New York City has been the unquestioned leader in the television industry and the medium’s popular culture impact for a century. While plenty of filming takes place all over the country (yes, Los Angeles and Atlanta, we know you have plenty of production studios), the first broadcasts and studios were founded in New York City. It remains a prime setting for scores of shows—its streets and skyline as much a character as nearly any lead actor.
A few NYC breakthroughs include the first live sports broadcast in US, which was NBC’s airing of a college football game in 1939; the first televised major league baseball game, featuring the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field; the first late-night talk show; the first broadcast commercial; and, of course, a litany of canon shows, from Saturday Night Live to Seinfeld.
Below is a collection of history-making TV, as well as shows that may have made quieter, but lasting, impacts. After reading this article, give them a rewatch (or a first watch); if you’re in town, you can do this at Midtown’s Paley Museum, which has some 160,000 radio and TV shows going back to 1918 available for viewing. But you can also experience the impact of NYC TV’s biggest series and moments in various real-life ways around the City. Read on for details.
Rockefeller Center, Christmas tree at Radio City with choral group singing, 1956. Courtesy, SuperStock/Superstock/Everett Collection
The Holidays in NYC (1947–now)
Groundbreaking aspect: Showing big-time only-in-NYC events that make you feel a part of the crowd.
Overview: Everyone takes for granted certain holiday traditions being available on TV that started in New York City. NBC broadcast the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time in 1947; four years later, the same network aired the lighting of the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Both have become perennials since, with millions of families gathering around the TV set to watch performances, balloons and Santa rolling down 34th Street. For those who want a quiet bit of seasonal spirit without the fanfare, there’s the Yule log, first offered as a program by local NYC station WPIX in 1966. The network’s president, Fred Thrower, suggested it as televised version of a holiday card to fill in for a gap in programming on Christmas Eve. It’s the lowest-maintenance fireplace around.
Representative moment: In addition to the tree above, here is that original, hypnotic Yule log.
How to experience today: Being in person here for the holiday season is memorable, whether you catch some of the parade, see the tree (which is up from early December to mid-January) or even just visit some window displays, markets and ice-skating rinks.
I Love Lucy (1951–57)
Groundbreaking aspect: The first sitcom and show led by a woman to make it to number one in the Nielsen ratings (a place it held for four of its six seasons), I Love Lucy was also one of the first shows to feature a pregnancy, which was incorporated into the script; the episode in which Ball gives birth was the highest-rated TV event at that time. In real life, Lucille Ball gave birth within the day that the show aired.
Overview: This is another show that was filmed in California while being set in New York City. Nevertheless, the Ricardos (and Mertzes) supposedly lived on the Upper East Side, and Ricky was a bandleader in an NYC Latin music club. The interplay between Lucy and Ricky set a standard for the mix of marital bickering and bliss that has influenced sitcoms over the decades and feels like it had a direct impact on another show from the decade set in the City, The Honeymooners.
Representative moment: “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” appeared in January 1953 (season 2).
How to experience today: The revived Copacabana is one idea (the club where Ricky played, the Tropicana, was modeled on the original Copa), though some contemporary Cuban and Latin music spots like Guantanamera and Terraza 7 may serve even better. And if you want to see a chocolate factory at work, like the one where Lucy and Ethel had their ill-fated work experience, you might make a visit to Li-Lac, in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park.
The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong (1951)
Groundbreaking aspect: This little-known and long-forgotten show was the first to star an Asian American, Anna May Wong, and the first to have a female detective as the lead.
Overview: Wong, a fashion pioneer and former silent film star, made early talk pictures and appeared in dramatic roles on stage, but largely faded from view in the 1940s. She came back in a big way with The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong, where she played a New York City art dealer with keen detective skills. The show only lasted 13 episodes; more tragic than its short run is the fact that the tapes from the show were all destroyed—supposedly dumped, along with other pieces of the DuMont Television Network’s archival materials, into the Upper Bay of New York Harbor—meaning its existence has nearly been consigned to yesteryear.
Representative moment: Sadly, we can only look to accounts at the time, of which there are few. There is a dismissive one from The New York Times, most likely a product of the times (lowercase “t”).
How to experience today: Ideas for a start include heading to the gallery at Chinatown Soup or an institution, such as Asia Society, that celebrates the impact and influence of Asian culture.
Steve Allen, on The Tonight Show, showing off NBC's new color camera, ca. mid-1950s. Courtesy, Everett Collection
The Tonight Show (1954–now)
Groundbreaking aspect: The resilient structure of the late-night talk show, which has become such a large part of the shared culture, began right here.
Overview: First hosted by Steve Allen, The Tonight Show pioneered the format of a monologue followed by informal interviews with guests, usually a mix of known talent and up-and-comers. Music has long been a part of the equation, from Skitch Henderson to the Roots to spotlight performances like Bob Dylan’s in 1963, just months after his first TV appearance on a local NYC network. Allen was followed by Jack Paar and then Johnny Carson, who eventually decamped to Los Angeles for his broadcasts. Before he did that, he introduced a young comedian, Joan Rivers, on his show, who is known as the first woman to have her own late night show (though in actuality, Faye Emerson had preceded her by about 35 years).
Representative clip: Take a look at the first episode.
How to experience today: After being filmed in Los Angeles for a few decades, The Tonight Show is back in NYC at NBC Studios; you can get free tickets to be part of the audience, now hosted by Jimmy Fallon, and even take a studio tour.
Sesame Street (1969–now)
Groundbreaking aspect: Teaching kids about math, language, friendship, acceptance, multiculturalism and the magic of puppetry since 1969.
Overview: Sesame Street represents one of the real powers of television: mixing education and entertainment in a way that the viewer hardly thinks about learning while watching. Yes, it is geared to kids, but the impression lasts for all; even adults are tickled by Big Bird cheering up Snuffleupagus or how Feist loves counting to the number four.
Representative moment: “ABC-DEF-GHI,” March 23, 1970, when Big Bird shows off his wonderment at a word.
How to experience today: Visit the Museum of the Moving Image, which has an extensive Jim Henson exhibit, muppets included. Also, take a look at this video of Big Bird. Bonus: the intersection of West 63rd Street and Broadway in Manhattan has been officially renamed Sesame Street.
All in the Family (1971–79)
Groundbreaking aspect: Tackling generational divides as well as race relations, having a memorable theme song and fostering a spinoff, The Jeffersons (1975–85)—the first sitcom to have an affluent Black family as the leads.
Overview: Archie Bunker, a dyed-in-the-wool bigoted curmudgeon, lives in Glendale, Queens, with his wife, Edith, daughter, Gloria, and his very liberal (and in his mind, no-good) son-in-law, Mike, who he calls Meathead—played by the late Rob Reiner. Created by Norman Lear and based on a British series, All in the Family was a product of changing times in America, presenting one antihero who always had to get his wings clipped by those around him.
Representative moment: Archie meets George Jefferson, October 20, 1973.
How to experience today: Head to Yer Man’s Irish Pub in Glendale, which has the local flavor of the neighborhood bar Archie eventually buys after years of popping by to complain over a pint. Bonus association: the former bar at Yer Man’s served as a location for King of Queens, the popular Kevin James sitcom that also took place in Glendale.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (1972–present)
Groundbreaking aspect: Turning a somewhat stuffy tradition into a party time for the younger generation.
Overview: Soft-jazz bandleader Guy Lombardo had been the genial host of New Year’s Eve celebrations for decades before Clark decided to make a party of it in Times Square in the early 1970s. Acts that appealed to the era’s youth, such as Three Dog Night (“Joy to the World”) and stand-up comic George Carlin, defined the lineup over the years. The tradition has become a rite of passage for millions, whether watching on TV and counting down at home or being there in person and experiencing thousands of pounds of confetti rain down from above.
Representative moment & clip: Here’s the scene back in 1973.
How to experience today: Get yourself to Times Square on New Year’s Eve? There is a lot of waiting around, but you will have tens of thousands of brave souls keeping you company.
Saturday Night Live, from left: Jim Belushi, Peter Boyle, "Dueling Brandos" (season 1, ep. 113, aired Feb. 14, 1976). ©NBC. Courtesy, Everett Collection
Saturday Night Live (1975–now)
Groundbreaking aspect: Yes, there had been variety and sketch shows before (and even a satirical news program), but not on late-night TV and none that have influenced pop culture and the comedy world for 50 years running. From “Weekend Update” to digital short “Lazy Sunday” (one of the first truly viral videos) and plenty of other gonzo humor moments, SNL has been copied ad infinitum. Also lasting: everyone complaining that it is no longer funny (but still watching it).
Overview: When Lorne Michaels started this show, its irreverence was clear but its path to success was not assured. Critics felt both appreciative and dismissive of what Time magazine called its “disorganized format, off-balance sketches, unpredictable nature.” Certainly, the last two of those linger, though the format has been finely honed. Meanwhile, the careers of everyone from Jane Curtin to Eddie Murphy to Amy Poehler to Bowen Yang (plus scores of others) are owed to the show, not to mention a litany of catchphrases, movie franchises and memorable impressions.
Representative moment: The hilarious, incisive commentary of Eddie Murphy’s “White Like Me,” December 15, 1984.
How to experience today: It’s hard to get tickets, but you can try your best via lottery and the standby line. You can also take a tour of NBC Studios to see where it’s filmed, buy merch at the NBC store, try to search for a diner that serves lobster and grab cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery.
MTV's original VJs, from left: Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn, J.J. Jackson, Nina Blackwood and Alan Hunter, 1981
MTV (1981–2025) & Video Music Box (1983–now)
Groundbreaking aspect: It’s tough to overstate the impact MTV had on global culture. The network’s offerings—not least its music videos—have affected nearly every aspect of modern life, from influencing fashion choices and hairstyles to fomenting political and social movements. And speaking of music television, Video Music Box, a much-beloved local show on WNYC-TV, brought hip-hop videos to the mainstream and helped mint its genre’s stars.
Overview: MTV debuted on August 1, 1981, with The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star.” In the years that followed, the network boosted the profiles of local musicians (Madonna—you might have heard of her) as well as those farther afield; gave birth to reality TV (The Real World); and helped mainstream left-leaning political sympathies in any number of ways. Video Music Box, which bowed in 1983, took a charming, lo-fi approach to its coverage, promoting hip-hop’s rising stars before they were famous and interviewing locals in segments that addressed issues of the day. For more, read our interview with Video Music Box founder Ralph McDaniels.
Representative moments: Here are the first two hours of MTV (well, almost), and here’s a clip of McDaniels remembering an album-release party he threw for an unknown from Queens named Nas.
How to experience today: MTV's influence is pervasive throughout the City. Stans—see what we did there—might want to pay tribute outside 1515 Broadway in Times Square, though there’s little for the public to experience; a better bet would be to check in on the youth of today through the City’s music and nightlife scenes. And to experience the spirit of Video Music Box, we recommend exploring our hip-hop content hub.
Late Night with David Letterman (1982–93)
Groundbreaking aspect: Making silly, absurd and gonzo moments a staple of late-night television.
Overview:Though he was miffed when passed over for Jay Leno, Letterman was always a long shot to take over Johnny Carson’s role on The Tonight Show. Years of highlighting niche humor, like that of Chris Elliott, and being a real fan of indie musical acts, made him much more left of center than Leno. But his 12:30am show was where magic happened: stupid pet tricks, Biff Henderson roaming around the City, absurdist top 10 lists—these were the things that kept a cultish crowd up until the wee hours of the morning.
Representative moment: The very first stupid pet tricks, February 4, 1982.
How to experience today: The home of the Late Show, which Letterman moved on to when switching from NBC to CBS (1993–2015), is the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway, where Colbert is now filmed.
Seinfeld (1989–98)
Groundbreaking Aspect: Where to start? Though Seinfeld wasn’t a show about nothing, it did spin full episodes out of the most minor and incidental uncomfortable interactions; it coined dozens of phrases; and it perfected talking about certain awkward subjects with clever language (see, for example,“The Contest”).
Overview: Seinfeld, which started as The Seinfeld Chronicles, nearly failed. A fictionalized version of stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s life, the show surrounded its title character with a group of friends that consisted of co-creator Larry David’s alter ego George, played by Jason Alexander; an eccentric neighbor (based on the actual “Kramer”); and an ex-girlfriend, Elaine (the unparalleled Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who excelled at being one of the guys. Once it hit its stride—considered by most, seasons 3 through 7—the show became more than just a vehicle for a comedian; it became an embodiment of New York City neuroses in the 1990s, with adult characters who, no matter how much they felt shame, never learned.
Representative moment: “The Pitch,” September 15, 1992, took a show-within-a-show storyline to new heights of absurdity.
How to experience today: Get some soup, hit a comedy club, visit Tom’s Diner (the inspiration for Monk’s, though it was just the exterior that was filmed), try a black-and-white cookie, walk past the housing structure where the real-life Larry David and (Kenny) Kramer lived.
Friends (1994–2004)
Groundbreaking aspect: A cultural phenomenon right up to its final episode, which was broadcast to thousands in Times Square, Friends reset the idea of what it meant for young people making it in the City. While the show’s impact was groundbreaking, its premise was not; Friends is notorious for being inspired by Living Single (1993), a show about six young Black professionals living in different flats together within a Brooklyn brownstone.
Overview: You can just hear the theme song, picture yourself as a twentysomething in Manhattan and wonder how you too can get such an apartment with close buddies, right? Friends wasn’t actually shot in New York City, other than some establishing shots, but it was very much “of” New York City and the 1990s—almost like a Real World situation, where young people were thrown together and mix-and-matched their coupledoms. It featured lots of famous guest stars like Tom Selleck and Brad Pitt and the raised-eyebrow humor of Chandler Bing (the late Matthew Perry) that influenced a thousand deadpan comments; it also minted six big-time screen actors.
Representative moment: The final scene, which aired May 6, 2004.
How to experience today: A new, real-life Central Perk, the American Museum of Natural History, which is kinda sorta where Ross works, and, if you want to bend reality a bit, Cherry Hill Fountain in Central Park (not the actual fountain they dance around in during the opening credits, but an easy stand-in).
Sex and the City (1998–2004)
Groundbreaking aspect: HBO’s hugely popular romantic dramedy both revolutionized television and influenced generations of NYC residents, particularly its women—whether native or new to the City. The show depicted its female protagonists discussing sex, among other topics, openly and without apology, and promoted a slightly ironic but nonetheless aspirational sensibility that at once valued material culture while also rejecting it. Also, Magnolia Bakery.
Overview: The show's NYC roots go deep. The original series ran from 1998 to 2004, adapted from Candace Bushnell's column for the now-defunct New York Observer. It followed the misadventures of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda, whose friendship endures love, loss and plenty of brunch; the series later spawned a couple of feature-length films, a prequel series, The Carrie Diaries, as well as a sequel series, And Just Like That..., which is now in its third season. The City features as a character throughout. The show is alternately funny, crude, shallow, heartfelt and empowering.
Representative moment & clip: “Charlotte Gives Carrie Her Engagement Ring," from season 4.
How to experience today: Fans can take On Location Tours’ Sex and the City Hottspots Tour, which visits 40 locations from the series. (Yes, including Magnolia Bakery.)
Total Request Live (aka TRL), fans outside MTV studios in Time Square (1999), 1998-2005. ph: C. Taylor Crothers /©MTV / Courtesy Everett Collection
Total Request Live (1998–2008 & 2017–19)
Groundbreaking aspect: TRL, as the show was more commonly known, became MTV’s signature program during the late 20th century. Not only did the show help propel pop musicians to superstardom, it also introduced a crucial fan-voting element that made the show feel interactive, which later became a staple of reality TV, music-oriented or otherwise. In other words, democracy now! (With a side of Britney Spears.)
Overview: The heyday of the show, which ran from 1998 to 2008, employed Carson Daly as host and a generation's worth of videos from the era, including those from Eminem, OutKast, Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé (feat. Jay-Z). Each day, crowds would gather both inside the studio and on the street outside 1515 Broadway, hoping to join in the cultural moment.
Representative moment: Beyoncé and Jay-Z performed together for the first time in 2002, causing quite a stir.
How to experience today: We might suggest enjoying your own personal total request live at one of the City's karaoke bars. (See our K-Town recommendation here.)
Everybody Hates Chris, from left: Imani Hakim, Tichina Arnold, Tyler James Williams (front), Terry Crews and Tequan Richmond (season 1). Photo: Robert Voets, © 3 Arts Entertainment. Courtesy, Everett Collection
Everybody Hates Chris (2005–09)
Groundbreaking aspect: A family sitcom set in 1980s Bed-Stuy that showed what life looked like for a working-class Black family in NYC. It was one of the first sitcoms to show the on-the-ground reality of the City instead of polished living-room sets like The Cosby Show or Everybody Loves Raymond. Chris Rock himself narrates the show from the perspective of his adult self looking back at his childhood, a device replicated in subsequent sitcoms like The Goldbergs and Young Sheldon.
Overview: Even though the show wasn’t filmed in NYC, it still captures what daily life in the City feels like. We join Chris at his after-school job at the corner store, wait with his sister, Tonya, while she is on hold for Billy Ocean tickets, and learn how much it costs to open the fridge long enough to find the eggs (11 cents). Meanwhile, Chris’ dad (Terry Crews) works a minimum 60 hours a week, his little brother is more popular than he is, his dog only speaks Spanish, and his new teacher at his mostly white school “does not see color” and hopes he meets his father one day.
Representative moment: “My man has two jobs I don’t need this!”
How to experience today: Visit Bed-Stuy! (But you have to take the bus there.)
Ugly Betty (2006–10)
Groundbreaking aspect: Depicting a working-class Latino character trying to make it in the traditionally snobbish world of fashion media.
Overview: The show, set in Manhattan though filmed for a couple of seasons in Los Angeles, featured America Ferrara as Betty Suarez, a young woman from Queens who gets a job as a personal assistant at a fashion magazine. Never a huge ratings hit, it was lauded by critics and had a die-hard fan base. Its mix of comedy and drama touched on feminism, LGBTQ+ rights and the dynamics of a middle-class Latino family, the last of those a relative rarity on television. In 2007, Ferrara was the first Latina to win an Emmy as a lead actress.
Representative moment: The opening scene is shown above; for a look at an episode, try The Past Presents the Future, in which Justin, Betty's nephew, comes out of the closet.
How to experience today: Walk by the Woolworth Building, the Lower Manhattan skyscraper where the first season takes place. Wander around Jackson Heights, where the Suarez family lives; some film locations, such as La Nueva, still exist.
Gossip Girl (2007–12)
Groundbreaking aspect: In 2007, Gossip Girl captured the of-the-moment urgency of teens with unfettered access to social media, blogs and T9 texting (or a Sidekick if you’re fancy) in a series almost too cinematic to be a teen drama. When everybody wanted to be below 14th Street, the show leaned into the opulence of designer headbands, penthouses and the drama of the ultrarich, making the Upper East Side slightly cooler for younger audiences.
Overview: Serena van der Woodsen’s return to Manhattan after a mysterious stint in boarding school ignites a stir among her fellow classmates at an elite private school. A mysterious, all-seeing blogger known only as Gossip Girl provokes the whispers, much to the ire of Serena’s sometimes-friend and fellow Upper East Side it girl, Blair Waldorf.
Representative moment: The first 50 seconds of the pilot, “I’m Chuck Bass” and Blair Waldorf holding court on the Met steps (shown above).
How to experience today: Have a latte on the steps of the Met, window shop (or actually shop) the boutiques of Madison Avenue, cop some macarons at Ladurée or pose wistfully from the balcony of Grand Central Terminal until someone notices you.
Broad City (2014–19)
Groundbreaking aspect: In scrappy millennial fashion, this low-budget web series born on YouTube got its big break when it was picked up by Comedy Central. The show offered an alternate look at the City that twentysomethings with student debt, multiple roommates and a gig-based existence could easily recognize.
Overview: Co-dependent best friends Ilana and Abbi are magnets for a special kind of New York City–specific chaos. Abbi is an art-school grad trying her best to be a functional adult while Ilana is a native New Yorker who knows exactly how to hustle her way in and out of sometimes legal, mostly shady situations. Who could forget when she charged tourists to use the City’s free Link screens and called it a “She Work”?
Representative moment: Abbi and Ilana on the subway, from one of the original webisodes, "Subway on a Sunday."
How to experience today: Busk on a busy street and see how many tips you get, buy fine leather goods on Canal Street, take the subway during rush hour.
Pose (2018–2021)
Groundbreaking aspect: Spotlighting numerous trans actors in a show that took a look at 1980s and ’90s ball culture at a transformational (and, due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, often heartbreaking) time for the LGBTQ+ population.
Overview: Over the course of three seasons, Ryan Murphy’s Pose featured marginalized groups in NYC—Black and Latino members of the LGBTQ+ community—while bringing to life plenty of drama within the City’s subculture of the ballroom scene. Within that culture were different “houses,” basically organized families with each one headed by a “house mother.” It made stars out of Billy Porter (the first openly gay Black man to win an Emmy) and Dominique Jackson.
Representative moment: “Mother of the Year,” from the final episode of season 2.
How to experience today: The NYC nightlife scene has all kinds of queer-friendly establishments, with places like House of Yes and C’Mon Everybody hosting dance and drag parties.