A new sci-fi thriller from the creator of Breaking Bad is drawing immediate comparisons to one of Apple TV’s biggest hits. Pluribus, the latest series from Vince Gilligan, premiered on November 7 and has critics and viewers buzzing. With its high-concept story about a world suddenly consumed by forced happiness, many are calling it the next Severance. But while both shows explore themes of conformity and identity under mysterious circumstances, they take vastly different paths to tell their stories.
For viewers who loved the unsettling mystery of Severance, here is a simple guide to how Pluribus compares and what makes it unique.
The Core Concepts: Happiness vs. Work-Life Balance
At their heart, both shows present a strange “what if” scenario that hooks the audience immediately.
Severance introduced viewers to the employees of Lumon Industries, a corporation that uses a surgical procedure to separate its employees’ work memories from their personal memories. The show is a claustrophobic corporate mystery where Adam Scott’s character and his coworkers try to uncover the truth about their jobs while being trapped in a sterile office environment.
Pluribus presents a global-scale mystery. A strange event causes nearly everyone on Earth to become blissfully content, forming a single, smiling hive mind. The story follows Carol Sturka, a cynical romance novelist played by Rhea Seehorn, who appears to be immune to this forced happiness. She becomes the lone rebel in a world that now sees her unhappiness as a problem to be fixed.
One critic described the premise as “George Orwell meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” creating a world where utopia feels like a nightmare for the one person left out.
Storytelling Style: Answers vs. Mystery
A major difference between the two shows is how they handle their central secrets.
Severance is known for being a “slow burn.” The first season answered very few questions about Lumon Industries, the true purpose of the severance procedure, or what the employees are actually doing. This has led to intense fan theories and comparisons to mystery-driven shows like Lost.
Pluribus takes a different approach. Creator Vince Gilligan is reportedly more willing to explain the rules of his world as the story progresses. One review noted that “Gilligan is happy to explain his Twilight Zone-esque premise as questions arise,” making the show feel less guarded with its secrets than Severance.
This doesn’t mean Pluribus lacks depth. The show uses its premise to ask big questions about individuality, the right to be unhappy, and what it means to be human when everyone else has surrendered their independent thought.
The Main Character: A Lone Wolf vs. An Office Ensemble
The shows are also built around very different central characters and performances.
Severance is an ensemble piece, focusing on a group of four coworkers whose “innie” selves are trapped at work. Their dynamic, shared confusion, and collective rebellion drive the story forward.
Pluribus is largely a one-woman show, carried by Rhea Seehorn’s performance as Carol. Her character’s sharp wit, deep-seated cynicism, and determination make her a compelling anchor. Critics have praised Seehorn’s ability to balance drama and comedy, with one calling her performance “one of the year’s best.”
The dynamic around Carol is also distinct. Where the world of Severance is often cold and oppressive, the world of Pluribus is oppressively nice. People constantly greet Carol with a synchronized “Hi, Carol!” and a representative named Zosia is assigned to cater to her every need in an effort to make her happy. This creates a unique kind of tension where the threat comes from kindness, not obvious malice.
A Shared Theme: Fighting for Individuality
Despite their different settings and stories, both shows are ultimately about the fight to maintain individuality and free will against systems that want to control them.
In Severance, the characters are fighting to know the truth about their own lives, struggling against a corporation that has literally split their identities in two.
In Pluribus, Carol is fighting to keep her sadness, anger, and complex emotions in a world that has eliminated them. The show acts as a powerful allegory for the pressure to conform and the importance of personal autonomy. As one critic pointed out, the series puts forth a “portrait of abusive relationships,” where Carol is constantly told to suppress her feelings and instincts for her own good.
The show’s closing credits even include a pointed disclaimer: “This show was made by humans,” highlighting its core theme of humanity in an age of increasing automation and groupthink.
Critical Reception and Fan Theories
Both shows have been critical darlings, but they generate different kinds of excitement.
Severance became a massive word-of-mouth hit, dominating pop culture conversation with its unique aesthetic and deep mysteries. Its second season, which aired in early 2025, was a major television event.
Pluribus has also achieved a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes from its first reviews and is being hailed as “one of the smartest, most entertaining shows of the year.” Some critics are already arguing it might be an even more satisfying experience than Severance, thanks to Gilligan’s proven track record of delivering satisfying conclusions to his stories.
Fans are already diving into theories about the show, with many seeing it as a commentary on the rise of artificial intelligence. The hive mind concept has led viewers to draw parallels with AI chatbots and the pressure to adopt new technologies that strip away individuality. One viewer on social media commented, “Vince Gilligan perfectly captured how maddening it feels to watch everyone around you surrender to AI, while they act like you’re the crazy one for having critical thinking skills.”
It is worth noting, however, that Gilligan has said he came up with the concept for Pluribus nearly a decade ago, long before AI became a mainstream concern.
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Two Distinct Sci-Fi Masterpieces
So, is Pluribus the new Severance? The answer is both yes and no. It occupies a similar space as a high-concept, thought-provoking sci-fi series on Apple TV that challenges viewers. However, its tone, pacing, and approach to mystery set it apart.
Severance is a corporate dystopia that unfolds like a paranoid thriller, while Pluribus is a global-scale allegory that blends dark comedy with existential drama. For viewers who loved the mystery of Severance but are eager for a story that is more open with its answers, Pluribus might be a perfect next watch. Both shows stand as powerful examples of smart, character-driven science fiction, proving that the genre is thriving on television.
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