BOTTOM LINE
Breaking Bad Director, Bang!
PLATFORM
APPLE TV
RUNTIME
118 Minutes (First Two Episodes)
What Is the Film About?
Pluribus revolves around a cataclysmic, yet eerily haunting event called “The Joining,” triggered by an alien virus that transforms nearly all of global humanity into a single, relentlessly content, and ethically aligned hive mind.
The narrative centers on Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), a misanthropic, best-selling romance author and one of the rare few worldwide who remains immune. In other words, Carol becomes the “most miserable person on Earth”, living in a perfectly happy world.
Performances
Rhea Seehorn leads the show from the front. Her portrayal of Carol Sturka is a definitive masterclass in vulnerability fused with righteous anger. She seems like a good person from the outside, but from the inside, she is also flawed. Carol’s intense, often miserable persona makes her a powerfully unique protagonist.
Seehorn conveys Carol’s inner turmoil, jadedness, isolation, and grief flawlessly, even in extensive and dialogue-free sequences. The actress gives a raw, vulnerable, and highly emotional portrayal of the conflicted protagonist.
Since Pluribus is largely a “one-woman show”, the supporting cast is used with deliberate sparsity but tremendous effectiveness, serving primarily as thematic counterpoints to Rhea Seehorn’s protagonist.
Yet, Karolina Wydra gives another standout performance as Zosia, Carol’s primary companion and caretaker from the “Joined.” Her smiles and gentle insistence appear more sinister than any traditional monster. The rest of the cast looks in fine form, too.
Analysis
The “Joined”, characterised by an unnerving calm and passive-aggressive compliance, is focused on two goals: maintaining their harmonious state and trying to figure out what to do with the un-Joined Carol. Driven by her deep-seated flaws, grief over the loss of her partner, and a fierce defence of the full spectrum of human emotion and individuality, Carol undertakes a dangerous, high-stakes quest to save humanity from its own enforced happiness.
Pluribus marks Gilligan’s most ambitious and high-stakes plot to date, moving from the confined settings of his previous globally acclaimed crime dramas (Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul) to a global, post-apocalyptic psychological thriller with significant sci-fi elements.
The series adopts a distinct cinematic flair compared to Gilligan’s previous shows, leveraging the freedom of Apple TV to incorporate extended episodes that deliberately take time for world-building, character development, and establishing the unsettling environment. The first two episodes frequently use lengthy and detailed visual sequences to establish the new, horrifying reality.
The manner in which the “Joined” move or echo their sentiments or concerns collectively in perfectly coordinated, unnaturally calm formations is chilling yet exciting to watch.
Although some viewers may perceive a slight drag in the middle of the first two episodes as the dramatic stakes are deliberately and meticulously introduced.
The few other immune characters introduced serve primarily to explore varying moral responses to the new world, but the central focus is maintained on Carol, which restricts the overall impact of the supporting cast.
The show also uses absurdist and black comedy to interrogate profound concepts concerning loneliness, the inevitability of grief, and the intrinsic value of human imperfections.
The fact that Carol remains one of the few people who are able to experience a wide range of human feelings, such as anger, sadness and complex love, amidst a population that knows nothing but happiness and harmony, is what makes this show truly amazing. In other words, we can say that the show functions as a philosophical thought experiment, deeply exploring the cost of unity when individuality is sacrificed.
Overall, Pluribus, from the director of Breaking Bad, offers a fresh and novel plot, top-notch production quality, and a story that keeps you hooked through the first two episodes, with the excitement for the following episodes already through the roof.
Music and Other Departments?
The show is visually stunning. It rejects the aggressive colour symbolism of Breaking Bad for a specific, unnervingly beautiful palette that conveys the unsettling spectacle of an abandoned yet perfectly harmonious city. Gilligan’s signature cinematography is prominent, featuring deliberate use of extreme camera angles (severe low and high angles) and meticulous, long takes.
Pluribus becomes more of an immersive watching experience with the help of large-scale sets and detailed filming. The entire aesthetic leans towards a cinematic quality far beyond standard television, demanding the audience’s focused attention.
Dave Porter’s musical score is a complete departure from his work in Breaking Bad. He mainly uses gentle hums and melodic dissonance to focus more on the duality of the unsettling calm and inner dread inside the world of Pluribus.
Highlights?
Ambitious, novel plot
Cinematic visuals and scope
Unique genre blend of post-apocalyptic, psychological horror, sci-fi thriller, and absurdist black comedy
High stakes plot and technical precision
Drawbacks?
Pacing issues
Limited ensemble
Challenging subject matter
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes!
Will You Recommend It?
Absolutely!
Pluribus Apple TV Series Review by M9
