The art, culture, and charm of Santa Fe make it a great place to film a TV series. And when a series is filmed in Santa Fe money flows into the city and state economy from the production and from tourists looking to revisit spots from their favorite TV shows.
Today we are taking a closer look at some TV shows that have filmed in Santa Fe. This doesn’t include reality shows like The Bachelor; but actual dramatic series.
Today we are taking a closer look at some TV shows that have filmed in Santa Fe. This doesn’t include reality shows like The Bachelor; but actual dramatic series.
Manhattan
One of the best TV series to ever film in Santa Fe was one called Manhattan. Manhattan was an original series from WGN America that had all the signs of being a “hit” when it premiered on July 27, 2014.
Manhattan was set in 1943 and 1944 at the time of the Manhattan Project. The TV series focused on the scientists at Project Y and their families in the newly created Los Alamos, New Mexico. It was a town few people knew anything about except those who lived and worked there.
Manhattan Trailer:
Manhattan was set in 1943 and 1944 at the time of the Manhattan Project. The TV series focused on the scientists at Project Y and their families in the newly created Los Alamos, New Mexico. It was a town few people knew anything about except those who lived and worked there.
Manhattan Trailer:
The first season of Manhattan aired both on WGN and Hulu Plus. It received positive reviews from both viewers and critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show had a 90% rating with the following consensus comment:
“Though slow to start, Manhattan is a top-notch drama thanks to a talented cast, beautiful cinematography, and a keen eye for period detail.”
The show was loved by critics and viewers alike.
The backdrop of Los Alamos was perfect for a time-period mysterious drama series. The success of season one resulted in a go-ahead for season 2. However, in a very puzzling move, season 2 no longer aired on Hulu Plus, but rather only WGN. This caused a huge loss of audience and interest and the show quickly died after its second season.
Both seasons of Manhattan were filmed in and around Santa Fe.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican paper, Manhattan was “being shot at the long-abandoned Bruns Army Hospital adjacent to the campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design… where crews refurbished the old hospital to create barracks, laboratories, offices, stores and the PX, which is the social center for the characters in the series.”
The TV series pumped tens of millions of dollars into the economy of Santa Fe and New Mexico. Here’s a look at the actual buildings and sets used in the show:
Both seasons of Manhattan were filmed in and around Santa Fe.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican paper, Manhattan was “being shot at the long-abandoned Bruns Army Hospital adjacent to the campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design… where crews refurbished the old hospital to create barracks, laboratories, offices, stores and the PX, which is the social center for the characters in the series.”
The TV series pumped tens of millions of dollars into the economy of Santa Fe and New Mexico. Here’s a look at the actual buildings and sets used in the show:
As you can see, as of 2017 the set was still in pretty good condition… ripe for a “continuation” or “reboot?”
Messiah
Messiah, a Netflix Original Series, was an extremely ambitious project. How ambitious? In addition to filming in Santa Fe, the dramatic series filmed in several locations throughout New Mexico and Texas, as well as Washington D.C., Nashville, and also overseas in Amman, Jordan.
Messiah is the story of the world’s reaction to a unique man from the Middle East who claims he is sent from God. Told from multiple character viewpoints, Messiah captures the interest of the world’s media as he begins to turn the geopolitical order upside down. The series aims to challenge the viewer to examine exactly what he/she believes in.
Messiah Trailer:
Messiah is the story of the world’s reaction to a unique man from the Middle East who claims he is sent from God. Told from multiple character viewpoints, Messiah captures the interest of the world’s media as he begins to turn the geopolitical order upside down. The series aims to challenge the viewer to examine exactly what he/she believes in.
Messiah Trailer:
While Messiah was a huge undertaking, the payoff failed to happen when the series began airing on Netflix on January 1, 2020. Due to the ratings (just over 40% on rotten tomatoes), controversies, Coronavirus, etc. the show was officially canceled in late March 2020.
Godless
Godless was a seven-episode limited series that aired on Netflix in 2017, receiving rave reviews and many awards.
Notorious criminal Frank Griffin and his gang of outlaws are on a mission — get revenge on Roy Goode, a former protege who betrayed the brotherhood. On the run, Roy seeks refuge in isolated mining town La Belle, N.M., where he lives with Alice Fletcher, a hardened widow and outcast. When word reaches La Belle, which is governed mainly by women, that Griffin is headed there, the residents of the town band together to defend against his murderous gang.
Like with Manhattan, the majority of Godless was filmed in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Godless mostly filmed at Santa Fe Studios.
Godless Teaser:
Additional TV shows that have filmed in or around Santa Fe include Monsters of God (TNT), Roswell, New Mexico, Longmire, Cosmos: Possible Worlds, and more.