‘Pluribus’ Beats ‘Breaking Bad’ With Its Two-Season Order at Apple TV

by

Many consider “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” to be among the greatest TV stories ever told, and the creator of these shows, Vince Gilligan, has recently achieved something even more impressive. While Gilligan had a career before “Breaking Bad” premiered in 2008, the show launched him to new heights of fame and success. Then, with “Better Call Saul” continuing the story after the original series ended, he maintained that incredible momentum.

Though itā€™s not getting as much attention as Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan has a new show, Pluribus, now available on Apple TV. It shares some similarities with his well-known work, but also has key differences. Interestingly, something significant happened during the making of Pluribus that never occurred with Breaking Bad or its spin-off.

Apple TV Ordered Two Seasons of ‘Pluribus’ at Once

This Never Happened For ‘Breaking Bad’ or ‘Better Call Saul’


Apple TV

I’m really getting into Pluribus, but Season 1 is almost over ā€“ the finale is coming on December 26, 2025! Honestly, the story feels far from finished, and it’s keeping me guessing. Just when I think things are heading towards a conclusion, the plot throws a curveball and thenā€¦calms down. Itā€™s a weird way to tell a story, but it’s totally working for me. I remember hearing that Gillian always planned for a longer arc, and it makes sense now. Apple TV giving the show a two-season order right off the bat was a smart move ā€“ itā€™s given the creators the space they need to really develop the story and not rush things.

Unlike some shows that get multi-season renewals, both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul were only ever renewed for one season at a time. In the beginning, it wasn’t even certain Breaking Bad would be renewed, particularly after the 2007 writers’ strike shortened its first season. As the show grew in popularity, it became clear it would likely continue as long as creator Vince Gilligan wanted, but AMC consistently only committed to one season at a time.

When Better Call Saul began filming, Breaking Bad was incredibly popular ā€“ everyone was talking about it. Similar to the original series, there wasn’t much concern about Better Call Saul ending prematurely; the creators were given the time they needed to finish the story. However, AMC was cautious with renewals, only approving episodes in small batches. Apple TV seems to operate differently. Unlike AMC, a second season of Pluribus was always part of the plan for the streaming platform.

Why Apple TV’s Two-Season ‘Pluribus’ Order Is Perfectly Understandable


Apple TV

Following the huge popularity of his work on Breaking Bad, everyone was excited to see what Vince Gilligan would create next. Heā€™d already built a strong and growing fanbase during his time on The X-Files, so Apple TV was clearly confident in his new show, Pluribus. Thatā€™s why they took a big chance and committed to two seasons before the first one even aired.

The Breaking Bad Franchise & Pluribus ā€” Rotten Tomatoes Scores
Show Years Tomatometer (Critics) Popcornmeter (Fans)
Breaking Bad 2008-2013 95% 97%
Better Call Saul 2015-2022 98% 96%
Pluribus 2025- 98% 68%

Some viewers haven’t enjoyed Pluribus, which could be a problem for shows on other streaming services. However, Apple TV doesn’t seem as concerned about a show’s popularity when deciding whether to renew it ā€“ even Foundation, which isnā€™t drawing large audiences, has been renewed for a fourth season. So, even if Apple TV had initially ordered just one season of Pluribus, it likely would have gotten another one anyway. Considering Vince Gilliganā€™s established and dedicated fanbase from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Apple TV probably just sped things up by ordering the first two seasons of Pluribus upfront.

Read More

2025-12-16 02:04