The Small Town in Ohio That Feels Like Straight Out of ‘Welcome to Flatch’

There are a few truths I’ve had to come to terms with in the past few years. Truth number one: I’ve fallen head over heels in love with the Midwest, utterly and inexplicably. There's just something about the way the cornfields roll like green oceans, tiny towns wear their quirks on their sleeves, and the way every diner (or Coney Island, if you're in Michigan!) feels like it’s holding a secret just for you.

Second: I have a weakness for television that surprises me, the kind that sneaks under the radar before it disappears and leaves you mourning its cancellation. Not the beloved classics everyone quotes endlessly (like Parks and Rec or Gilmore Girls reruns), but shows that feel like they were plucked straight from life: fresh writing, characters who talk like your cousins, and landscapes so convincingly ordinary that they become extraordinary.

The latest entry to scratch this itch? Welcome to Flatch. A short-lived Fox mockumentary starring Seann William Scott and the incomparable Holmes as Kelly Mallet, alongside Sam Straley as Shrub, it’s chaotic, absurd, and genuinely loving of small-town Ohio life. Flatch, though fictional, radiates a sense of home I knew had to exist in real life somewhere. That town, it turns out, is Somerset, Ohio.

Tucked into Perry County, Somerset is a village of just under 1,500 people that looks like Flatch was mapped and dropped here by accident. Red-brick storefronts line the streets, some with peeling paint, others with hand-lettered signs promising “the best pie this side of the river.” The village square centers around the old courthouse, a building that survived county seat wars, debates, and more paperwork than any human should endure. Now it just sits there, daring you to take it seriously while pigeons hold court on the roof.

Saint Joseph Church, Ohio’s oldest Catholic church, sits just outside of town. It's a perfect stand-in for the absurdly beloved local institutions of Flatch, where Father Joe might stop in mid-sermon to offer (often misplaced) life advice or a snarky quip. Every corner seems primed for mockumentary gold: small-town politics with a little too much drama, a fountain that’s clearly seen its fair share of local gossip, and statues—like the Nellie Sheridan memorial—that hint at stories you weren’t expecting but can’t stop thinking about.

Somerset’s local businesses could double as Flatch extras. Grab a pizza at Montell’s, or enjoy some potato pancakes at Clay Haus, and you’ll overhear conversations so charmingly mundane you'd think Nadine and Cheryl were discussing the latest City Hall haunting. Strong and Co. and Nick’s Pizza feel like the perfect places for Flatch-style hijinks: Maybe Kelly is plotting yet another side hustle, while Shrub is roped into a last-minute town festival, and Father Joe just wandered in, asking to taste-test every slice.

The shops and eateries here aren’t just for sustenance… they’re stages, backdrops, and silent co-stars in the town’s ongoing story. Walk Somerset and the parallels deepen. From parks to St. Joseph’s Lake to Finck’s Nature Preserve, the town feels like it’s made for long, meandering shots of people doing small, funny, or tender things.

If you think physical fitness can't be funny, let me set you straight. Somerset Fitness feels like a Flatch scene waiting to happen: picture Blind Billy stumbling through a workout, Big Mandy critiquing everyone with deadly seriousness (and the slyest of wit), and Nadine quietly trying to maintain order while chaos unfolds around her—all while the townsfolk (and those watching at home) silently judge and chuckle. Even the quiet streets hum with life, as if each lamp post and brick façade is whispering, “This is your town now; just don’t spill coffee on the Mayor’s shoes.”

And that’s the charm: Somerset is alive, absurdly lovable, and unpretentiously real, just like Flatch. It’s a place where history meets humor, where small-town drama feels epic, and where you can almost hear the mockumentary crew’s camera clicking around the corners. You don’t need a script to find yourself in the middle of a story, and you don’t need a TV screen to feel like you’re part of the cast.

Ohio awaits, and Somerset is the front-row ticket. Wander the square, order a slice, admire the Nellie Sheridan Statue, and imagine Kelly, Shrub, and Father Joe around every corner. Let the small-town quirks wash over you, uncover your own stories, and discover new shows to love. The Midwest, like Flatch, has a way of sneaking up on you, pulling you into its rhythms, and leaving you wishing you’d arrived sooner.

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