'Sex and the City,' 'Modern Family,' '30 Rock' and 5 more shows with Florida characters
If you're from Jacksonville, visit another place and tell someone where you're from, they probably ask you if you've seen "The Good Place."
And while Jason Mendoza, the die-hard Jaguars fan character from the show, is one of the most obvious Floridian TV show characters that comes to mind, there are others.
Did you know that "Modern Family" character Phil Dunphy is from Key West, or that "30Rock" character Jenna Maroney is supposed to be from Tampa? And if you've seen the "Sex and the City" prequel TV show "The Carrie Diaries," you might know that the iconic Samantha Jones was written to be from South Florida.
Here's a roundup of some of the most popular TV show characters who were written to be from Florida.
Is Phil Dunphy from Florida? What episode of 'Modern Family' do they go to Florida?
In an article from ScreenRant that ranks all of the “Modern Family” characters from most to least likable, Phil Dunphy, played by Ty Burrell, ranks as the most likable character on the show.
He also frequently pops up on lists of the best sitcom dads TV has to offer.
“Phil was hands-down the best character on the show and also the most likable. He was goofy and cheesy, told the lamest dad jokes, loved magic, embarrassed his kids at every turn, and made Jay roll his eyes constantly at his daughter's choice in a husband,” ScreenRant’s ranking says.
According to “Modern Family” Wiki, Phil was born in Key West and grew up near Lake Okeechobee.
“Phil was born on April 3rd, 1968 in Key West, Florida to Frank and Grace Dunphy. From his mother's side, he is part Australian. He lived near Lake Okeechobee,” Phil Dunphy’s Wiki page says.
“He went to high school where he was an active member of the cheerleading squad, a habit he continued to pursue until his college years.”
In the “Modern Family” season four finale (season 4, episode 24), which aired in May 2013, the whole family travels to Florida for Phil’s mother’s funeral.
In the Florida episode, it’s revealed that Gloria, played by Sofia Vergara, also used to live in Florida and is still a “wanted woman” in the state.
Where to watch, stream "Modern Family": Watch it on Peacock or Hulu
Where did Jenna Maroney from '30 Rock' go to college?
Jenna Maroney, played by Jane Krakowski, is one of the more outlandish characters on “30 Rock.” Jenna mentions being from Florida throughout the show and according to her Wikipedia page, she was born in Tampa.
But in the sixth season of the show, Jenna mentions being from a fictional place called "Toilet Swamp Cove" in the Florida Panhandle. It’s unsurprising that she contradicts herself here, her character is known for making hyperbolic and sometimes untrue statements about her past, including lying about her age and her real name.
“Born Yustrepa Gronkowitz on February 24, 1969 in Tampa, FL, and grew up in Bakersfield, CA,” the Jenna Maroney Wikipedia page says.
“She also is revealed to have a strong Southern accent that she suppresses. (Also in season six), it was revealed that she was conceived in a Florida bathroom. Jenna says that the day she was born her mother was chain-smoking on a curb.”
She also went to a fictional Florida-based school for acting, before attending NorthWestern in Chicago.
According to her Wikipedia page and the show, she “Studied voice at Northwestern University, where she first met Liz Lemon in 1993. Jenna also trained in stage acting and game show pointing at the Royal Tampa Academy of Dramatic Tricks.”
Where to watch, stream '30 Rock': Watch it on Peacock or Hulu
Who is the Jacksonville guy in 'The Good Place'?
When in doubt, throw a Molotov cocktail and scream “Bortles!” At least, that’s what “The Good Place” "himbo" Jason Mendoza taught viewers.
The idiotic, yet lovable failed-DJ (or pre-successful, according to the character) proudly declared his love for the Jacksonville Jaguars in almost every episode and offered fictional tidbits about the North Florida city to his fellow “Good Place” residents. For example, saying that being in possession of a non-fried vegetable is a felony in Jacksonville, or that he attended Lynyrd Skynyrd High School, which was really just a bunch of tugboats tied together.
Where to watch, stream "The Good Place": Watch it on Netflix, Fandango at Home, Prime Video or Apple TV on your Roku device.
Is 'Dexter' set in Florida?
Taylor Swift sings that it’s “exhausting always rooting for the antihero” but fans of “Dexter” might disagree.
The title character of Dexter Morgan is known as Miami’s “The Bay Harbor Butcher,” a vigilante serial killer who murders other murders who escaped justice. As a blood spatter analyst, he also tampers with evidence to hit his involvement and work closely with law enforcement.
The hit series also has spun off into other shows, including the special event series "Dexter: New Blood," the prequel series "Dexter: Original Sin."
Where to watch, stream "Dexter": Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+ with Showtime, and Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel.
Where was Samantha Jones from 'Sex and the City' born?
Who would’ve guessed that the iconic, confident and fabulous public relations executive from Manhattan spawned from the South Florida swamps?
While the beloved character doesn’t offer up much about her younger years in the original show, the prequel does shed light on her upbringing. In 2013’s “The Carrie Diaries,” a younger version of Samantha Jones shares that she “came from the Everglades,” and that she “used to have alligator overturned by car for breakfast.”
Where to watch, stream "Sex and The City": Watch on Max, Netflix, DIRECTV, Fandango at Home, Prime Video or Apple TV.
Where to watch, stream "The Carrie Diaries": Watch for free on the CW app.
'Jeannie' from I Dream of Jeannie, played by Barbara Eden
When one thinks of iconic genie from the 60’s, Barbara Eden’s “Jeannie” is first to come to mind.
“I Dream of Jeannie” ran from 1965 through 1970, making a major star of Eden. Although the series was filmed in California, it was set in and around the Cocoa Beach area, with Larry Hagman's character Major Nelson living at 1020 Palm Drive.
To this day, Eden’s two piece costume and signature wink are considered some of the most iconic pieces of television.
Where to watch, stream "I Dream of Jeannie": Watch it on the Roku Channel, Apple TV, Fandango at Home or Prime Video on your Roku device.
Where does Horatio Caine live in 'CSI: Miami'?
Played by David Caruso from 2002 through 2012, Horation “H” Caine is a crime scene investigator and the day-shift director of the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Crime Laboratory.
According to the “CSI: Miami” Wiki page, Horatio isn’t from Florida originally, but moved here after working as a detective in New York in the 1990s.
“Horatio worked undercover as ‘John Walden’ in Pensacola, Florida for sometime during the early 1990s (this is the date given on the show, despite the fact it was previously understood on the show that Horatio worked in New York until at least 1995),” the CSI: Miami Wiki page says.
Where to watch, stream "CSI: Miami": Watch it on the Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Hulu, Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus and Sling TV.
Where was the 'Jane the Virgin' family from?
Like “CSI: Miami,” the entire show of “Jane the Virgin” is set in Miami, Florida. The show revolves around a woman named Jane Villanueva, played by Gina Rodriguez, who becomes a pregnant virgin when she is accidentally inseminated during a routine trip to the gynecologist’s office.
While Jane and her mother were both born and raised in Florida, Jane’s grandparents are originally from Venezuela.
“Jane is a bright, passionate young woman, who is fulfilling her dream of becoming a published writer,” the “Jane the Virgin” Wiki says.
“Jane is a romantic, who daydreams of telenovela romances and finding her true love. She likes to plan her life, sometimes down to the last detail and is scared of losing control and taking risks in her life, which sometimes stops her from following her heart.”
Jane and the entire Villanueva family portray a playful and modern twist on the classic telenovela, with everything from secret twins, to murder mysteries and fake deaths.
Where to watch, stream "Jane the Virgin": Watch it on Netflix.
From Pee-wee to Hurley: See other noteworthy Florida characters
Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia on "Golden Girls," played by Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty
Hugo "Hurley" Reyes on "Lost," played by Jorge Garcia
Pee-Wee Herman, played by Paul Reubans
Sasha Williams on "The Walking Dead," played by Sonequa Martin-Green
Tyreese on "The Walking Dead," played by Chad Coleman
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 'Sex and the City' Samantha Jones, 7 other iconic TV characters from Florida
