A star rating of 5 out of 5.
Vince Gilligan, the creator of hit shows like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, is famous for writing complex villains. However, his new project explores a strikingly different idea: a world completely without evil. This seemingly perfect world, surprisingly, becomes the source of a new kind of frightening story.
As a big fan of post-apocalyptic films, I immediately got hooked by the setup of Pluribus. It starts with a science experiment gone wrong – a classic trope, but it works! One little error, and suddenly the world is turned upside down by a virus that connects everyone into a single consciousness. Honestly, the visuals are incredibly unsettling. It reminded me of the eerie quiet of 28 Days Later, but also that creeping sense of dread you get from Invasion of the Body Snatchers – all the different versions of that story, really.
Why all the secrecy around Pluribus before it launched? It might seem like we’ve seen similar things before, but Gilligan’s approach quickly surprises you. It’s intriguing and unsettling, and sometimes, it might even push your limits.
This worldwide change in perspective isn’t about control; it’s something else entirely. The virus has already achieved its purpose, but that purpose wasn’t about winning in the traditional sense. Connecting everyone into a single, shared consciousness was simply a natural process, like an instinct. The outcome is a peaceful and ideal world, free from crime and prejudice, where all animals live freely.
Okay, so the premise is really interesting – basically, the world ends, but instead of chaos, everyone’s suddenly unbelievably happy… except for this one woman. It’s her apocalypse, but it’s not what anyone else is experiencing, and as a movie lover, I’m already hooked by that twist!
Carol Sturka is a romance novelist—one of the few people left with her sanity in a world overrun by a mind-controlling virus. Unfortunately, the infected ‘collective’ desperately wants to assimilate her, and they’re actively trying to find a way to bypass her immunity and take control.
The show’s refusal to fit neatly into one tone or genre is most apparent in its central conflict. Similar to its main character, Carol, ‘Pluribus’ challenges simple ideas of good versus evil and right versus wrong, presenting a distorted, but familiar, exploration of moral ambiguity – much like the author skillfully did in their previous work.
The virus approaches Carol with a calm demeanor and gentle words, attempting to strip away her unique personality and absorb her into its collective. However, the question arises: would complete assimilation truly be a negative outcome? Other survivors dismiss Carol’s mission to ‘save humanity,’ content with what they see as a perfect, new world already established.
It’s tempting to see this work as a rejection of blindly following the crowd, but Pluribus doesn’t provide simple solutions. It’s open to many interpretations – a quality absent in the author’s other, more sensational writing. The idea that those who intend to harm you might appear friendly resonates with issues like religious extremism, harmful practices like gay conversion therapy, and even today’s political climate. Furthermore, the way people view the danger of a virus highlights the contrasting values of societies that prioritize the individual versus those that emphasize the group.
Despite its slow pace, Pluribus is unique because the virus surprisingly offers Carol the information she needs to understand the unfolding events. While these easy revelations might not create the suspense typical of a mystery thriller—and sometimes even diminish the horror—this unusual approach ultimately makes Pluribus a truly distinctive show.
The show’s large budget is immediately apparent in its scope. Gilligan’s return to television utilizes the funds to create expansive settings that emphasize the worldwide consequences of the story. Frequent jumps between different time periods add to this sense of scale, and the story isn’t limited to Albuquerque, New Mexico – thanks to the actions of a global group known as “The Afflicted,” locations around the world are easily within reach.
Even though the show sometimes leaves you thinking about the larger consequences of this world beyond what Carol experiences, Pluribus cleverly explores these ideas through conversations and bizarre situations unique to its strange setup. For instance, a child accessing the collective consciousness to discuss sensitive medical topics is as unsettling as you’d expect, and a politician speaking to Carol via her television creates a surprisingly shocking moment, delivered mostly through explanation.
Pluribus explores a lot of unfamiliar ideas, and it cleverly uses Carol, a grumpy and cynical character, to make the story relatable. Her anger, while sometimes harmful, is also a driving force, and the tension between her frustration with humanity and the contentment of the collective becomes a key theme of the narrative.
Peter Gilligan created this story as a special gift for Rhea Seehorn, inspired by their time working together on Better Call Saul. It’s the perfect showcase of her talent and could finally win her an Emmy after being nominated three times before. Seehorn is outstanding as Carol, bringing incredible depth and complexity to the character, especially when contrasted with the more reserved people around her – whether she’s expressing anger, sadness, or longing, her performance is captivating.
In many ways, Pluribus feels like a story centered around a single person, but Karolina Wydra delivers a fantastic performance as Zosia. Zosia represents the collective consciousness that Carol depends on, and her presence intentionally blurs the lines of what’s happening while also giving the audience someone relatable within this vast group of billions.
Pluribus shares similarities with shows like Sense8, offering a fresh and imaginative take on science fiction. It blends the mysterious storytelling of Lost, the philosophical themes of The Leftovers, and the offbeat humor reminiscent of The X-Files, a series creator Vince Gilligan previously worked on. You can also see influences from classic sci-fi authors like John Wyndham and Kurt Vonnegut woven into its fabric.
Similar to how the virus affects everyone but Carol, the story ‘Pluribus’ takes common plot elements and transforms them into something fresh and unique. This makes it one of the most original stories of the year, and Gilligan’s return to television feels truly special in a world filled with rehashed ideas.
The first episode is fantastic, but to fully enjoy the show, you’ll need to look beyond individual moments and be patient with its surprising twists and turns. If you can do that, this could become a truly exceptional series, ranking among the best like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
All it took was for Gilligan to make everyone and no-one the bad guy all at once.
Pluribus is now available on Apple TV.
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2025-11-07 13:35