he most prominent character in “The Chicago Code” — the Fox police drama that’s teetering on the brink of cancellation — is our city.
And it’s arguably the biggest, brightest starring role Chicago has ever had on the small screen.
Sure, there have been plenty of skyline views and downtown scenes in other shows — the opening to “Good Times,” the short-lived “Early Edition” and the late Patrick Swayze’s final TV project, “The Beast,” among them.
But “The Chicago Code” one-ups them all by bringing national viewers right into our neighborhoods — parts of the city out-of-towners might never see — to reflect the complexity, captivating beauty and gritty heart of Chicago.
In fact, show creator Shawn Ryan says he wouldn’t have signed off on the show if it wasn’t filmed in Chicago.
“So much of the story I wanted to tell was defined by Chicago and the city’s history. It had to be done in Chicago. To fake Chicago or move filming to Vancouver would be disingenuous and I would not be interested in playing a part in it,” Ryan, a Rockford native, said. “The characters in this story are intertwined and defined with the city and the history of the city. We were early enough in the process that I said if it was too expensive to film in Chicago, I would just move on to the next project.”
Ryan instructed location scouts to find parts of the city that had never been filmed before and to “err on the side of visual flair.”
“I knew we were going to be downtown and in the Loop because certain aspects of that part of the city show off a lot of things,” he said. “But I was interested in what kind of neighborhoods we could find. … Chicago’s obviously a diverse city and there are wards that have not been shown before. We were seeking out interesting visuals and embracing neighborhoods all over town.”
And they did.
In all, “The Chicago Code” filmed in 127 locations, from Roseland north to Edgewater, and Austin east to the lakefront, between April and December last year, according to the Chicago Film Office.
The most film locations were in Austin, where crews took to the streets at 25 different times — three more locations than in the Loop.
Austin’s prominence in the first season had everything to do with its proximity to Chicago Studio City, the show’s home base in town. It’s also a part of town that the show’s police technical advisor, Chicago homicide detective John Folino, has worked in for years, Ryan said.
There were 21 locations on the Near North Side, including the Gold Coast, and 14 locations each shot in the South Loop and Near South Side. Crews took to side streets and car washes, greasy spoons and tiny bars, dirty vacant lots and sturdy brick two-flats.
A liquor store shooting depicted in the third episode was filmed at F&R Liquors in Pilsen.
“It was pretty awesome,” owner Andres Garcia said. “You can recognize Pilsen and Bridgeport. It’s great to see little areas getting known. Out-of-towners watching the show get to see more than downtown. It’s real Chicago. Parts you don’t see on TV. If you’re a true Chicagoan, you embrace this show a little more when you see your neighborhood. You’re proud.”
“The Chicago Code’s” main characters ride L trains, hop turnstiles and chase bad guys near train trestles and abandoned railroad tracks. Ryan jokes viewers could turn the onscreen railroad spottings into a boozy game with their pals.
“We definitely have more train tracks in shots than most series,” Ryan said. “It makes for a good drinking game. Every time you see a train in the background, take a drink.”
Some scenes were filmed at locations that on the days of filming were near the scene of actual crimes.
There were reports of drug arrests, break-ins and guys carrying guns near several locations, according to crime data on Everyblock.com.
For instance, on April 19, 2010, a criminal sexual assault was reported a block away from where film crews were shooting scenes for the pilot episode at 5600 S. Calumet. And on April 18, 2010, police made an unlawful use of a weapon arrest near where crews filmed at 6300 S. University that day, according to the website.
And when police shot an aggressive panhandler in River North in February, some witnesses told reporters they thought it was just another scene from “The Chicago Code.”
“When we were making the [second] episode, we heard there was a shooting at a location the night we were filming. That’s scary when you think about it,” Ryan said. “We portray crime, but we certainly don’t want it happening.”
If the show gets picked up for another season, Ryan is looking forward to shooting in different city neighborhoods, especially some North Side enclaves.
“I’m really going to have to write something for Wrigleyville into a story next year,” Ryan said. “I’m a Cubs fan.”
And it’s arguably the biggest, brightest starring role Chicago has ever had on the small screen.
Sure, there have been plenty of skyline views and downtown scenes in other shows — the opening to “Good Times,” the short-lived “Early Edition” and the late Patrick Swayze’s final TV project, “The Beast,” among them.
But “The Chicago Code” one-ups them all by bringing national viewers right into our neighborhoods — parts of the city out-of-towners might never see — to reflect the complexity, captivating beauty and gritty heart of Chicago.
In fact, show creator Shawn Ryan says he wouldn’t have signed off on the show if it wasn’t filmed in Chicago.
“So much of the story I wanted to tell was defined by Chicago and the city’s history. It had to be done in Chicago. To fake Chicago or move filming to Vancouver would be disingenuous and I would not be interested in playing a part in it,” Ryan, a Rockford native, said. “The characters in this story are intertwined and defined with the city and the history of the city. We were early enough in the process that I said if it was too expensive to film in Chicago, I would just move on to the next project.”
Ryan instructed location scouts to find parts of the city that had never been filmed before and to “err on the side of visual flair.”
“I knew we were going to be downtown and in the Loop because certain aspects of that part of the city show off a lot of things,” he said. “But I was interested in what kind of neighborhoods we could find. … Chicago’s obviously a diverse city and there are wards that have not been shown before. We were seeking out interesting visuals and embracing neighborhoods all over town.”
And they did.
In all, “The Chicago Code” filmed in 127 locations, from Roseland north to Edgewater, and Austin east to the lakefront, between April and December last year, according to the Chicago Film Office.
The most film locations were in Austin, where crews took to the streets at 25 different times — three more locations than in the Loop.
Austin’s prominence in the first season had everything to do with its proximity to Chicago Studio City, the show’s home base in town. It’s also a part of town that the show’s police technical advisor, Chicago homicide detective John Folino, has worked in for years, Ryan said.
There were 21 locations on the Near North Side, including the Gold Coast, and 14 locations each shot in the South Loop and Near South Side. Crews took to side streets and car washes, greasy spoons and tiny bars, dirty vacant lots and sturdy brick two-flats.
A liquor store shooting depicted in the third episode was filmed at F&R Liquors in Pilsen.
“It was pretty awesome,” owner Andres Garcia said. “You can recognize Pilsen and Bridgeport. It’s great to see little areas getting known. Out-of-towners watching the show get to see more than downtown. It’s real Chicago. Parts you don’t see on TV. If you’re a true Chicagoan, you embrace this show a little more when you see your neighborhood. You’re proud.”
“The Chicago Code’s” main characters ride L trains, hop turnstiles and chase bad guys near train trestles and abandoned railroad tracks. Ryan jokes viewers could turn the onscreen railroad spottings into a boozy game with their pals.
“We definitely have more train tracks in shots than most series,” Ryan said. “It makes for a good drinking game. Every time you see a train in the background, take a drink.”
Some scenes were filmed at locations that on the days of filming were near the scene of actual crimes.
There were reports of drug arrests, break-ins and guys carrying guns near several locations, according to crime data on Everyblock.com.
For instance, on April 19, 2010, a criminal sexual assault was reported a block away from where film crews were shooting scenes for the pilot episode at 5600 S. Calumet. And on April 18, 2010, police made an unlawful use of a weapon arrest near where crews filmed at 6300 S. University that day, according to the website.
And when police shot an aggressive panhandler in River North in February, some witnesses told reporters they thought it was just another scene from “The Chicago Code.”
“When we were making the [second] episode, we heard there was a shooting at a location the night we were filming. That’s scary when you think about it,” Ryan said. “We portray crime, but we certainly don’t want it happening.”
If the show gets picked up for another season, Ryan is looking forward to shooting in different city neighborhoods, especially some North Side enclaves.
“I’m really going to have to write something for Wrigleyville into a story next year,” Ryan said. “I’m a Cubs fan.”
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