Copyright Screen Rant
Vince Gilligan returns to prestige TV with Pluribus three years after Better Call Saul ended the Breaking Bad-verse, and the first reviews are incredibly strong. Pluribus has achieved a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Once again set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the show follows the most miserable person on Earth who must save the world from a global virus that rendered everyone relentlessly optimistic. The review embargoes are strict, and unsurprisingly, most critics remained tightlipped about Gilligan's new sci-fi drama that premiered its first two episodes on Apple TV, on November 7, 2025. But the near-unanimous consensus is that Pluribus is yet another achievement for Apple TV's extensive library of stellar sci-fi television, and Pluribus was even endorsed by Bob Odenkirk as the next Severance. Unsurprisingly, Rhea Seehorn Delivers An Incredible Performance Although we don't know much surrounding the plot of Pluribus, we do know it's essentially a one-woman vehicle, and Vince Gilligan is on record for writing the role specifically for Rhea Seehorn. During Better Call Saul's run, Seehorn stunned viewers by matching Bob Odenkirk's Saul Goodman performance. Across the board, Better Call Saul was repreatedly snubbed at the Emmys, but Seehorn in particular was overlooked for two supporting actress nominations. That's why it was so exciting when Seehorn was announced as the Pluribus lead, and the most common praise among critics is her performance as Carol Sturka, a deeply miserable historical romance author. Inverse: Gilligan wrote the role of Carol for Seehorn, so it’s no wonder that her performance is the best in an already incredible career. She rides the balance between depressed and driven, panicky and steely, and does it all with humor simmering under the surface. IndieWire: And Seehorn, an unquestionable star throughout “Better Call Saul,” pushes herself to searingly soulful extremes, time and time again, in a performance demanding as much as Tom Hanks in “Cast Away” or Will Forte in “The Last Man on Earth.” Shuffle through any Pluribus review and Rhea Seehorn will commonly be cited as the standout element to the sci-fi drama's success. This time she'll likely receive an Emmy nom for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. Will this be her first overdue win? Vince Gilligan’s Early Career Work On The X-Files Is Even More Refined Yes, that's Bryan Cranston in The X-Files in the above image, and yes, one X-Files episode helped make Breaking Bad. Although most fans associate Vince Gilligan with anchoring two of the best shows of all time—Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul—you might not know that his first TV writing credit began on The X-Files. Gilligan wrote 30 episodes of the hit sci-fi procedural alongside executing producer and director credits. Vince Gilligan's creative legacy might always be tethered to crime dramas, but he's no stranger to sci-fi. And common highlights of Pluribus cite that he's right at home in the genre that launched his career. BBC: The sci-fi aspect takes him back to his early days as a writer for The X-Files. But here he uses genre tropes in a knowing, meta way. "We've all seen this movie and we know it does not end well," Carol says. And the sci-fi never overwhelms her human story. However, inspirations for Pluribus fall less in line with The X-Files and more in line with The Twilight Zone (Gilligan's favorite show), Will Forte's The Last Man on Earth, and one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, Invasion of the Body Snatchers. TVLine: As a writer who cut his teeth on "The X-Files," Gilligan gets back to his sci-fi roots here, blending aspects of "The Twilight Zone," "The Last Man on Earth" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." He sets an eerie tone from the start, peppering the scripts with pitch black humor — a Gilligan trademark — while weaving in heady philosophical debates about the nature of true happiness. As a giant fan of the Cold War paranoia philosophical themes in the 1954 Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the 1978 remake, I couldn't be more excited for Pluribus. Pluribus Is Surprisingly Funny Despite It’s Sci-Fi Drama Label Ask anyone what they love about Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul and the conversation likely centers on the thrilling intensity and character descent from hero to anti-hero. No doubt, that's the defining hook of these crime dramas. But Gilligan balances those high stakes with moments of levity, like Slippin Jimmy's relentless efforts to ruin Howard Hamlin's life, or Jesse Pinkman's iconic quote, "Yeah, science bitch!" It sounds like Pluribus includes Gilligan's signature humor as well. Decider: But in true Gilligan fashion, the story never sacrifices humor for high stakes. Pluribus charms and subverts expectations by regularly integrating comedic notes and strikes a special balance between light and dark, or dread and hope. Conversely, amidst lighthearted, undeniably fun scenes, the show’s heavier concepts and horrifying realities still successfully loom. Gilligan is fascinated by everyday life and often depicts his characters completing mundane tasks. These scenes are paired with humor, and much of that effect is achieved through his handling of the camera. The Hollywood Reporter: Sometimes [Gilligan] uses the depth of his field to build suspense or terror, like several scenes in which Carol is driving through her changed world and it’s necessary to monitor the unrest in the background nearly as much as what Seehorn is doing in the foreground. But just as often, he uses it to capture the banal absurdities adjacent to the high drama of everyday life. Pluribus and The Lowdown are two of the funniest shows of the fall but I expect both to be treated as dramas by awards groups. Pluribus Shares Pacing Similarities With Breaking Bad And Better Call Saul The most striking similarity between Pluribus and the Breaking Bad-verse is the Albuquerque, New Mexico setting. While there's no indication that Pluribus exists within the same universe (and it likely doesn't), Gilligan apparently peppers Easter eggs to his most famous shows for eagle-eyed viewers to discover. Polygon: Gilligan knows where to place his camera to get the best shot, while taking full advantage of New Mexico’s beautiful desert landscape. There are moments of genuine beauty here, along with the type of comedic camerawork Gilligan does best. I haven’t seen anything yet on the level of Breaking Bad’s iconic pizza-on-the-roof visual, but Pluribus’ early episodes come close. Gilligan's slow, deliberate pacing comes from his penchant for lingering on images, both zoomed in and out. It's a stylistic decision he credits to Stanley Kubrick, believing that the first image the audience sees should stick with them long after the episode. The pizza-on-the-roof visual or the pink-teddy-bear-in-the-pool image are just two of many examples, and it sounds like Gilligan employs the same intimate attention to his scene structure in Pluribus. The pacing of Pluribus is also the common negative I notice that divided critics. Pluribus sounds like it demands your patience. The plots within episodes don't move at alarming speed, nor do the answers to the season's early questions. Vulture: You may watch and wonder what it’s all building toward and what it’s all about, but by the time each episode ends, you’ll find yourself savoring the silence it gave you to think everything through. The slow burn pacing will likely be the deciding factor to stick around or dip. I imagine that network TV fans of procedurals that employ rapid dialogue to speed along scenes will be the most turned off by Gilligan's style—and that's not a knock on those types of shows. Gilligan is more cinematic and deliberate with visual storytelling, demanding the viewer to actually watch the show rather than treat it like background noise while scrolling through feeds on your phone. The same was true of Breaking Bad's early seasons before season 4 and 5 went balls-to-the-wall, and even more so for Better Call Saul, which was much more of a character study than the former. ScreenRant: The point is – Pluribus takes its time telling the story it wants to tell, exactly how it wants to tell it. Those with short attention spans may find themselves actively trying to maintain focus, rather than having the series do it for you. There's a bit of an old-timey pace and presentation, which could be its most divisive element. That said, don't overthink it – it's Vince Gilligan's first TV show outside the Breaking Bad universe in years and another superbly heady original sci-fi concept on Apple TV. Plurbius may demand endured patience, but the rewarding sci-fi slow burn will keep you guessing with relentless fervor and intellectual stimulation. Most critics agree that, despite the slow pacing, your patience is rewarded—and they've only seen seven out of the nine planned Pluribus episodes. Considering how sticking with Better Call Saul to the end was one of the most cathartic and rewarding dramas on television, Vince Gilligan has a track record worth trusting. Sources: Inverse, IndieWire, BBC, TVLine, Decider, The Hollywood Reporter, Polygon, Vulture, ScreenRant
