Was Breaking Bad Secretly a Western All Along?

Summary:

• In 2009, TV audiences around the world were introduced to AMC's Breaking Bad.
• The story of cancer-stricken chemistry teacher Walter White's transformation into a meth kingpin still has a huge following.
• In retrospect, many wonder if the show can actually be called a neo-western, given its many references to the genre.

One of the biggest comebacks in television history in the 2010s was made by Taylor Sheridan and his iconic TV show Yellowstone, which managed to remind modern audiences of the appeal of Western settings. However, Yellowstone certainly wasn't the first show to reach a wide audience by depicting life in the West.

Currently, many fans are inclined to believe that the late 2000s phenomenon, Breaking Bad, was actually the show that managed to bring back the neo-western vibe without shoving old ranch stories down its viewers' throats.

Where Does Breaking Bad Take Place?

Of course, back in 2008, when the show was just released, no one really thought of it as a western, and it was never promoted as such. Even if you watched it from the first scene to the finale, you probably didn't see all the references. It's only now, looking back on the adventure, that more analogies come to mind.

There are a lot of gunfights, there is a desert, and there is a man in the middle of it all, desperately trying to fix his hopeless life. Doesn't that sound familiar?

“The story could only take place in a state like New Mexico, New Mexico is empty, barren, and full of crime. I love the neo western genre because it’s interesting to think that Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Texas and California still have outlaws in a way,” Redditor Difficult-Word-7208 said.

The setting itself prompts us to think about all the neo-westerns with similar scenery. If you look at good half of the show and then put a side-by-side comparison to pretty much any other Western that takes place in modern days, you will be shocked by all the similarities. The premise of the show itself being so heavily focused on the crime only helps to build this case.

Surely, we’re all used to thinking of Westerns as a never-ending rodeo with at least 1 horse in frame at all times, but that’s simply not the case. There are many elements to the genre, and Breaking Bad was definitely inspired by some of them, and left ones that didn’t fit the universe behind.

Whether you believe that Breaking Bad can easily be called a neo-western or not, it’s hard to deny the impact that this show has made. So, if you want to give it a rewatch and imagine Walter and Jesse in cowboy hats half of the time, make sure to stream the show on Netflix.

Source: Reddit