Lea Thompson Reflects on the Highs and Lows of Filming ‘Caroline in the City’

Caroline in the City first premiered on Sept. 21, 1995, introducing viewers to the quirky, romantic world of cartoonist Caroline Duffy, quickly becoming a staple of NBC’s ’90s comedy lineup. 

The show ran for four seasons, ending in 1999, but remains a nostalgic favorite for many fans. 

Days after the show’s 30th anniversary, leading actress Lea Thompson commemorated the sitcom’s major milestone with a touching Instagram montage featuring stills from the show. 

Each image was paired with touching personal stories and candid reflections from her time on set, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into her experience. 

In one of her photos taken on set, the mother of two took the opportunity to open up about a painful memory, sharing, “The first day of the second episode my father died. It was really hard.” 

Despite the difficult memory of her early days on set, the actress still looks back at the sitcom with fondness.

Taking a humorous approach to how fast the time has passed, Thompson captioned her post: “Caroline in the City is 30 how can I be 37?”

In her very first throwback shot, the 64-year-old also reflected on filming the pilot shortly after giving birth to her daughter Zoey Deutch, noting that her new role as a mother was still very present in that moment.

“Couldn’t wait to get back to her to breastfeed,” she wrote. “You can tell in this photo.”

In another image, Thompson reminded her followers of a kiss between her and costar Malcolm Gets, which earned them a TV Guide Best Kiss Award. 

In the mix, Thompson added a photo of her and fellow castmate Amy Pietz, writing warmly, “@amypietz is not only the best actress ever she’s still my bestie.”

She also highlighted a quirky set detail, explaining that she was surprised to find a Lolita poster in her character’s apartment and insisted it be swapped out for an Elvis poster during season 2.

Thompson wrapped up her social media tribute with heartfelt gratitude, writing, “Mostly I feel blessed to have worked with these amazing people and had a chance to make you laugh.”

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While promoting season 2 of The Chicken Sisters in August 2025, Thompson exclusively told PEOPLE that filming the show taught her invaluable lessons about comedy and timing.

“Doing a sitcom in front of people, it really shows you that you can think something’s funny, but it’s not,” she said, adding that even the silent reactions from the crew guided her performance.

“So I learned the power of an audience … even though they can’t make a noise, you can kind of get a feeling if you’re on the right track.”

“And I loved that about doing a sitcom, and I loved Caroline and the City,” she added.

The Chicken Sisters season 2 finale airs Sunday, Sept. 28, at 8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel.