Image via Apple TV+
Apple TV+ has become a strong competitor in streaming over the past few years, releasing several successful original shows and movies. And with the likes of Murderbot, Severance, and Silo on their list, it’s fair to say the platform has done particularly well in the sci-fi genre. Now, the platform is preparing to release another hit: Pluribus, a sci-fi series from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. Although Pluribus has revealed little about what viewers can expect, one person assures the series will be a must-watch contender, even going so far as to compare it to the likes of Game of Thrones.
Actor Bob Odenkirk, best known for playing Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has recently spoken out about the show, which is set for a November 2025 release. While he isn’t directly involved in the project, nor knows a whole great deal about the plot, his conversations with insiders, including Gilligan, have him excited about what to expect. This isn’t Gilligan’s first foray into the sci-fi genre, having previously written, produced, and directed dozens of X-Files episodes, so it’s safe to assume the show is in good hands. Plus, the platform’s track record with the genre adds assurance that Pluribus could very well become Apple TV+’s next breakout series.
Everything We Know About Pluribus
Image via Apple TV+
Described by Apple TV+ as “a genre-bending original in which the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness,” there’s not a lot known regarding the plot of Pluribus. Gilligan has expressed that the show isn’t going to be purely sci-fi, hinting at a major twist in the first episode that will hopefully draw viewers into a reimagined version of Albuquerque. In a 2023 interview with Variety, Gilligan explained:
I wouldn’t call this heavy science fiction, I would call it mild science fiction. But it does have a sci-fi element to it, at its core. And there’s no crime, and no methamphetamine. It’s going to be fun and different. I have no prediction as to how folks will react to it — whether they’ll love it or hate it, or somewhere in the vast in-between. The world changes very abruptly in the first episode, and then it is quite different. It’s the modern world — the world we live in — but it changes very abruptly. And the consequences that reaps hopefully provide drama for many, many episodes after that.
As for the cast, the series will star Rhea Seehorn as Carol, who’s best known as lawyer Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul, a performance that earned her multiple Emmy nominations. Joining her are Karolina Wydra as Zosia and Carlos Manuel Vesga as Manusos, with Miriam Shor and Samba Schutte slated to appear in guest roles. While a trailer hasn’t yet been released, its 30-second teaser offers a glimpse into the show’s unsettling world. The teaser sees Seehorn licking doughnuts and returning them to the box for others to eat, hinting at a reality that appears to shift overnight.
The series will explore themes of emotional manipulation, societal conformity, and identity crisis, with Gilligan describing its tone as both strange and deeply emotional. Apple TV+ clearly has confidence in Gilligan’s vision, having commissioned Pluribus as a two-season order right from the start. What’s more, viewers won’t have to wait long as Apple TV+ has confirmed the show will debut with its first two episodes on November 7, followed by weekly installments leading up to the finale on December 26.
Bob Odenkirk’s Thoughts on the Show
Odenkirk isn’t involved in Pluribus, in front of or behind the camera, but he has expressed admiration for the show, based on what he knows. Seehorn and Odenkirk starred alongside each other in Better Call Saul, and the two have shared a close friendship since, often supporting one another’s work. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter during the Nobody 2 premiere last week, Odenkirk explained:
I don’t know a damn thing. But I know it’s going to be massive. Massive! It’s going to be the biggest thing, well, since sliced bread, but really since Game of Thrones. You probably know what’s biggest [lately], but probably since Severance. I know Severance, in its way, is a big, big effort. So I think that [Pluribus] is going to be the next big show, and I can’t wait.
Given his friendship with Seehorn and his past projects with Gilligan, it’s likely Odenkirk has some idea of what fans can expect from Pluribus, even if he’s not entirely certain of plot details himself. Comparing anything to Game of Thrones is not something one says lightly. GOT was a monumental success, becoming one of the biggest shows worldwide and attracting fans well beyond the traditional fantasy audience. Given that Gilligan’s comments about Pluribus suggest the series isn’t strictly sci-fi, but incorporates a variety of sci-fi elements, coupled with the teaser trailer, it seems likely he’s taking a similar approach to GOT in terms of world-building, prioritizing the world itself while letting the sci-fi aspects enhance the story.
Either way, should Pluribus come even close to Game of Thrones in terms of world-building, character studies, or even fantastical elements, then fans may be looking at the next big thing in the genre. It is promising with Gilligan at the helm, who previously worked on the X-Files, so there’s no denying he has the ability to make the world of Pluribus intriguing and full of surprises. He also co-wrote Peter Berg’s Hancock, which, while not entirely sci-fi, has plenty of similar themes that suggest he’ll handle the show in a way that does the genre justice. But for now, we’re going to have to take Odenkirk’s word for it and wait until November to find out exactly what the show will explore.
