A major shift has happened on Apple TV+. For the past few years, the mind-bending office thriller Severance held the title as the platform’s most successful show. That reign has now ended. The new drama Pluribus, from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, has become the most watched series in Apple TV+ history. Apple confirmed the news on social media on December 12, 2025, celebrating the milestone just as the show’s seventh episode was released.
The achievement is notable for its speed. Pluribus managed to reach the top spot after only seven episodes, surpassing hits like Severance and Ted Lasso that built their audiences over multiple seasons. This follows the show’s earlier record-breaking launch in November, where it had already become Apple TV+’s biggest global drama series debut.
The New Champion’s Record-Breaking Journey
Pluribus premiered globally on November 7, 2025, with a two-episode debut. The show immediately set a high bar. Apple announced it had the biggest global drama series launch across its more than 100 territories, breaking the previous record held by Severance Season 2. Early U.S. data from Luminate showed the first two episodes logged 6.4 million hours watched in their first week.
The show’s rapid rise to the number one position was confirmed by Apple just over a month later. Matt Cherniss, head of programming for Apple TV+, shared his excitement about the show’s unique path to success.
“Rarely has keeping the secret of a show we love so much been as fun or as rewarding an experience as it has been with Pluribus,” said Cherniss. “Vince’s strikingly inventive premise blew us away from the second we read it, and witnessing the brilliance with which he has brought this series to life is truly remarkable.”
The show stars Rhea Seehorn, who earned critical acclaim in Better Call Saul. In Pluribus, she plays Carol Sturka, described as “the most miserable person on Earth” who must save the world from a strange happiness epidemic. The series also features Karolina Wydra and Carlos-Manuel Vesga, with guest stars including Miriam Shor.
Severance’s Impressive Run as the Former Top Show
Before being overtaken, Severance had a remarkable run as Apple TV+’s flagship hit. The show’s second season, which launched on January 17, 2025, after a three-year wait, broke the platform’s own records. Apple stated it became the #1 series in the service’s history based on unique viewers in its first month.
Independent data backed up its success. For the week of its Season 2 premiere, Severance claimed the #4 spot on Nielsen’s Top 10 Originals chart in the U.S., with viewers spending 589 million minutes watching all available episodes. The season finale in late March saw a huge spike, with over 540 million minutes watched in a single week.
More importantly, Severance proved that a show could grow its audience significantly after a long break. According to Luminate data, the second season posted a massive 218% increase in minutes watched compared to the first season’s initial run. The show also helped drive new subscribers to Apple TV+, with the service seeing a +126% increase in sign-ups around the Season 2 debut.
The series, starring Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, and John Turturro, also made history for Apple by breaking into the broader streaming top five. Nielsen data for the first half of 2025 showed Severance as the fifth most-watched streaming original in the United States, joining hits from Netflix and Amazon on the list.
What Pluribus Is About and Why It Resonates
The premise of Pluribus is a key part of its appeal. Vince Gilligan, famous for creating the iconic Breaking Bad universe, wanted to try something completely new. After years of writing complex “bad guys,” he stated he was “tired of writing bad guys” and created Pluribus. He expressed a desire to move away from reboots, saying, “Every generation deserves its own stories, instead of just the stories of their grandparents.”
The show is a genre-bending sci-fi drama. The official logline describes it as a story where “the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness.” This unique and prescient concept, focusing on a “happiness apocalypse,” captivated Apple executives from their first reading of the script.
The series has been met with strong critical approval. On review aggregator sites, it holds a 98% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a “Certified Fresh” label, and a score of 87 on Metacritic, where it is listed as a “Metacritic Must-Watch”. Its success has already translated into awards recognition, with nominations for Best Television Series – Drama at the Golden Globes and similar nods at the Critics’ Choice Television Awards.
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Release Schedule and Season 2 Plans
For viewers who want to catch up or follow along, Pluribus is in the middle of its first season. New episodes are released weekly on Fridays on Apple TV+. The nine-episode season will conclude with its finale on December 26, 2025.
The future of the show is already secure. Apple secured the rights in a competitive 2022 bidding war by offering a straight-to-series, two-season order. Season 2 is officially in development as part of that commitment. While no release date has been set, some industry speculation points to a possible debut in mid-to-late 2027. Gilligan has mentioned he envisions the story spanning four seasons, though he notes those plans could change.
As for Severance, fans of that series also have more to look forward to. Apple has officially renewed Severance for a third season.
What This Means for Apple TV+
The rapid success of Pluribus highlights a significant trend for Apple’s streaming service. For years, Ted Lasso was the platform’s defining feel-good hit. The baton then passed to the dystopian, cerebral Severance. Now, PlurPluribusibus, a darkly funny and inventive sci-fi story, has taken the lead.
This demonstrates Apple TV+’s growing strength in producing a diverse slate of high-quality, award-winning original content that can attract a global audience. The service, which costs $12.99 per month, has seen its subscriber base grow to an estimated 60 million paying users globally. With Pluribus leading the way and the final two episodes of its first season still to come, Apple TV+ is ending 2025 with a new champion in its lineup.
Also Read: Pluribus Episode 7 Ending Explained: A Friendship Torn Apart by Loneliness and Principles
