Optimism is good because it leads us to take action. Generally, having a negative perspective on things leads us to paralysis, and in fact, optimism can become a radical perspective. But what would happen if optimism were forced? If it were not a conscious and considered decision, but something imposed on us by external forces. Whether due to a censoring force, a drug, or a virus, it would be a way to control our thinking and would be negative. And Vince Gilligan knows this and seeks to exploit it in his new series, Pluribus.
Vince Gilligan has created two of the best series of the 21st century, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, so it is not bold to say that with the premiere of his new series, Pluribus, we are facing what could be the biggest television premiere of the year. Exclusive to AppleTV+ and with a weekly episodic format, it will keep us glued to the screen until the most optimistic day of the year: December 26. Because, undoubtedly, he will not want to ruin our Christmas with a season finale that is the most gloomy.
What if we were all happy and that was horrible?
The series starts from a simple premise. Some astronomers discover a mysterious radio signal 600 light years from Earth and, from that moment on, it produces an almost immediate change in all of humanity: people begin to have an irritatingly optimistic perspective on life.
Although to be fair, it’s not everyone. The protagonist of the series, Carol Sturka, is a romance novelist whom Gilligan describes as “the most bitter person on the face of the Earth,” which is why these radio signals don’t seem to affect her. Considering that something is very wrong when everyone suddenly becomes not just happy, but irreparably optimistic to the point of delirium, she decides to discover the source of this and fix it. Even if it is from sarcasm, disdain, and not a few doubts about whether the end of the world is really approaching or she is losing her mind.
With inspiration from classic horror and science fiction stories, being a Gilligan series, we can also expect a vibrant thriller tone and a direction and scripts measured to the millimeter. Because if there is one thing their series have excelled at, it is discovering new talents, both behind and in front of the cameras, and there is no doubt that Pluribus will not be an exception to that rule.
Especially because, along with Gilligan, one of his aces returns. Rhea Seehorn, who already participated in Better Call Saul doing a spectacular job as Kim, the co-protagonist of the story, who on many occasions managed to overshadow Bob Odenkirk himself, is the one bringing to life that cynical and bitter Carol. This assures us that the series will have depth not only in the scripts and direction but also in the performances, thanks to the great names involved.
With this embrace of science fiction and horror, we can expect to see a series different from what we are used to, and moreover, we won’t have to wait to discover it. Because Pluribus premieres on November 7 on AppleTV+ with a double episode directed and written by Vince Gilligan. A true gift that we don’t plan to miss.
