Kumari Shreya
‘Welcome to Flatch’ is a comedic mockumentary series inspired by the BAFTA-winning hit British show ‘This Country.’ Created by Jenny Bicks, the show is set in a fictional midwestern town called Flatch, where a documentary crew explores the lives of the eccentric and endearing residents residing in the small town. The main focus of the documentary is the cousin duo of Shrub Mallet and Kelly Mallet who also happen to be best friends. The town does not have a lot going on but is not the worst place you could be at!
Starring Holmes, Sam Starley, Seann William Scott, and Aya Cash, the comedy show showcases the life of a small town in Ohio and makes the viewers wish to be a part of Flatch or at least visit it once! The show accurately offers a satirical take on small towns creating a nostalgic and calming feel for the audience, leaving you wondering where the show is filmed. Here is everything we know about the same!
Welcome to Flatch Filming Locations
The show shared its name with the British Counterpart before the makers settled with ‘Welcome to Flatch.’ The Fox production is filmed entirely in the state of North Carolina. The filming of the first season of ‘Welcome to Flatch’ commenced in March 2020. However, just after a single day of shooting, the crew had to pack up due to the restrictions put because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the team charged ahead and used the footage from the single day to craft a 10-minute presentation for Fox, which earned them a 14-episode order of the show!
Talking about it during a panel session at SXSW Austin, creator Jenny Bicks stated, “That is such a testament to the performers. These guys all rolled with it. It was a full on, let’s put on a show and it was fun but we certainly didn’t expect to only have one day of shooting.” Several months following the break, production on the inaugural season of the show resumed in late 2020. Filming continued till early 2021 across various locations in North Carolina, particularly Pender County, Duplin County, New Hanover County, and Brunswick County. Here is deeper dive into the specific filming sites!
New Hanover County, North Carolina
A significant portion of the show is filmed in the port city of Wilmington in Hanover County, North Carolina. Double Happiness, a well-known Chinese restaurant at 4403 Wrightsville Avenue, is used to film several scenes for the debut season of the comedy series. Areas such as Pender Avenue, Plaza Drive, and Kelly Road also serve as the shooting locations of ‘Welcome to Flatch.’
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Formed in 1729, the New Hanover County extensively hosts the filming crew of the mockumentary series. Over the years, the county has served as a shooting spot for several other projects like ‘Sleeping with the Enemy,’ ‘Trick or Treat,’ and ‘The Marc Pease Experience.’
Pender County, North Carolina
The town of Burgaw in Pender county serves as the backdrop for several important scenes within ‘Welcome to Flatch.’ According to the Director of Burgaw Parks and Recreation, Cody Suggs, the filming of the show in Burgaw started in November 2020 and ended sometime in February of 2021.
Significant locations in Burgaw where the filming of season 1 took place are Bishop Rayford Hankins Memorial Park at 310 North Walker Street, W. Ross Harrell Memorial Park at 108 East Ashe Street, and Olde Carolina Eatery at 113 West Fremont Street. The Macedonia AME Church (300 North Walker Street), Burgaw United Methodist Church (110 East Bridgers Street), and the historic Burgaw Train Depot (103-201 South Dudley Street) were also used for shooting purposes along with many local area homes. Apart from Burgaw, several other locations within Pender County serve as filming sites.
Duplin County, North Carolina
Multiple scenes for the show are lensed in the town of Wallace, located in Duplin County. Interestingly enough, a small portion of the town of Wallace also falls within Pender County. The production team uses several locations in Duplin county as backdrops for the mockumentary series.
Winnabow, North Carolina
Located in the Brunswick County of North Carolina, Winnabow is a small farming community that serves as an ideal location for the setup of the show set in a fictional Ohioan small-town. The area is home to many picturesque tourist spots, such as Brunswick Nature Park, Brunswick Town State Historic Site, Orton Plantation Gardens, Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, and Lighthouse Pentecostal Church. A few portions of ‘One Tree Hill’ and ‘Dawson’s Creek‘ were also brought to life in this quaint locality.
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