I was today years old when I found out Breaking Bad wasn’t originally set in Albuquerque, but this city

Albuquerque is one of the first things that comes to my mind whenever I think of Breaking Bad. The city, located in New Mexico, served more than just a background in the crime drama, as it played an important role in the narrative.

I couldn't imagine Breaking Bad, and its prequel Better Call Saul, taking place at any other location, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Albuquerque was not supposed to be the original setting for the show. Instead, series creator Vince Gilligan initially envisioned the story to take place in Riverside, California.

The only reason he moved the show to Albuquerque was that New Mexico was offering a tax rebate on television production, which would have saved money. What started as a financial move eventually changed the whole image of the series, as Gilligan incorporated several elements from the city into the narrative.

Breaking Bad was initially envisioned in Riverside and not Albuquerque

When Vince Gilligan started working on Breaking Bad, he thought of basing Walter White’s story in Riverside, California, as he was familiar with the lives of the inland community.

However, producers of Sony Pictures Television proposed shifting the production to Albuquerque, as New Mexico was offering a 25% tax rebate, which would have led to a reduced budget.

Gilligan was initially skeptical about the move as he had written the script based on the Riverside setting. However, after some convincing by Sony, he made up his mind as he realized the meth business could sadly be showcased in any state of the US.

As the production moved to Albuquerque, Gilligan fell in love with the city and started treating it like a character in the show. The same city then served as the backdrop for Better Call Saul, and the Breaking Bad epilogue film, El Camino.

Gilligan talked about the whole scenario in a 2022 interview with The New Yorker Magazine and revealed how it turned out to be a great creative decision:

"It turned out to be the greatest thing creatively. We did save a lot of money over the years, but the best thing about that decision was that it allowed us to shoot in this amazing cinematic landscape in and around Albuquerque. It’s a very striking, beautiful place, and it makes me think of all the great Westerns I love."

Gilligan was right, as Albuquerque’s desert, huge skies, and dusty colors matched Walter White’s journey from an ordinary man to the formidable Heisenberg. New Mexico’s culture, especially the Hispanic and Native American parts, added to the show’s unique style.

The Spanish language, local food, and festivals make the story feel more real. The desert was especially a powerful tool in the narrative as it made some tense scenes look even scarier. Albuquerque supported the show’s dark themes and gave it a unique identity, and Gilligan agrees with this fact, as he said:

"The show wouldn’t be the show without New Mexico."

Interestingly, after Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Gilligan is once again headed to Albuquerque for a different television project starring Rhea Seehorn, who played Kim Wexler in the crime drama franchise. The new show is not linked with Breaking Bad, but its setting depicts how Gilligan trusts the New Mexican city for telling his stories.

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