Apple TV’s new sci-fi series “Pluribus,” from “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan, has drawn immediate comparisons to HBO’s “The Last of Us” for its gripping depiction of societal collapse, though its philosophical core presents a striking inversion of the earlier hit’s themes.
Pluribus, which premiered on November 7, 2025, stars Rhea Seehorn as Carol Sturka, an author who becomes one of the few people immune to an extraterrestrial virus that transforms humanity into a peaceful, unified hive mind. The series has been renewed for a second season. This premise invites a natural analysis against the backdrop of The Last of Us, where survivors grapple with a brutal, fungal-induced apocalypse. Both narratives explore isolation, the meaning of humanity, and the cost of survival, but from fundamentally opposing vantage points.
Vince Gilligan, the showrunner of Pluribus, is known for his meticulous, genre-bending storytelling in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. His latest project applies a similar focus on character transformation to a global sci-fi catastrophe.
Shared Storytelling Foundations and Divergent Paths
Both Pluribus and The Last of Us are anchored by a strong, relatable protagonist thrust into chaos. In The Last of Us, viewers follow Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, as he navigates a dangerous journey to protect Ellie. Pluribus centers on Carol, who witnesses the world change around her in a single night after a mysterious signal from space is reconstituted into a virus.
A key similarity noted by critics is a specific, tense sequence in their respective pilot episodes. Both feature a desperate drive through a crumbling city. In The Last of Us, Joel speeds through the outbreak’s onset in Texas with his daughter. Similarly, in Pluribus, Carol flees through Albuquerque after her manager collapses, witnessing surreal events as the “Joining” takes hold. This parallel establishes a shared language of immediate, personal catastrophe.
However, their approaches to genre and source material differ significantly. The Last of Us has been praised for its faithful yet expansive adaptation of its video game source material, honoring iconic scenes while deepening side characters’ stories. Pluribus, as an original creation, is described as a “marvel of innovation and genre reverence,” weaving homages to classic sci-fi like Invasion of the Body Snatchers into a fresh narrative that avoids predictable apocalypse tropes.
The Central Conflict: Individualism Versus Collective Peace
The most profound difference between the two series lies in the nature of the apocalyptic threat and the philosophical conflict it creates.
- The Last of Us: A Brutal Fight for Survival
The world of The Last of Us is defined by visceral danger, scarcity, and loss. The Cordyceps fungus creates monstrous, aggressive infected, and surviving humans often resort to violence and tribalism. The core relationship between Joel and Ellie is born from this brutality; their bond is a fragile source of meaning and protection in a world that actively seeks to destroy it. The story asks what lengths one will go to preserve a single, cherished human connection. - Pluribus: The Tyranny of Utopia
In stark contrast, the apocalypse in Pluribus is quiet and pervasive. The virus, called the “Joining,” does not maim or disfigure. Instead, it eliminates conflict, want, and individuality, creating a globally connected, supremely content consciousness. The threat is not violence, but assimilation. Carol’s struggle is not against monsters but against a benevolent force that has solved humanity’s problems at the cost of free will, art, and personal desire. Her immunity makes her uniquely lonely, fighting to preserve the very flaws and struggles that the new world has erased.
This creates an ironic inversion: while Joel fights to save a person (Ellie) in a world that has lost its humanity, Carol fights to save the concept of individual humanity from a world that has moved beyond it.
Also Read:
Character Dynamics and Thematic Exploration
The dynamics between protagonists and their companions further highlight the divergent themes.
- Joel and Ellie: A Bond Forged in Danger
Their relationship evolves through shared trauma and constant external threats. Ellie represents hope for a cure, but more importantly, she becomes a catalyst for Joel to reconnect with his capacity for love. Their journey is physical and emotional, with the dangerous world outside constantly testing and strengthening their bond. - Carol and Zosia: A Relationship of Ideological Opposition
Carol’s primary relationship is with Zosia (Karolina Wydra), a member of the hive mind assigned to accommodate her. Zosia is not a companion in a traditional sense but a constant, polite embodiment of the opposition. She is helpful, omnipresent, and utterly alien. Their interactions are a tense, philosophical debate made flesh, with Carol’s anger and grief directly causing physical distress to the interconnected hive. The conflict is internal and ideological, focused on the definition of a life worth living.
Both series use their worlds to explore core human questions, but from opposite ends of the spectrum. The Last of Us examines whether love and connection can persist in a world stripped of civilization. Pluribus questions whether individuality and struggle are necessary components of a meaningful human experience, even when peace and harmony are freely offered.
Also Read: Heated Rivalry’s Hudson Williams Talks About Overcoming Bias and What He Learned From Playing Shane
