The Breaking Bad Filming Location That Caused Real-Life Trouble

TV shows are not always filmed in the actual locations where they take place, but "Breaking Bad," which is set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was actually filmed mostly in Albuquerque. Of course, filming in the actual location of the setting helps with the show's authenticity. But ultimately, there is no perfect filming location. Every place comes with certain drawbacks, from the weather to the expenses to the crowds. However, Albuquerque was a suitable filming location for "Breaking Bad" because of the beautiful desert scenery, the relatively low cost, and the mostly-cooperative weather. Overall, Albuquerque seems to have embraced its role as Walter White's hometown, because the city of Albuquerque unveiled a towering tribute to "Breaking Bad." 

This is not to say that Albuquerque was an ideal filming location all the time. Problems did arise in certain places, especially since "Breaking Bad" changed Albuquerque forever by drawing a lot of tourist attention to a relatively small city. Although the show has been over for years, certain parts of the city have been permanently altered because of the filming that occurred there.

Many of the recurring locations on "Breaking Bad" are filmed in Albuquerque, including Walter White's house. The filmmakers used a real house, rather than a set, for this. Despite the benefits of using a real house, such as being able to capture authentic, convincing shots, there were also certain drawbacks. Although the house is not listed on the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau's website about "Breaking Bad" tourism, it did not take fans long to figure out where the house was, and start flocking to it in large numbers, causing disruptions. 

In 2017, filming was over but, according to The Chicago Tribune, crowds of fans continued to visit the house. The owners got tired of tourists showing up randomly and wanting a picture or selfie with the house. At one point, the disruptions got so bad that they were afraid to leave the house unattended. Therefore, they decided to build a six-foot wrought iron fence in front of the house, to block the view and discourage people from hanging around. However, as soon as they started building the fence, people were already climbing it, trying to get past the obstacle and take pictures. 

As fun as it would be to own the house from a famous TV show, the constant pestering from tourists would certainly become annoying after a while. Perhaps a moat or other barrier (in addition to a fence) is needed.