For nearly two years, the creator of Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan, struggled to name his newest television series. After considering hundreds of possibilities, he found the perfect title in a single Latin word: Pluribus. The new science fiction drama, now streaming on Apple TV+, takes its name from the famous phrase “E pluribus unum,” which translates to “Out of many, one.” Gilligan chose to use only the first part of the motto, focusing on the concept of “many” to represent a world where individuality has been erased.
The series represents a significant creative shift for Gilligan, who wanted to write a hero’s story after spending 17 years in the criminal world of Walter White and Saul Goodman. The show stars Rhea Seehorn as Carol Sturka, a fantasy author who becomes the only person immune to a global event that unites all of humanity into a single, blissful hive mind.
Where the Title Pluribus Comes From
Pluribus is a Latin word that means “many” or “more than one.” It originates from the historical phrase “E pluribus unum,” which has been used for centuries and appears on the Great Seal of the United States and American currency. The complete phrase symbolizes unity formed from diversity—many states or people coming together to create one nation.
Gilligan explained his choice to use only half of this famous phrase, stating that the concept of “many” perfectly captures the show’s central theme. In the world of Pluribus, humanity has lost its individual identities and become a single collective consciousness.
“The show is not intended to be just American,” Gilligan told Entertainment Weekly. “I really want this to be a show for the whole world, and I liked the idea of out of many, one, in reference to the democracy of the United States, but also out of many people from all around the world, one.”
The Long Search for the Perfect Name
Finding the right title for his new creation proved to be one of the most challenging aspects for Vince Gilligan. He revealed that the naming process was surprisingly difficult for a series whose concept had come to him so clearly.
The idea for Pluribus first emerged about ten years ago, while Gilligan was filming Better Call Saul. He initially developed the concept during his lunch breaks, imagining a story where a person finds everyone suddenly and inexplicably nice to them. However, it took him a decade to fully develop this idea into the series that would become Pluribus.
Gilligan and his writing team would regularly compile lists of approximately one hundred potential titles for the show. Interestingly, Pluribus was among the early names they considered but initially set aside.
“We would come forward with a hundred names,” Gilligan explained. “Out of these hundred names, the screening process would start. The title Pluribus came forward quite early, while the discussion about the title was going on. However, they decided not to move forward with it, thinking ‘it’s gotta be something else.’ After almost about 2 years, they circled back to the title of Pluribus and finally went with it.”
This extensive process demonstrates how carefully Gilligan considered the title, wanting to ensure it perfectly represented the show’s core ideas before making a final decision.
How the Title Connects to the Show’s Story
The meaning of Pluribus directly reflects the show’s unusual premise. The series follows Carol Sturka, played by Rhea Seehorn, a successful but deeply unhappy fantasy author who specializes in pirate romance novels. Carol’s life changes dramatically when a mysterious global event transforms every person on Earth into a cheerful, unified collective.
This transformation creates a world where everyone operates as part of a single consciousness, understanding each other perfectly and working in harmony. As one reviewer described it, “Instead of chaos and destruction, the enticing event of the series changes humanity, uniting every person on the planet through the same hive mind.”
Carol alone remains unaffected by this change, making her essentially the last individual person on Earth. She watches as the world embraces this new state of blissful unity, viewing the transformed people as having lost their individuality and humanity. The title Pluribus—meaning “many”—represents both the collective humanity has become and the individual identities that have been lost in the process.
The series explores complex questions about what makes us human, balancing the benefits of global peace and cooperation against the cost of lost individuality and personal freedom.
A New Kind of Hero for Vince Gilligan
After creating some of television’s most famous antiheroes, Vince Gilligan deliberately set out to write a different kind of character in Pluribus. Where Walter White and Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman descended into criminality, Carol Sturka is positioned as a hero, albeit a deeply reluctant one.
“As much as I love Walter White and as proud as I am of Breaking Bad,” Gilligan told The Hollywood Reporter, “at a certain point, you’re like, ‘God, it’d be nice to write a hero again, someone who’s trying to do the right thing.’”
He describes Carol as “the world’s most miserable person” tasked with “saving the planet from happiness.” Despite her grumpy disposition and resistance to this unwanted responsibility, she feels compelled to act.
“I like writing heroes again. Carol Sturka is a hero. She’s imperfect. She can be a bit of a noodge or a curmudgeon or what have you, but we root for her,” Gilligan said. “She wants to do the right thing, and she wants to save the world. And that’s refreshing.”
The Star Behind the Story
The creation of Pluribus became intertwined with Vince Gilligan’s admiration for actress Rhea Seehorn, who gained widespread recognition for her performance as Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul. Gilligan was so impressed by Seehorn’s talent that he reconceived his original idea—which had featured a male protagonist—specifically for her.
“At about the same time, in the early seasons of Better Call Saul, I realized how much I love Rhea Seehorn,” Gilligan recalled. “So I decided: Let’s make it a female protagonist. I want to write this thing for Rhea. She deserves to be the star of her own show.”
Seehorn’s performance in Pluribus has already drawn significant praise from early reviewers, who note her ability to convey complex emotions with subtlety, often without dialogue. As one critic observed, “Seehorn can use her incredible range to show the turmoil of her character through her enviable control of her microexpressions, often revealing so much of Carol’s psyche without uttering a single word.”
The Show’s Release Schedule
Pluribus premiered on November 7, 2025, on Apple TV+ with its first two episodes. New episodes will be released weekly every Friday. The series has already been renewed for a second season, giving Gilligan ample opportunity to explore the complex world he has created.
The decision to renew the show for two seasons upfront was something Gilligan appreciated, noting that it provides creative stability and peace of mind for storytelling. This extended commitment allows for careful, deliberate plotting similar to his approach in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
Also Read: Pluribus Season 1 Premiere Overwhelms Apple TV Servers
