The creator of Breaking Bad is back with a new science fiction series that aims to be the biggest talking point on television. Vince Gilligan wants viewers of his new Apple TV+ show, Pluribus, to have spirited debates about its central question: is a perfectly happy world worth the cost of your own free will?
The show, which released its first two episodes on November 7, 2025, presents a world transformed by an alien event into a peaceful, content hive mind. Gilligan hopes this premise will get people talking. He told Deadline that he would “love for this show to be a water cooler show,” and loves the idea of “people watching this thing and arguing over it, not angrily, but spiritedly.”
The “Happiness Apocalypse” of Pluribus
Pluribus is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller with a unique twist. Instead of a wasteland, the world has been absorbed into a serene collective called “The Joining.” This new world has no war, poverty, or inequality, but this perfect peace comes at a price: the loss of individual thought and emotion.
The story follows Carol Sturka, played by Rhea Seehorn, a miserable historical romance novelist who is one of only twelve people immune to the change. As the last independent person, she becomes an unlikely hero, challenging whether this enforced happiness is truly a better way to live. Gilligan describes the show as “part post-apocalyptic sci-fi and part psychological thriller.”
“I’d love for this show to be a water cooler show … I love the idea of people watching this thing and arguing over it, not angrily, but spiritedly,” Gilligan told Deadline.
A Show Designed for Debate
Gilligan’s goal for Pluribus is to create a show that sparks conversation and makes people think. He was inspired to create it after becoming weary of writing antiheroes following his work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
The central conflict of the show is designed to have no easy answers. In one scene, another immune survivor questions Carol’s mission, pointing out that a world without suffering is what humanity has always wanted. This tension is exactly what Gilligan hopes audiences will discuss.
The inspiration for this kind of thought-provoking storytelling comes from classic science fiction. Gilligan has cited The Twilight Zone and Invasion of the Body Snatchers as major influences, aiming to refresh their core themes for a new generation.
“I love all those tropes,” Gilligan said. “I thought it’d be a fun thing to have a show where we could, one by one, turn all those tropes on their ear, change them up a little, make them different, make them fresh.”
Rhea Seehorn Leads a New Kind of Story
Rhea Seehorn, who worked with Gilligan on Better Call Saul, leads the cast as the flawed and reluctant hero, Carol. Gilligan wrote the part specifically for Seehorn, who delivers a performance critics are calling a powerhouse.
Her character, Carol, is not a traditional hero. She is bitter, abrasive, and her negative emotions have a dangerous consequence in the new world: when she lashes out, her anger causes the connected hive mind to freeze or even die, making her misery both a weapon and a potential cure.
The role is a significant shift for Gilligan, who is known for stories about male antiheroes transforming into villains. With Pluribus, he is telling a story about a complicated female protagonist who is essentially a good person trying to save the world.
A Personal Connection to the Main Character
Gilligan sees a part of himself in his main character, Carol. He describes himself as “a glass-half-empty guy” and admits that Carol’s sarcasm and general miserableness were easy for him to write.
He explained that Carol, much like himself, can put on a happy face for public events but craves quiet solitude afterward. That personal connection helps ground the show’s high-concept sci-fi in a very relatable human experience.
The production of the show also marks a homecoming. Despite initial concerns about filming a third unrelated show in Albuquerque, Gilligan returned to the city for its reliable and talented crew. A full cul-de-sac neighborhood was built from scratch in the New Mexico desert to serve as Carol’s home.
A Strong Start and a Human Message
Pluribus has launched to widespread critical acclaim, earning a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The show’s debut marks Gilligan’s successful transition from gritty crime drama to philosophical science fiction.
Each episode of the series ends with a simple but powerful message in the credits: “This show was made by humans.” This is a direct statement from Gilligan on the growing use of artificial intelligence in the arts, which he has strongly criticized.
“I hate AI. AI is the world’s most expensive and energy-intensive plagiarism machine,” Gilligan told Variety. He believes that human beings will always want stories created by other people.
The first two episodes of Pluribus are now streaming on Apple TV+, with new episodes released every Friday. The first season will run for nine episodes, concluding on December 26, 2025. A second season has already been ordered.
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