Netflix Miniseries 'The Chair' Uses New England to Create Pembroke University
Netflix comedy miniseries 'The Chair' highlights the chaos of academia, but where was the show filmed? Here's what you need to know.
Aug. 21 2021, Published 5:57 p.m. ET
Brand-new Netflix miniseries The Chair stars the legendary Sandra Oh as Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim, the new English department chair at the fictional Pembroke University. The show's comedy-drama format highlights the lows and highs of working in academia, but its dark flair has fans wondering where the show was filmed.
Read on for everything we know about The Chair's filming locations.
Where was 'The Chair' filmed?
While there is a real Pembroke University located in North Carolina, the show is deliberately vague about its setting. While many reviews have said the show is reminiscent of a New England atmosphere, the actual filming location isn't quite in the Tri-state area.
According to Decider, the miniseries was filmed on location primarily in Pittsburgh, Penn. The campus was crafted from Washington & Jefferson College's campus and Chatham University’s Shadyside campus. Shadyside was also reportedly used as a stand-in for the Pembroke college town, and additional scenes were filmed at the Pittsburgh International Airport.
Pittsburgh has become a popular filming location for film and TV, with notable films such as Sweet Girl and The Dark Knight Rises taking much of their setting from the Steel City.
How many episodes of 'The Chair' are there?
Netflix doesn't typically deal in miniseries, but we're thankful they have ordered six episodes of The Chair. The show was created by actress Amanda Peet, best known for The Good Wife, Dirty John, and Brockmire. She also happens to be married to co-creator and screenwriter David Benioff. David is one-half of creative partnership "D&D" with D.B. Weiss, and they are best known for their work on Game of Thrones.
Despite The Chair only being six episodes, there won't be a shortage of content from David and D.B. anytime soon. The pair is set to co-produce upcoming films Metal Lord and Lovecraft, along with television shows The Three-Body Problem and The Overstory, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name.
Will there be a Season 2 of 'The Chair?'
Although The Chair has been titled as a miniseries, fans of the show still have hope that a Season 2 might be possible. Many miniseries that came out in the 2020-2021 television lineup, such as Mare of Easttown and The White Lotus, were marketed as mini or limited series, but — thanks to fan dedication — they have both achieved at least discussions of pursuing a Season 2.
The Chair was only released on Aug. 20, 2021, so it's safe to say it could be a while before fans hear news of any potential second seasons. In the meantime, Sandra Oh is reportedly hard at work filming the last season of BBC hit Killing Eve, so we'll see her again on television screens soon.
The Chair is now available for streaming exclusively through Netflix.
