyster earring in New York City.
- Actors: Julio Torres, Martine Gutierrez, Joe Rumrill, Tomas Matos, Steve Buscemi
- 78Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte transition to a friendship in their 50s.
- Actors: Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Nicole Ari Parker, Sarita Choudhury
- 79A down-on-his-luck fighter agrees to be hunted through the streets of New York by five hunters.
- Actors: David Castañeda, Christoph Waltz, Anna Gunn, Ciara Bravo, Martina Ortiz-Luis
- 80Lindsay and Miguel fall in love while being beset by memories, obsessions, fears, and fantasies.
- Actors: Mae Whitman, Carlos Valdes, Katie Finneran, Sophia Hammons, Emilia Suárez
- 81Stepping into the world of an iconic New York City fashion mogul/fashion magazine maven.
- Actors: Tami Roman, Erica Peeples, Redaric Williams, Norman Nixon, Tiffany Black
- 82The love story at the center of the rise and fall of WeWork.
- Actors: Jared Leto, Anne Hathaway, Kyle Marvin
- 83An affair threatens the lives of Dan Gallagher and his wife in this reimagining of the 1987 movie.
- Actors: Joshua Jackson, Lizzy Caplan, Amanda Peet, Alyssa Jirrels, Toby Huss
- 84Pete Davidson navigates his life as he attempts to balance family, career, friends and his own mind.
- Actors: Edie Falco, Joe Pesci, Philip Ettinger
- 85An artist falls for his neighbor.
- Actors: Kid Cudi, Jessica Williams, Timothée Chalamet, Ty Dolla $ign, Laura Harrier
- 86Judge Stone presides over an arraignment court and tries to bring order to its crew of oddballs.
- Actors: Melissa Rauch, John Larroquette, Lacretta, Wendie Malick, India de Beaufort
- 87Maggie and Negan travel into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland.
- Actors: Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Gaius Charles, Željko Ivanek, Mahina Anne Marie Napoleon
- 88A 13-year-old supergenius and a Tyrannosaurus rex work together to protect New York City.
- Actors: Diamond White, Fred Tatasciore, Alfre Woodard, Sasheer Zamata, Jermaine Fowler
- 89An idealistic lawyer attempts to climb the partner track at a New York City law firm.
- Actors: Arden Cho, Nolan Gerard Funk, Dominic Sherwood, Alexandra Turshen, Bradley Gibson
