Shubhabrata Dutta
Created by Olivia Milch and Regina Corrado, Prime Video’s limited thriller drama series ‘The Better Sister’ takes the murderous route to exploring sibling rivalry. Based on Alafair Burke’s eponymous novel, the story follows Chloe, a high-profile executive who returns home one night only to find her husband, Adam, lying dead in a pool of blood. An investigation is launched, and with that arrives Chloe’s estranged sister Nicky.
For reasons that date back to their childhood and the fact that Adam was Nicky’s ex, the siblings have moved away from each other over time. However, they now share the same roof, speak to the same people, including the cops, and look after Ethan, Nicky’s biological teenage son, who has been living with Chloe. As the search for the killer continues, secrets from the sisters’ past resurface, some of which are questionable. Since the drama centers on a murder, the crime scene and, by extension, the world-building, play a vital role in the narrative.
The Better Sister Filming Locations
‘The Better Sister’ was filmed entirely in New York State, specifically in New York City and Long Island. Principal photography reportedly began in the first week of June 2024 and continued for several months before wrapping up in the first half of October of the same year. Over the months, the crew captured numerous areas shifting from one location to another in the Big Apple to establish the posh world in which Chloe makes her living and eventually feels trapped in.
Manhattan, New York City
The majority of the indoor and outdoor scenes of ‘The Better Sister’ were lensed in New York City. Several areas in the borough of Manhattan, including 23rd Street in the neighborhood of Chelsea, and the Fiorello La Guardia Park, located between West 3rd Street and Bleecker Street on the eastern side of West Broadway, were used to tape scenes. A few areas in Tribeca, a Lower Manhattan neighborhood, also served as backdrops. The production team shot some additional scenes at Guastavino’s, an event venue located at 409 East 59th Street in Midtown Manhattan. It is a well-known New York City landmark available for weddings, receptions, corporate events, non-profit events, and other social events.
In Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the crew resorted to 82nd Street and Riverside Drive, as well as Central Park West and 66th Street, to film several outdoor scenes featuring the residential areas. Flyers were put up requesting residents to temporarily move their vehicles as streets were to be closed for shooting purposes. The iconic Central Park, which lies between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side, was accessed for a few scenes. It is one of the most popular filming locations in the world and has served as the backdrop for films and shows like ‘Maid in Manhattan,’ ’13 Going on 30,’ ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,’ and ‘Gossip Girl.’
Queens, New York City
Many scenes were captured in Queens, the easternmost borough of New York City. The crew accessed the North Channel Yacht Club at 16-22 Channel Road in the Far Rockaway neighborhood for additional scenes. Some portions were shot in the Broad Channel neighborhood, at Cross Bay Boulevard between East 16th Road and East 18th Road, and in the parking lot at the Sunset Cove Park. Located at West 19 Road between Jamaica Bay and Cross Bay Boulevard, the park is known for its scenic view of the sunset across the bay, the Manhattan skyline, and the 0.5-mile hiking trail.
Most of the show’s indoor scenes were filmed at sound stages in Queens as well. The borough is home to several state-of-the-art studios with multiple sound stages, the latest filming technology, customizable sets with green screens, and large backlot spaces. Such facilities make Queens a go-to filming location for a variety of projects. ‘The Better Sister’ utilized many sound stages, which were used to recreate the interiors of Chloe’s home and other indoor spaces.
Long Island, New York
Besides New York City, a lot of the main action in ‘The Better Sister’ takes place in the East End of Long Island. The production team used the Hamptons, known for its seaside resorts and private golf clubs, for some scenes. Many scenes were lensed in Oyster Bay, a hamlet in Nassau County, and Port Jefferson, a village in Suffolk County, both of which fall on the East End’s North Shore. As opposed to the urban locales in Manhattan and its surrounding areas, Long Island offers natural backdrops, which, besides serving as the required settings, also provide a visual contrast to the show, thereby highlighting its aesthetic.
During filming, actors Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks, who play sisters Chloe and Nicky, respectively, organized fun activities for the cast, including taking them to Biel’s husband Justin Timberlake’s Forget Tomorrow World Tour performance at Madison Square Garden. Oyster Bay is known for the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, which showcases the hamlet’s rich railroad history, and the Raynham Hall Museum, which belonged to the Townsend family, one of the hamlet’s founding families. On the other hand, Port Jefferson is renowned for its art-and-culture scene, and is home to Theatre Three, one of Long Island’s oldest non-profit theater companies. It also hosts the Port Jefferson Village Dickens Festival, celebrating the writer’s works. Other projects that have used Long Island as the setting are ‘Sirens,’ ‘The Instigators,’ ‘No Hard Feelings,’ and ‘The Avengers.’
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