Top Netflix Shows and Where They Were Filmed
There is nothing better than getting cosy in your favourite chair or sofa, putting your feet up and logging onto Netflix to watch some of your favourite shows. There is literally something for everyone, whether you are looking for action, comedy, horror, drama or crime thrillers.
But have you ever wondered where some of these shows were filmed with the view of possibly visiting them to feel closer to the action? You would be surprised that the majority of them are not actually filmed where they say they are. So, put the kettle on, grab a snack and let’s explore Netflix’s hottest TV shows in 2020 and their locations.
Here is my selection of the best netflix shows and where they were filmed:
Ozark
Starring Jason Bateman, Ozark’s atmosphere is heavy with suspense, guilt and trouble-making drug lords, which is reminiscent of Breaking Bad. His character, Marty Byrde, is a financial advisor who is forced to relocate his entire family from Chicago to the lazy town of Ozark in Missouri. This is due to him becoming involved with some Mexican cartels and a dodgy money-laundering scheme.
The majority of the show revolves the beautiful lake and forests that surround the town which really sets the scene for the show. However, the hit show is actually filmed in Georgia, both in Atlanta and Savannah areas. Due to generous tax breaks in the southern state, the show recreated Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks there, using lakes outside the state capital and meticulously designed sets on sound stages.
Tiger King
Unless you have been living under a rock, most people have heard references to the infamous Tiger King. This incredibly strange show focuses on a handful of eccentric and interesting characters who portray their love and obsession for big cats. At the centre of this weird and wonderful world is the mulletted, gun toting Joe Exotic and his GW Exotic Animal Park.
This true crime series explores a feud between Joe and animal rights activist Carole Baskin, who has a few skeletons in her closet, too. You can actually visit this park and it’s on North County Road in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, about 60 miles south of Oklahoma City and 150 miles north of Dallas, Texas. This is honestly one of the craziest things you will ever watch.
The Witcher
For fans of fantasy and those missing Game of Thrones, The Witcher is based on a Polish fantasy literature franchise that gained global popularity following its successful video game adaptation. Henry Cavill, plays Geralt of Rivia, whose occupation as a mutant ‘witcher’ sees him slaying monsters in return for money. However, he soon finds himself caught up in a bigger plot, as his destiny becomes entwined with an orphaned princess on the run and a powerful sorceress.
While set on an unknown planet often referred to as just the world or the globe, it was actually primarily filmed in Budapest, Hungary. The city is known for being relatively cheap to shoot in, while its diverse architecture allows it to stand in for many other European cities. It also boasts one of the largest sound stages in the world, which has been used to provide the otherworldly settings for ambitious sci-fi films such as Blade Runner 2049 and The Martian.
Happy!
This TV show is definitely one of Netflix hidden gems, which I only discovered last year and have loved ever since. It follows Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni) who is a NYPD detective turned hitman who has the most chaotic and self-destructive life imaginable. After suffering a heart attack during a hit, he wakes up to find he is now accompanied by Happy, a small blue flying unicorn. He’s the imaginary friend of his kidnapped daughter Hailey, and believes that Nick is the hero that will come to her rescue.
Set in a dystopian future New York City, this dark comedy has been filmed in various locations around NYC, with some scenes filmed in Manhattan, Ridgewood, Queens and Maspeth. Be sure to check this one out and try to spot the famous landmarks.
Dark
This Netflix Original series is perfect for those who like their TV moody and brooding. The story begins with a missing teenager, a spooky cave and a series of unexplained events threaten to overwhelm four families living in the town. What initially appears to be a straightforward mystery investigation soon turns into an ambitious time travel plot with an immense amount of atmosphere.
The fictional town of Winden is the setting for the series featuring dense tall trees, dark forest, subterranean caves and small town community; it only adds to the sense of mystery. It’s a bleak place, designed to unnerve. While in reality the filming location is less than an hour outside of Berlin’s city centre.
Stranger Things
Now three seasons in, Stranger Things is a cult classic already having the perfect nostalgic feel to it. Based in 1985, it follows a group of children, much like the Goonies and Stand by Me, teetering awkwardly on the precipice that separates childhood from adolescence. But not is all it seems in this little peaceful town. Hidden away in a secret facility are the Russian scientists trying to pry open an entrance to the Upside Down which releases a supernatural force that puts everyone in danger.
Based in a fictional town called Hawkins, this series was in fact filmed in Atlanta, Georgia and other nearby towns. Many of the interior sets were built and filmed on sound stages in EUE Screen Gems Studio, but you can visit the famous Bellwood Quarry where quite a lot of the filming takes place.
The End of the F**king World
This is very much a black comedy which revolves around James (Alex Lawther) whose first piece of inner monologue starts ‘I thought she could be interesting to kill. So, I pretended to fall in love with her.’ His target is Alyssa, played by Jessica Barden, the new girl at school with terrible parents and a special talent for annoying people. They run away together and the corresponding crime spree draws them closer and has the law following in their wake.
The locations featured in the show are highly specific to its quirky, retro-ish aesthetic which also gives it a Twin Peak-ish feel to it. Whereas in fact the show was filmed in the UK around towns such as Guildford, Leysdown on Sea, Camberley, Chobham, Thames Ditton, Virginia Water, Windlesham, Chertsey, and Knaphill.
Money Heist
Also, known as La Casa de Papel (The House of Paper) in its native Spain, is possibly one of the most watched non-English shows on Netflix right now. The crime drama, which follows a crack team of thieves assembled by ‘The Professor’, sees the gang attempt to walk away with billions of euros after a daring heist on the Royal Mint in Spain.
Action-heavy and drama-packed it is relatively easy to binge watch its four seasons which were filmed in Madrid, Spain. The show is mostly focused on the city's Royal Mint which was substituted for the grand Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), the Spanish National Research Council.
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