10 of the best TV shows set in Florida

The number of TV series set in Florida is staggering, ranging from hysterical comedies to suspenseful dramas and even iconic reality programs. Here are 10 of the best.

In the decades since television went mainstream, nearly countless TV series set in our fair state of Florida have hit the airwaves, but not all of them have been created equal. Some have flourished and gone on to run for a decade or longer, while others have simply failed to keep watchers’ interest and disappeared into the media aether. That’s why we’re here to round up 10 of the best series set in The Sunshine State—because a good show is sometimes all you need to light up your day.

For this list, we’ve looked at all TV genres, including reality TV, comedies, dramas, and more, and we didn’t discriminate between shows that were actually filmed in Florida and those that were filmed elsewhere but still set in Florida in the shows’ canons. These search parameters led us to 10 series that we believe to be bona-fide classics that every Florida resident should not only watch but also be proud to have taken place in their home state.

1. The Golden Girls

No list of the best TV shows set in Florida can exist if it’s missing “The Golden Girls.” This classic sitcom was set in Miami but enraptured people across the U.S. from its 1985 premiere to its 1992 series finale—and its legacy is powerful. To this day, the series is widely beloved by the LGBTQ+ community for its progressive stances on queer people and relationships, but it remains adored by those outside of the queer community, too.

Naturally, the charm of “The Golden Girls” resides in its four leading ladies: Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty. Sadly, all four of the esteemed actors have died in the decades since the series’ end, but they left behind seven seasons worth of brilliant humor, including the quick-witted improv that made the shoe so one-of-a-kind. Now, casual viewers who haven’t seen every episode may not have realized that the show was set in Miami, as the four women always appeared bundled up as though they lived in a colder climate, but eagle-eyed viewers will quickly see that they, indeed, live under the sweet, sweaty Miami sun. Take this as your cue that it’s time for a rewatch!

“The Golden Girls” is currently watchable on Hulu.

2. Burn Notice

Though not as old as “The Golden Girls,” “Burn Notice” is its own blast from the past. Airing from 2007 to 2013 on the USA Network, this series stars Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, and Bruce Campbell in good old, sunny Miami. Just imagine if “Burn Notice” had crossed over with “The Golden Girls”!

“Burn Notice” is a spy-action series, seeing Donovan’s Michael Westen in myriad precarious situations as he struggles to reclaim his life—and ultimately get out of Miami, where he’s from and where he’s been stranded following an undercover case gone wrong. As you can imagine, this series isn’t short on explosions, heart-pumping chases, or last-minute gotcha moments, so if you’re looking for a new thriller, this might be the show for you. “Burn Notice” was even filmed in Miami, so you can be on the lookout for familiar spots around the city. 

“Burn Notice” is currently watchable on Hulu.

3. Floribama Shore

Miami might be home to quite a few comedies and dramas, but the Florida Panhandle has a hold on reality TV. Avid MTV viewers from 2017 to 2021 likely remember the barrage of “Floribama Shore” ads that aired during every commercial break, and for good reason. “Floribama Shore” is the network’s successor to the highly popular “Jersey Shore” from 2009. Though it didn’t reach quite the same virality that “Jersey Shore” did, this sequel series ran for longer and showed how hot young Florida singles were faring with the game of finding love in the 21st century.

To accomplish this goal, “Floribama Shore” sees eight striking personalities survive with each other summer after summer in Panama City Beach and St. Pete Beach, though the series’ fourth season followed them in cities across the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic making the show’s pre-established filming routine impossible. This proved to be the show’s final outing, but it went out with a unique bang, and it’s definitely worth the watch. (Though we wouldn’t blame you if you skipped the COVID-19 season so as not to relive 2020.) 

“Floribama Shore” is currently watchable on Hulu, Netflix, and Paramount+.

4. Jane the Virgin

Serving up telenovela realness in Miami is none other than “Jane the Virgin,” the CW’s resident primetime soap opera that enticed audiences from 2014 to 2019. Gina Rodriguez helmed the series as the titular character, with the now-uber-famous Jenna Ortega portraying the younger version of Jane. Other huge stars, like Rosario Dawson, popped up throughout its six-year tenure.

“Jane the Virgin” begins with Jane becoming accidentally artificially inseminated, and the show only grows wilder with each episode and season to come—all in true, dramatically delicious telenovela fashion. However, that doesn’t mean its writing, acting, or direction are bad. “Jane the Virgin” was nominated for and won many awards, including Teen Choice Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Imagen Awards, among others.

Oh, and did we mention it has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes? Ultimately, this show is not only a devilishly good time, but it also touches on important real-world scenarios for people in the area, including struggles with immigration. If you need a funny-yet-feel-good show, give this one a go.

“Jane the Virgin” is not currently streaming on any major platforms, but it can be purchased via Amazon Prime Video.

5. Dexter

“Dexter” is the gift that keeps on giving. Originally running from 2006 to 2013, the drama received a revival in 2020, as well as an upcoming spinoff series about the titular character’s origin story. If you somehow haven’t heard of “Dexter,” all you need to know is that it’s a crime series set in Miami that revolves around a forensic technician whose side hobby is, well, murder. 

Dexter is an anti-hero of sorts—he kills murderers who he feels haven’t been properly punished, creating his own god complex in the process. All the while, you see how this double life affects his home life. It’s stressful at times, but it’s a good watch—and it becoming Showtime’s biggest success at the time is a testament to how compelling Dexter’s character and the show’s writing are. To that end, we have Michael C. Hall to thank for bringing Dexter to life, as well as the series’ three showrunners: Clyde Phillips, Chip Johannessen, and Scott Buck.

“Dexter” is currently watchable on Hulu, Netflix, and Paramount+.

6. Claws

“Claws” might not be a widely viewed classic like “Dexter,” but it should be. It’s a dramedy in its truest form, and it follows five nail artists as their day-to-day lives at the salon become a lot more twisted following their turn to money laundering. The series is set in Palmetto, a city just south of Tampa, and sees these manicurists slowly create their own criminal underworld—and get in over their heads at many turns.

As if that weren’t enticing enough to watch it, “Claws” is led by a fierce group of actors. Everyone’s favorite Niecy Nash is in the hot seat, with Carrie Preston, Judy Reyes, Karrueche Tran, and Jenn Lyon rounding out the quintuplet. Oh, and Sheryl Lee Ralph is a recurring guest star—and any series with Ralph’s stamp of approval is good enough for us. We don’t only have good news, though. Unfortunately, “Claws” films in New Orleans, but it still shows Palmetto, Florida, in a fun and fierce light. 

“Claws” is currently watchable on Hulu.

7. Killing It

Our only Peacock original series on this list, “Killing It” aired two seasons between 2022 and 2023 and, as a through-and-through comedy, is a stark departure from our last few entries. Case in point, “Killing It” is a campy romp through the Everglades that sees Craig Robinson’s Craig Foster begin to hunt pythons as part of a competition to earn money. In true buddy-cop fashion, he’s joined by Claudia O’Doherty’s Jillian Glopp, who first introduces him to the challenge when a presumed-dead python in her backseat attacks him while she’s driving.

Along the way, viewers get to see Craig’s relationship with his family members ebb and flow, and you get a better understanding of Jillian, who, before getting fleshed out, starts as mostly a zany sidekick. The series only ran for 18 episodes, so it’s a quick watch, and we can attest that it can lift a sour mood in mere minutes. 

“Killing It” is currently watchable on Peacock.

8. Fresh Off the Boat

“Fresh Off the Boat” is the only show on this list to be set in Orlando, as well as the only show to air on ABC originally. This sitcom ran from 2015 to 2020, and though mostly fictional, some elements of the series trace back to restaurateur Eddie Huang’s 2013 autobiography, also titled “Fresh Off the Boat.” Huang even recurred through the show’s first season as its narrator. 

Leading the series were Randall Park as Louis Huang and Constance Wu as Jessica Huang, as well as Hudson Yang’s Eddie Huang, Forrest Wheeler’s Emery Huang, and Ian Chen’s Evan Huang. Together, this family works to acclimate to Florida life in the ‘90s, having recently moved to the area from Washington, D.C. Home life, work life, and school life make this challenging, but when a family is this close, a lasting love—and lasting peace—is never out of reach, even when trying to integrate into a new society. Due to its writing and important conversations, especially those about struggles faced by Asian Americans, the series was nominated for and won many awards, including Young Artist Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and more.

“Fresh Off the Boat” is currently watchable on Hulu.

9. CSI: Miami

We couldn’t get near the end of the list without mentioning “CSI: Miami.” As its name suggests, this “CSI” spinoff is set entirely in Miami, and it brings a breath of fresh, briny air to the entire franchise. The series aired from 2002 to 2012, and while it might have ended more than a decade ago now, its impact is still felt. According to a BBC article from 2006, “CSI: Miami” was named the “most popular TV show” following a survey of 20 countries’ ratings for various programs. Who knew Florida was so powerful? (We did, of course, but now the whole world knows.)

You’ve probably seen countless “CSI: Miami” reruns over the years, so you don’t need us to tell you that it was good. But you might love to know that you’re not alone in your love of the show. “I loved CS Miami from the get go and still do !!!” one Redditor commented on a thread in the r/csi Subreddit. Another said, “I still watch csi Miami every year since it’s been [canceled].” Some Redditors mention “Miami” being a “cheesy” member of the “CSI” family, but overall, as one user put it, “The fact that it lasted 10 seasons says you are not alone [in enjoying it].”

“CSI: Miami” is currently watchable on Hulu and Paramount+.

10. Miami Vice

If we had to include “CSI: Miami,” we doubly had to include “Miami Vice” on this list. In many ways, it’s the OG Florida hit, hitting the air a year before “The Golden Girls” and focusing entirely on the city of Miami and its pulse. The series endured for five seasons between 1984 and 1990, and it was actually filmed in Miami, which helped create its authentic flair. What’s more, “Miami Vice” went on to influence both men’s fashion and how other shows were shot, as shows within its genre weren’t as colorfully or stylistically sophisticated at the time.

Younger folks might not have seen “Miami Vice,” but we can’t recommend it enough. It stars powerhouses like Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas, Saundra Santiago, Michael Talbott, and Olivia Brown, and in addition to experiencing excellent acting performances, you’ll be able to spot directorial choices that changed the TV landscape for years to come, giving you a greater appreciation for the show—and Miami—along the way. You might even see a few familiar faces, as many actors who began their careers in the ‘80s started out on “Miami Vice” similarly to how many actors have started out on “Law & Order” in more recent years.

According to one Redditor who commented in the r/television Subreddit, it’s “[o]ne of the best TV shows ever made.”“Miami Vice” is not currently streaming on any major platforms, but it can be purchased via Amazon Prime Video.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.