L.A. Plays Itself — But Not All of It — In Comedies Like ‘Hacks,’ ‘Nobody Wants This,’ ‘The Studio’ and ‘Shrinking’

Awards Circuit: Do TV studios still love L.A.? Homegrown shows are showcasing the authentic city — but just the shiny version of it.

By Michael Schneider

Michael Schneider

Variety Editor at Large

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It’s a cheat, but one of my biggest applause lines these days while moderating an industry panel is when I point out that a show shoots in Los Angeles. It’s an easy way to get a cheer from a Hollywood crowd looking for any good news.

So here’s some positive spin. Despite the very real concerns about runaway production and the scarcity of Hollywood shoots, there actually have been quite a few right now on the comedy side: “Hacks,” “Shrinking,” “The Studio,” “Nobody Wants This,” “Platonic,” “I Love L.A.,” “Running Point” and others.

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