Anyone else press ever pause on shows or movies when a residential landscape is on the screen?  Well, I do it even when it interrupts the next plot reveal in “Pluribus” by the amazing Vince Gilligan, of “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” fame.

So while streaming “Pluribus” I was keenly observing the main character’s residence in an upscale community in Albuquerque – the city that hosted both “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul.” (Gilligan says he goes back there because he’s established rapport with local crew members.)

Here’s Rhea Seehorn as Carol in her back yard, which had me wondering what she supposedly planted there. I was admiring the long, full, mostly-perennial border in her back yard and loving that the team decided this successful writer would also be an avid gardener. 

But then I listened to the official Pluribus podcast and learned that Carol’s garden and her entire neighborhood are FAKE! Yes indeed, this cul-de-sac facing the mountains was created just for the show (except for the mountains, I guess).

If you’re wondering why Gilligan didn’t use a real neighborhood and a real home for the show, as he did with “Breaking Bad,” Gilligan said on the podcast that the fake neighborhood allowed better access for filming with less disruption of neighbors. But commenters on Reddit knew there’s more to the story: “Vince literally built a neighborhood to avoid another ‘Walt’s house’ incident.” What’s that, you may wonder, as I did?

Another commenter explained that “Fans of the show ruined it [the real home used in Breaking Bad] by trespassing in and disrespecting her privacy and giving her hell. The city helped pay for her fence bc it was so out of control and her and her family members she was taking care of inside were at risk.”

My own response was like this one: “Holy shit! If they can build a whole neighborhood! Apple IS a trillion dollar company, though.” 

Oh, and that’s not the only super-expensive sets I’ve noticed in “Pluribus,” and I’m only four episodes in!

So as I often do, I’m asking myself how on earth streamers can afford blockbuster-level productions, but I’m so glad they can.

And for the garden-nosy like me, it may not be a real person’s real garden but it’s still interesting to see the vision of the set design team (and surely Gilligan, too) brought to life, however briefly.