Caution: This feature includes details about the initial two episodes of Pluribus.
Move beyond self-centered drug lords and cunning swindling lawyers. In the new post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama Pluribus from creator and , the central figure is Rhea Seehorn’s Carol Sturka, a cantankerous, best-selling author known for her highly popular series of pirate-themed speculative historical romance novels. Additionally, she is revealed to be one of only thirteen individuals globally impervious to an alien, hive-mind virus that has seized control of Earth’s populace.
The series Pluribus, with its initial two episodes currently available on Apple TV, commences as two astronomers detect an extraterrestrial radio signal originating 600 light-years away. Upon deciphering, it’s found to consist of four tones matching the RNA nucleotide bases: guanine, uracil, adenine, and cytosine. Researchers later replicate this sequence in a laboratory, testing it on animals. This experimentation ultimately results in a rat bite, creating the primary carrier of a highly infectious disease functioning as “psychic glue,” uniting almost all human minds on Earth into a forcefully joyful collective awareness.
Vince Gilligan explained to regarding his inspiration for the show: “Pluribus is my reimagining of a post-apocalyptic zombie narrative. The key distinction is that these individuals are not zombies. They are genuinely joyful people who retain all their mental capacities. They aren’t automatons, nor are they extraterrestrials.” He added, “When observing The Walking Dead, despite its captivating nature, I doubt anyone watching has ever thought, ‘I wish I could be a zombie.’ You desire to be Daryl Dixon, not a zombie. My aim is for viewers of Pluribus to feel, ‘I might actually want to be one of those [content individuals].’”
During the debut of Pluribus, the quickly spreading contagion affects the water system in Carol’s hometown of Albuquerque precisely as she and her long-standing romantic partner and manager, Helen (portrayed by Miriam Shor), are concluding the last leg of Carol’s recent Winds of Wycaro book tour. This triggers a widespread infection event, leading to Helen’s demise and leaving Carol grappling with her astonishing new situation. After Carol eventually comprehends the true circumstances—aided by data provided by Davis Taffler, a hive-mind delegate and former U.S. under secretary of agriculture for farm production and conservation—she commits to discovering a method to undo the virus’s control over humankind. Failing that, her goal is to prevent the collective from influencing her.
Regrettably, the second episode—named “Pirate Lady” in reference to Zosia (Karolina Wydra), the hive mind’s designated associate for Carol—introduces several complications to our unwilling protagonist’s mission to rescue the planet. Firstly, Carol learns that projecting excessive negative emotion towards any hive member causes them to experience a temporary seizure, which generally leads to approximately 11 million fatalities. This is in addition to the nearly 900 million individuals, including Helen, who perished during the initial “joining” phenomenon.
Subsequently, during a gathering with the five other English-speaking immune persons, Carol realizes that none of them share her eagerness to restore the world to its former state. This revelation triggers an outburst of anger and heavy drinking from Carol, provoking another hive-mind seizure and transforming her, as she herself states, into “the biggest mass murderer since Stalin.”
Nevertheless, as the second episode concludes, flaws in the notion of the hive’s “blissful” absorption begin to surface. Although infected individuals achieve perpetual happiness, tranquility, and cooperation, they simultaneously forfeit their individuality, autonomy, and capacity to experience the full spectrum of human feelings. It seems the hive mind’s idealized existence might not be as perfect as it initially appears.
Regarding the direction of the enigmatic series throughout its nine-episode inaugural season and beyond, Gilligan mentioned in a recent interview with that while he possesses a clear plan for the future, he remains receptive to altering course. He elaborated, “I intend to remain open to alternative paths. It’s akin to getting in your car and deciding, ‘I’m in Virginia, and I want to drive to California. So, fundamentally, I know my general heading.’ However, there are numerous detours and scenic routes one can explore en route—and that makes the journey more engaging.”
