The image of a city is sometimes shaped more strongly by fiction than by reality.

Reno, Nevada, is a place where the actual city and the specific images created by movies and dramas over the decades are intricately intertwined.

Under the slogan "the biggest little city in the world," keywords like casinos, divorce, freedom, and the spirit of the Wild West have combined to give Reno a unique position in American popular culture.

The first cultural element that significantly contributed to the formation of Reno's image is the title of 'the divorce capital.' Since the early 1900s, Nevada has had simpler divorce procedures and shorter residency requirements compared to other states, attracting people from all over the country who wanted to get divorced in Reno.

As numerous news articles, novels, and films addressing this phenomenon were created, Reno developed a complex image as 'the city of new beginnings' and 'a moral free zone.' A notable example that cemented this image in popular culture is the scene in the 1961 film where Marilyn Monroe's character goes through divorce proceedings in Reno.

Films and dramas that deal with casino and gambling culture have also played a deep role in shaping Reno's image. In the 1970s and 80s, Hollywood produced a series of works centered on casino culture, leading to Reno being recognized alongside Las Vegas as a symbol of American gambling.

Crime thrillers and film noir set in Reno highlighted the darker side of the casino underbelly, adding a nuance of 'a risky city' to Reno. This image, while not aligning with Reno's actual crime rates, reinforced the stereotype of Reno in the public's perception.

Since the 2000s, TV series have begun to re-examine Reno's image. The NBC comedy series aired from 2003 to 2009 and depicted Reno as a ridiculous and chaotic city in a mockumentary style set in the Reno police department. While this series sparked some controversy among actual Reno residents, it also made the name Reno familiar to national audiences. The series' popularity continued with the 2018 release on Amazon Prime Video and a reboot on Paramount+ in 2021.

More recently, media content that views Reno positively and dynamically has been on the rise. As Reno emerges as a new hub for the tech industry and develops outdoor lifestyles and arts culture, local documentaries and online content have been documenting this change.

The connection to the Burning Man festival has also gained attention, as the Black Rock Desert has gained worldwide fame as the site of Burning Man, making Reno known as the gateway city to this counterculture event. Numerous documentary films about Burning Man have naturally mentioned or featured Reno as a stopover.

The image of Reno created by movies and dramas is constantly being reconstructed alongside the actual changes in the city. Once known only as 'the divorce capital' and 'the gambling city,' Reno is now transforming into a city of innovation with data centers and manufacturing facilities from tech companies like Tesla, Apple, and Google. Media reports covering this change are also contributing to the redefinition of Reno's image, with the term 'New Reno' frequently appearing. With the growth of the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), the image of a young and dynamic college town is also being added, forming a complex and multifaceted urban identity for Reno.