Top 10 Fictional Live-Action TV Towns

The aptly named town of Charming, California lacks its own police department and is home to one of the most notorious and dangerous motorcycle gangs in America – a pretty good match if you ask us. But despite its grungy exterior and somewhat dubious town leaders, Charming is very much a community, with an unofficial hierarchy keeping the town in order and with all of its middle-class inhabitants pitching in and doing their best to keep the place running.

Previously a small town with a population of about one thousand residents, Woodbury came under the control of a charismatic and ruthless dictator who called himself The Governor following a zombie apocalypse. Though it may seem like an idyllic hamlet at first glance, and a welcome respite from the reality of the outside world, Woodbury is not all it’s cracked up to be – unless you like watching gladiator-style matches between citizens and zombies.

New Caprica is a baron wasteland of a planet that is nearly uninhabitable. Ignoring that entirely, humans settled there and slowly built its capital, New Caprica City, into a place they could live. That is, if you don’t mind muddy terrain that makes it tough to construct proper buildings. And if you don’t mind getting sick ‘cause of the dank and frosty weather. But of course, the evil Cylons promptly invaded, so residents had bigger things to worry about than a runny nose.

After a devastating nuclear attack on the United States of America, pockets of civilization were sectioned off and left to fend for themselves. One such pocket is the small town of Jericho, Kansas where the townspeople are just trying to rebuild and reconnect with other possible survivors. However, the devastating effects of the nuclear fallout make connections with the outside world next-to impossible, and the rising tensions coming from rival towns make Jericho less and less welcoming.

As with any city, the charming town of Neptune is just a pretty face hiding a mysterious underbelly. Though it’s a beautiful, coastal town in Southern California, the area is marked by a vast gap between its upper- and lower-class residents, which creates a distinct separation between the town’s inhabitants. Crime and scandal abound in a place where the politics and law enforcement are controlled by a vain and uncaring upper crust, and teenage super-sleuths are left to save the day.

Home to the hard-working men and women of the parks and recreation department; Pawnee is a small town with somewhat outdated sensibilities. The city’s government and population are split down the middle between progressive and old-fashioned mindsets, both of which help to make it an eclectic area and all of whom are colorful characters. If you can ignore the large holes in the ground and the crumbling infrastructures, Pawnee might just be the ideal place to live.

The town of Twin Peaks, Washington is notable for its role in the murder of a young homecoming queen. But it’s also got a diner with great pie and coffee, a serviceable hotel, and it’s not too far from the Canadian border, which is great if you’re interested in visiting a north-of-the-border brothel or two. At first glance, the city is charming, old fashioned and upright; but it begins to show a dark and seedy underbelly as the series progresses.

Most famously the home of America’s Big Blue Boy Scout, Smallville is the setting for many of the most important events in Superman’s life. A perfect example of rural America, the town hasn’t changed much in its contemporary incarnations. Vast fields of corn, a thriving farm economy and the occasional meteor shower help make this town a staple of comic book lore. And for the Clark Kent of this series, it’s a place for him to defeat bad guys, deal with teen angst and discover his superpowers one-by-one.

Sun, trees and good old-fashioned American values make this an ideal location for fun-loving teens. It also happens to sit on a Hellmouth, a literal portal between Earth and Hell that attracts demons and all sorts of supernatural nonsense. The fact that Sunnydale High School is located directly on the focal point between worlds only adds to the long list of woes the city’s teen population must face. It’s a good thing a vampire slayer decided to call Sunnydale home.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Mayberry, North Carolina “The Andy Griffith Show” (1960-68)
- Weatherfield “Coronation Street” (1960-)
- Cicely, Alaska “Northern Exposure” (1990-95)
- Stars Hollow, Connecticut “Gilmore Girls” (2000-07)
- Hell on Wheels “Hell on Wheels” (2011-)

The home of the monarch, King’s Landing is the royal capital of the Seven Kingdoms and the continent of Westeros. Overlooking Blackwater Bay, the walled city is home to the rich and destitute alike. Originally founded by King Aegon I Targaryen 300 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” and expanded under his ancestors, King’s Landing is famously the site of the Iron Throne. But it’s also reputed for its far-reaching stench and deep corruption, so we’d just as soon spend our time The Wall.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite fictional TV town? For more epic Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.