Netflix’s new dramedy The Chair is finally here, and if it’s inspiring you to visit a chilly New England and soak up the historical architecture, you’re not alone. Featuring all-star cast members including Sandra Oh, Jay Duplass, and Holland Taylor, the miniseries is set at the fictional Pembroke University and follows Professor Ji-Yoon Kim (Oh), who becomes the first female chair of Pembroke’s fledgling English department and is responsible for revamping it before the administrations starts making cuts.
Though the college is supposed to be set in Massachusetts, actual filming took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The show used the historically rich campuses of Washington & Jefferson College and Chatham University’s Shadyside to shoot scenes of Pembroke, and we have to say, they nailed the dark academia aesthetic. Anyone familiar with the universities will be able to recognise the buildings that make up Pembroke, including Dr. Kim’s office, which is inside one of Chatham’s central buildings, Mellon Center.
Plus, some real-life students got to play extras on the show. A Washington & Jefferson spokesperson said, “We are happy that some W&J students have been able to participate as extras, which is a wonderful opportunity for them. These students are following strict coronavirus safety protocols required by both W&J and Netflix in order to ensure the safety of both the campus community and the production.”
Though Netflix hasn’t yet renewed The Chair for a second season, it’s safe to assume the cast and crew will be back in Pittsburgh to some degree if they get the green light. And in the meantime, you can keep daydreaming about tweed blazers with elbow patches and all of the wonderful dark academia imagery in the show.
