As the wildfires in Canada continue to burn, New York City has become ground zero for some of the world’s worst air quality. The smoke from the fires that have scorched millions of acres to the north have caused a thick haze to build across NYC and turn the skyline into something you might see in a post-apocalyptic movie.
Some people online are comparing NYC’s current appearance to the way Hollywood usually depicts Mexico in movies and TV series. It’s a trope that has been around for more than 20 years where scenes set in Mexico look like they’ve been shot with a sepia-toned filter.
The Oscar-winning 2000 drama Traffic is a perfect example of the “Mexican filter” being used to change the color palette of places south of the border. TV shows like Breaking Bad have also given scenes set in Mexico a reddish-brown tint.
Stand-up comedian Ralph Barbosa pointed out the similarity between the current state of the smog-covered NYC skyline and a Hollywood production.
It wasn’t only the NYC skyline that was affected by the raging fires in Canada. Neighborhoods also looked like they had an orange-colored tint.
Even a more grayish tone gave off the same kind of shadowy vibe in the sky.
At least one Twitter user wondered if there would be any subtitles for the photos they were taking.
Some wondered if we should rename NYC.
Others we’re wondering how Walter and Jesse would handle this situation.
As long as The Cousins don’t show up in New York, everything should be just fine.