What to Watch

15 Shows That Give You Major Wanderlust

Published

3 years ago

August 2, 2020

During my trip to Mexico last year, a waiter at a Spanish restaurant started questioning me about my hometown of Chicago. From there, he began asking if I’d ever been to New York or Las Vegas and wanted to know what these cities were like because he’d “only seen them on TV.”

His statement struck me because, in an age where wanderlust is so real, it didn’t occur to me that some people never had the opportunity to venture outside of their hometowns. Some people weren’t as fortunate as I was to whip out a passport and go anywhere; some only saw the rest of the world through television shows.

In fact, I’ve traveled to many cities — DC, New Orleans, LA, to name a few — simply because I’d fallen in love with how they were portrayed on my favorite show. I loved feeling like I was on set with my favorite characters or experiencing a taste of their lifestyle.

In the wake of coronavirus when traveling has become limited and almost impossible with many border closures, this list of show locations that have inspired me to travel hits a bit differently. It’s almost like a “bucket list” of places I’d love to check out once the pandemic is finally over and we can return to our normal lives.

Some locations and popular and immediately recognizable, so much so that they even have dedicated tours of their picturesque filming locations. Others fly a little more under the radar, but are so beautiful, you don’t even need the magic of films and television to fall in love!

Did you ever travel anywhere after finding inspiration from a TV show? Let us know in the comments!

1. Game of Thrones

If you want to live like a Westerosi — without the gory battles, of course — listen up. Game of Thrones uses some of the most beautiful places in the world as their backdrop. The medieval look is very much alive in Europe.

Sure, many scenes are shot inside, but those exterior shots are 100% real and can be found in places like Northern Ireland (Pyke), Iceland, Croatia and Malta (King’s Landing, Dorne, or Slaver’s Bay). Since so many fans travel to these locations for this very reason, you can easily find a map and plan out a whole “GOT-inspired” trip and possibly even recreate your favorite scenes.

2. Sex and the City

New York City is synonymous with Sex and the City, but so many other shows use the city’s bustling and lavish personality. Gossip Girl, Will & Grace, The Bold Type, and Broad City have all given us an idea of what the Big Apple, and surrounding neighborhoods like the Bronx and Brooklyn, are all about. Fans are so inspired, they often make pit stops in front of Carrie Bradshaw’s house and take fashionable photos on the Met Gala steps just like Blair Waldorf.

3. Big Little Lies

You’ve probably never even heard of Monterey, but after watching Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Shailene Woodley sip on coffee at Old Fisherman’s Wharf (in reality, it is an Italian and Seafood restaurant called Paluca Trattoria) and run at Lovers Point Beach, it’s most likely on your list of “places to visit.” In fact, you were probably already convinced by the scenery from the Bixby Creek Bridge in the opening credits.

Fake TV Relationships That Got Real

4. Downton Abbey

The period drama revolves around staff at Downtown Abbey in 20th century England. Though you can’t travel back in time, you can visit the UK to check out the family’s Georgian Country House and the lush grounds and gardens. Grab some crumpets and tea while you are there, and maybe even bring a fancy umbrella to shield you from the scorching sun!

5. Portlandia

If you are after a quirky and cool city, look no further than Portlandia. The series highlights and then underlines the eccentricity of the city by focusing on the charming intricacies like bookstores, concert venues, and chic eateries. I bet you can get some delicious hipster coffee and take some wicked Instagram photos during your trip, so add don’t exclude this one from your bucket list.

6. Outlander

Though you can’t travel to 18th century Scotland, you can still travel present-day Scotland, which is just as picturesque thanks to all of the historical buildings. Add 14-century Doune Castle (Castle Leoch), 15th-century Blackness Castle (Fort William), and Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison) to your itinerary, and you’ll feel like you’re a main character in the supernatural historical romance.

7. The Originals

The Original vampires call New Orleans home and utilize every corner of the ancient city. The backdrop plays an important role in supernatural terms, but it’s also visually stunning. I traveled to NOLA because I fell in love with it as it was portrayed on the series, and as I was walking through the French Quarter, I felt the spirit of the ancestors taking hold and vampires breathing down my neck. True story.

Sadly, it wasn’t a pristinely dressed Mikealson. To really get the full experience, stay at The Hotel Royal (Marcel’s place of residence), stop by St. Louis Cathedral (known as St. Anne’s on the series), visit Lafayette Cemetary, and hit up a voodoo shop with hopes of casually running into Freya.

8. Hawaii Five-0

If you have to fight crime, why not do it on the sunny beaches of Hawaii? Let’s just hope your vacation is more relaxing than what you often see on the show. If you’re a super fan, there’s actually a guided tour that leads you to iconic attractions from the series like the Hawaii Five-O headquarters and Punchbowl. They even recreate some memorable scenes!

9. The Affair

Montauk is labeled as the Hamptons without the crowd which makes it the perfect place for an affair. The scenery in this show is so vivid, you can almost taste the water and you’ve probably found yourself looking at hotels on multiple occasions.

It’s a good thing it’s also a fantastic beach getaway with plenty of water activities, boutique shops and restaurants. Affair fans can specifically check out Turtle Cove, The Montauk Playhouse Community Center and the Viking Dock.

10. The Chicago Trilogy

Dick Wolf brought a whole series of Chicago shows to NBC, and if that isn’t enough to make you want to travel to the Windy City, I don’t know what is. You have to look past all the crime highlighted in the episodes to find the real beauty in the bustling city lined with skyscrapers! If you ever roll through, you can check out Cinespace which is the lot where all the shows, including Empire, are filmed. Also add Grant Park, Navy Pier, Molly’s Bar (Lottie’s Pub in real life), and PD’s District 21 (UIC Police Headquarters).

11. Scandal

If you are a fan of Scandal, you’ve probably wanted to power strut all over DC in a peacoat and Louboutins like power player Olivia Pope. Yes, I know most of it is filmed in LA, but I’ll shamelessly admit that the ABC show inspired me to take a weekend getaway to DC. And in the midst of emulating Liv’s power prance all over town, I actually fell in love with the city and all of its political history.

12. Timeless

Sadly, you cannot actually travel back in time, but this series really makes you want to build your own time machine and see history unravel before your eyes. Just remember, you can always travel to all of the destinations the Lifeboat takes them to, just in the present day. Don’t forget to check out some of the historical monuments and sights that have been preserved throughout time!

See the full list at TV Fanatic!

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Lizzy Buczak

Lizzy Buczak is the founder of CraveYouTV. What started off as a silly blog in her sophomore year at Columbia College Chicago turned her passion for watching TV into an opportunity! She has been in charge of CraveYou since 2011, writing reviews and news content for a wide variety of shows. Lizzy is a Music Business and Journalism major who has written for RADIO.COM, TV Fanatic, Time Out Chicago, Innerview, Pop’stache and Family Time.

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What to Watch

Summer 2023 TV Lineup Schedule – Time to Heat Up the Summer

Published

6 days ago

May 30, 2023

Lizzy Buczak

Manifest Season Finale Review Mayday Part 1 and 2 Season 3 Episode 12 and 13

It’s time to heat up the summer with plenty of new and returning TV shows.

The summer months are, obviously, best spent outside enjoying the warm weather, unlimited BBQs, and pools and beaches, but when you’re ready for a little getaway, TV shows and characters are always around to keep you entertained.

With the WGA strike possibly continuing into the fall, summer television might be the last time we get any new seasons for the next few months, so embrace it.

As always, the slower-paced summer months are also the best time to catch up on any shows that you’ve been wanting to watch!

Here’s what’s on tap for summer 2023—let us know what you plan to watch in the comments!

May 2023

30 for 30: The American Gladiators Documentary (May 30, ESPN)
The Ride (May 30, Prime Video)
Drag Me to Dinner (May 31, Hulu)
Nancy Drew, season 4 (May 31, The CW)

June 2023

Manifest – season 4 part 2 (Netflix, June 2)
The Idol (HBO, June 4)
The Lazarus Project (June 4, TNT)
Cruel Summer, season 2 (Freeform, June 5)
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, season 16 (FX, June 7)
The Real Housewives of Orange County, season 17 (June 7, Bravo)
Alone, season 10 (History Channel, June 8)
Based on a True Story (Peacock, June 8)
Never Have I Ever, season 4 (Netflix, June 8)
The Crowded Room (Apple TV+, June 9)
The Full Monty (FX and Hulu, June 14)
The Big D (June 14, USA)
Temptation Island, season 5 (June 14, USA)
The Wonder Years, season 2 (June 14, ABC)
Project Runway, season 20 (June 15, Bravo)
Outlander, season 7 (June 16, Starz)
The Walking Dead: Dead City (June 18, AMC)
The Righteous Gemstones, season 3 (HBO, June 18)
Secret Invasion (Disney+, June 21)
The Bear, season 2 (FX, June 22)
I’m a Virgo (Prime Video, June 23)
2023 BET Awards (June 25, BET)
The Bachelorette, season 20 (June 26, ABC)
Grown-ish, season 6 (June 28, Freeform)
Hijack (Apple TV+, June 28)
The Witcher, season 3, part 1 (Netflix, June 29)
Warrior, season 3 (June 29, Max)
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, season 4 (June 30, Prime Video)
And Just Like That …, season 2 (HBO Max, June TBD)
Black Mirror, season 6 (Netflix, June TBD)

July 2023

The Horror of Delores Roach (July 7, Prime Video)
The Prank Panel (July 9, ABC)
The Afterparty, season 2 (Apple TV+, July 12)
Full Circle (Max, July 13)
Foundation, season 2 (Apple TV+, July 14)
The Summer I Turned Pretty, season 2 (July 14, Prime Video)
The Real Housewives of New York City, season 14 (Bravo, July 16)
Justified: City Primeval (FX, July 18)
Minx, season 2 (Starz, July 21)
Praise Petey (Freeform, July 21)
The Witcher, season 3, part 2 (Netflix, July 27)
Good Omens, season 2 (July 28, Prime Video)
Heels, season 2 (July 28, Starz)
Survival of the Thickest (July TBD, Netflix)
Reservation Dogs, season 3 (FX on Hulu, August 2)
Heartstopper, season 2 (Netflix, August 3)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu, August 8)
Painkiller (Netflix, August 10)
The Upshaws, season 4 (August 17, Netflix)
Archer season 14 (August 30, FXX)
Ahsoka (Disney+, August TBA)

As for what we can look forward to in the fall and beyond, well, Lupin Season 3 is scheduled for October 3 on Netflix. Other shows in the works without premiere dates include Bridgerton Season 3 and The Crown Season 6 on Netflix, Ironheart and Loki on Disney+ and Gen V on Prime Video!

What to Watch

Memorial Day Weekend: 5 Best TV Shows to Binge-Watch

Published

1 week ago

May 26, 2023

CraveYouTV

Break out the red, white, and blue because it’s Memorial Day weekend.

The holiday, honoring and remembering fallen military personnel, is typically characterized by a three-day weekend consisting of parades and outdoor grilling.

But if you’re planning to kickstart summer indoors, there are plenty of great shows and movies to binge-watch with friends, family, or even solo!

You can opt for some Memorial Day-themed movies, or you use this time to finally get around to that “one show” you’ve been meaning to watch! Or even use this time wisely to catch up on shows that will be dropping new seasons in the next few weeks/months.

If you’re looking around for new shows to feed your eyeballs, look no further than this list of must-watch during Memorial Day weekend shows that are all streaming RIGHT NOW!

Manifest – Netflix

The last 10 episodes of the groundbreaking plane drama are preparing for landing on June 2, which. means that this is the perfect weekend to catch up on all this Manifest. Where did the passengers of Flight 828 go when they disappeared for 5 years?

Sweet Magnolias – Netflix

It’s almost time to return to Serenity to catch up with your three best gal pals, Maddie, Dana Sue, and Helen. The beloved Netflix drama just announced a summer premiere, so this is your time to binge all the episodes you haven’t seen yet!

How I Met Your Father – Hulu

HIMYF, the Hilary Duff-led HIMYM spinoff, is one of the biggest sitcoms on TV right now. Along with its promising cast, it delivers a fast-paced yet quirky and hilarious storyline that makes it a breeze to watch during a long weekend.

Cruel Summer – Freeform

Love a good mystery? So do we. And Cruel Summer, which was a breakout hit in 2021 when it dropped its first season, kept audiences on their toes right down to the last minute of the season. The first season of the drama—spanning three different summers—focused on Kate Wallis, a popular teen who goes missing, and Jeanette Turner, a dorky outlier who is accused of knowing who abducted Kate and keeping it a secret. Which one of them do we believe? Binge all seven episodes and prepare for the arrival of season 2 in June!

The Bear – Hulu

There may be a lot happening in Jeremy Allen White’s personal life right now, but that shouldn’t deter you from enjoying Hulu’s The Bear, where he plays a young chef from the fine dining world who comes to run his family’s sandwich shop following a death in the family. There’s a lot to dig into with this one, including White’s poignant performance and an organic chemistry with the cast.

What to Watch

2023 Renewal Scorecard—Which of Your Favorite Shows Are Sticking Around?

Published

2 months ago

April 19, 2023

Lizzy Buczak

It’s hard to believe that the 2022-2023 TV season is almost over—and you can find a list of finale dates right here—but we’re already looking ahead to the upcoming primetime broadcast year.

And that means checking whether or not your favorite shows will be joining the 2023-2024 lineup. Have they been renewed? Canceled? Or is the verdict still out?

We’ve compiled a list of all the big network shows and broke it down for you so that you know exactly where your show stands going into the upcoming TV season.

Check it out below—we’ll update the list as ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and The CW announce renewals/cancelations!

ABC

Renewed Shows:
Abbott Elementary– Season 3
American Idol – Season 21
The Bachelor – Season 27
Celebrity Family Feud – Season 9
Claim to Fame – Season 2
Grey’s Anatomy – Season 20
Press Your Luck – Season 5
The Wonder Years – Season 2 (premieres summer)
Will Trent – Season 2
Bachelor in Paradise
The Bachelorette
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
Shark Tank
Not Dead Yet
The Rookie
The Good Doctor
Station 19
The Conners

Canceled:
Avalon
The Goldbergs
Alaska Daily
Big Sky
The Company You Keep

Final Season:
A Million Little Things

To Be Determined:
Home Economics
The Rookie: Feds

CBS

Renewed:
48 Hours – Season 36
60 Minutes – Season 56
The Amazing Race – Season 35
Blue Bloods – Season 14
Bob Hearts Abishola – Season 5
CSI: Vegas – Season 3
The Equalizer – through Season 4
FBI – through Season 6
FBI: International – through Season 3
FBI: Most Wanted – through Season 5
Fire Country – Season 2
Ghosts – Season 3
Lingo – Season 2
NCIS – Season 21
NCIS: Hawaii – Season 3
The Neighborhood – Season 6
So Help Me Todd – Season 2
Survivor – through Season 46
Tough as Nails – Season 5
Young Sheldon – through Season 7
S.W.A.T. – (Season 7 final – canceled and resurrected for 13 episodes)

Canceled:

East New York

Final Season:
NCIS: Los Angeles

New Shows for the 2023-2024 Broadcast:
True Lies
The Never Game

Fox

Renewed:
Accused – Season 2
Alert: Missing Persons Unit – Season 2
Bob’s Burgers – through Season 15
Family Guy – through Season 23
The Cleaning Lady – Season 3
Accused – Season 2
Alert: Missing Persons Unit – season 2
Grimsburg – through Season 2
Krapopolis – through Season 3
The Simpsons – through Season 36
9-1-1: Lone Star (Season 5)

Canceled:
Monarch
The Resident
Call Me Kat
9-1-1 (renewed and moving to ABC)
Fantasy Island

To Be Determined:
The Great North
HouseBroken
So You Think You Can Dance
Welcome to Flatch

NBC

Renewed:
American Auto – Season 2
Chicago Fire – Season 12
Chicago Med – Season 9
Chicago P.D. – Season 11
Grand Crew – Season 2
La Brea – Season 3
Law & Order – Season 23
Law & Order: Organized Crime – Season 4
Law & Order: SVU – Season 25
Magnum P.I. – Season 5
Quantum Leap – Season 2