Pluribus
Viewers have Vince Gilligan to thank for creating two of the greatest television shows of this century. BREAKING BAD and its spin-off, BETTER CALL SAUL, stand as masterpieces of the medium. Though set in the same universe, they were uniquely different in terms of tone and execution, yet stylistically similar in terms of visuals and humor.
Gilligan’s latest venture, PLURIBUS, contains all of the trademarks that made BAD and SAUL resonate so profoundly with their audiences. It also contains a sci-fi element that was completely absent from his previous two projects, but was explored heavily when he was working on the X-FILES.
Carol (BETTER CALL SAUL’s Rhea Seehorn) may not find a lot of joy in her work, but she has achieved plenty of success. As the author of a successful series of romance novels, she hosts book signings where dozens of adoring fans line up to say hello and get her autograph. She longs to write something more serious, but she’s not blind to the fact that her immensely popular franchise pays the bills. She is supported by her publicist and partner Helen (Miriam Shor), who encourages her to work on whatever will make her happy.
During the pilot episode of PLURIBUS, an alien virus sweeps its way across the globe. Those afflicted are suddenly part of a hive-mind collective. They all share the same thoughts, and all retain the knowledge possessed by each (former) individual. As a result, any single person can fly a plane, drive an oil rig, perform surgery, etc. There are only a small handful of people in the world who appear to be unaffected by the virus, and Carol is one of them.
Though I was instantly blown away by PLURIBUS, I found myself wondering, “where can Gilligan possibly go with this?” While it is an intriguing premise that boasts beautiful visuals and a dynamic performance by Seehorn, I feared that it would be difficult to develop an entire series based on the pilot. With each passing episode, however, the series grew more complex, introducing unexpected characters, situations, and existential questions. 
Seehorn spends a great deal of time on the screen by herself and the fact that she is able to carry the series while doing so is remarkable. As Kim Wexler in BETTER CALL SAUL, she was perfectly paired with Bob Odenkirk, and their characters and performances were largely dependent on one another, particularly in the later seasons. With PLURIBUS, there are numerous sequences where she is utterly alone, yet she commands the screen in each and every moment. As the “we” (what the afflicted call themselves) make every effort to show her how wonderful it will be for her to join their ranks, she is resolute in her quest to not only hold onto her free will, but to find a cure to the virus. Even though she is far from what you would call a happy person, she clings to the privilege of being unhappy. After meeting with others who were afflicted, she discovers that many of them are indifferent to the situation. The “we” are prepared to give them anything they ask for (including Air Force One) but Carol argues that life isn’t life at all without its challenges. By doing so, Carol (and Gilligan) force the viewer to look inside themselves and question what they would do given such a choice between experiencing all of the insufferable highs and lows of being human and existing in a world where happiness is a guarantee, but the freedom of choice is not.
PLURIBUS
GRADE: A
RATED: TV-MA
RUN TIME: 1h Series
GENRE: Dark Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
STARRING: Rhea Seehorn, Karolina Wydra, Carlos-Manuel Vesga
CREATOR: Vince Gilligan
Now Streaming on Apple TV.
