‘Pluribus’ Season 1 Review – Vince Gilligan’s New Series Is Ambitious And Thought-Provoking

One thing Vince Gilligan is known for is infusing everything he writes with sardonic, biting humor and a dark tone. These elements can flip as quickly as the flick of a light switch. No matter the material, whether a neo-noir crime drama, a network procedural, or science fiction, Gilligan’s writing oozes individuality. This is regardless of the genre in which he dresses the series. His new streaming series, Pluribus, debuts on Apple TV with a two-episode premiere this Sunday. It features his classic trademarks in a familiar setting—showcasing ambitious and fearless storytelling in the way only Gilligan can.

However, Pluribus still manages to feel eye-openly underwhelming. This is especially true considering Vince Gilligan’s sterling pedigree with Breaking Bad. However, the final verdict remains to be seen.

The series follows fantasy author Carol Sturka (Better Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn), who has just arrived home with her partner and manager, Helen (American Fiction’s Miriam Shor). Carol appears to be perpetually irritable, likely due to the stress of her upcoming book release. Meanwhile, Helen tries to stay positive. She practices gratitude at every turn. She even moves Carol’s novels to the top shelf of a bookstore display to ease her anxiety—and tolerates her drinking. Carol’s car, however, is hardwired with an ignition interlock device. This is a result of her drunk driving conviction.

Yes, Carol doesn’t seem to realize what she has or how lucky she is. For that matter, she takes everything for granted. But that’s about to change. The love of her life, and everyone around her, enters a trance-like state, convulsing in shock after stopping at a dive bar on their way home to Albuquerque. Some die, while those who survive appear to move in a perpetual state of optimism. They are of one mind, lacking individuality but overflowing with an inordinate amount of empathy.

Eventually, we discover Carol is one of only twelve people left on Earth who survive the mysterious condition caused by an unknown, alien-like virus. This collective of viral beings might as well call themselves “Prozac Nation.” They send her a woman named Zosia (Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Karolina Wydra). She bears a striking resemblance to the heroine on the cover of Carol’s most famous novel. Her mission? To make sure Carol is as comfortable and supported as possible. That is, until Zosia and her kind can figure out why Carol is immune to their powers. They need to know how to make her one of them.

Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus is ambitious, razor-sharp, and thought-provoking. However, as I mentioned above, it still manages to feel underwhelming—mostly because Apple TV, inexcusably, only allowed critics to watch the first seven episodes. This is a personal pet peeve of mine. This isn’t a procedural; it’s a serialized, narrative-driven drama. Therefore, cutting off access mid-arc leaves the story feeling incomplete. Especially given the episode where the streamer chose to end the screenings. I had the same argument when Apple TV decided not to give critics the last episode of Presumed Innocent earlier this year.

Therefore, you can’t fairly hold a critic to their review when the series itself is incomplete, especially one like this, which functions more like a novel and loses meaning without its ending. What you can judge the creators on, however, is the ride so far, which had me asking more than once, “Where are the writers taking me?” The show clearly has more on its mind than an end-of-the-world narrative. It shines a light on love, death, life, mental health, and the quiet torment of isolation and personal autonomy. Additionally, the series carries a coating of Gilligan’s dry, ironic, and morally astute writing—darkly humorous, profoundly ironic, yet never cynical.

Gilligan’s work often centers on characters with the best intentions who inevitably tumble into their own moral sinkholes. The same applies here, except Seehorn’s “most miserable woman in the world” isn’t the target—it’s the viral aliens, whose benevolent intentions we can’t help but question as we wait, with breathless anticipation, to see what they have up their sleeves. However, we cannot discount Seehorn’s performance, one of the year’s best. It is subtle, emotionally layered, and sneaks up on you. Her defenses slowly crumble, revealing moving vulnerability.

Pluribus is an entertaining ride; however, the issue remains—we don’t know where it’s going. That’s a rare thing in storytelling these days. Ultimately, it’s worth the existential and emotional traffic jam you’ll undoubtedly experience.

You can stream the first two episodes of Pluribus exclusively on Apple TV starting November 7th, with episodes dropping weekly up until December 26th.