I agree the show's setting adds scores to its meaning. I think you see a lot of desolation in the scenes, and that adds to Walt's desperation to make a change in his life.

You can always tell when a show is being filmed in Los Angeles, so the fact that the producers took the trouble to shoot in New Mexico I think really proves their dedication to making the show as real and raw as possible.

Clayton, thanks for your insightful response. For me, even worse than filming in LA is the overabundance of shows filmed in British Columbia. Very beautiful, but definitely not Santa Barbara (as in "Psych").

@ New Mexico Tam:

Glad you saw this post. I noticed some of your other posts and was hoping you'd reach this one. You've got some good insights on the show--I hope you keep sharing with us in the coming weeks. I'll do my best to reply to as many as possible!

Yes Yes... Ditto!

I have been looking around for info on who the Creative/Art Directors on Breaking Bad are... Not sure why the New Mexican location was chosen. Lord knows there are plenty of locations (Modesto, Bakersfield, to name a few that are a little closer to L.A.) that they could have chosen if they were looking for an "authentic" meth location; but the vivid desert colors and big blue skies of New Mexico are a great on film. It just wouldn't be the same set anywhere else.

The colors from the cars to the costuming are really great too. It's almost as if the makers walked through a marketplace in Santa Fe with their pantone books saying we need this color for Capn's car and this color for Bryan's shirt...

So far... Breaking Bad is a work of art!

*jd

My brother and I were up last night channel surfing and we came across this show, I noticed the giant carwash, and I thought It was Albuquerque, and just seeing the old Brian O'Brians outside the carwash sealed the deal. We did enjoy watching the episode last night, and we even made a little game; Figure out where on location they were. About the only place I couldn't nail was the shop where they went to go buy their son a pair of pants and the jocks were giving him a hard time. It was either off of central in the nob hill area or off of second street somewhere (I read the 216 adress that was above the doorway).

Either way, amazing show, amazing cast, and it's nice to see that the New Mexico filming is picking up even more since Wildfire came out here.

OK, i grew up in Albuquerque and have lived all over the US.... I must compliment the set designers for nailing the ABQ.....Well, everything!!! The poster who mentioned the firemen not noticing the gun....very true.... as for the poster who said something about the colors n walking thru Santa Fe with a Pantone scale... Not as true, they nailed Albuquerque, while Santa Fe has its merits, to say it represents the New Mexico feel, maybe.... Just not growing up in Albuquerque. Walt's house has the same use of tacky teal and pink on the ugly southwest style stools, and the giant wooden forks and spoons hanging on the walls... I couldn't stop laughing when i saw them, so many relatives i have have them hanging up at their houses. The really badly done lowriders with a squeeky power steering pump, and the NE heights whiteboy gangsters are pure perfection.... I went to Highland High which if im not mistaken is the school on there.... Im on the east coast now but it is a trip to home watching this, Shots in front of Burts Tiki lounge, The Doghouse, and all of downtown take me back... Not to mention the phrase "Im cooking them New Mexico Christmas style.... Red and Green chili...." Ahhhh, no place like the 505.... The Sandia's make a great background!