Pluribus Has a Stronger Connection to The Twilight Zone Than You Realize

Pluribus has immediately drawn comparisons to The Twilight Zone, but the connection between the two shows is greater than what meets the eye. Apple TV’s newest sci-fi sensation, created by Vince Gilligan, follows Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), a depressed novelist and one of 13 people immune to an alien virus that transforms nearly all of Earth’s humans into a happy, peaceful hive mind. The captivating nine-episode first season of Pluribus unfolds like an extended chapter of The Twilight Zone, as Rod Serling’s classic sci-fi anthology series has long been revered for its stories about extraterrestrial and unexplained phenomena. Beyond its overarching similarities to The Twilight Zone, Pluribus contains a more pointed reference to the 1960s show.

In an interview with Apple TV, Gilligan revealed that he chose the surname Sturka from The Twilight Zone, Season 1, Episode 14, “Third from the Sun,” in which the main character is named William Sturka. Gilligan also described The Twilight Zone as “maybe my favorite TV show of all time,” and noted its resemblance to Pluribus. Evidently influenced by The Twilight Zone‘s eerie atmosphere and dynamic blend of genres, Pluribus has quickly cemented itself as one of the best sci-fi shows of this generation.

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Pluribus’ Carol Sturka Gets Her Name from The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone episode “Third from the Sun” aired 66 years ago and tells an interesting sci-fi tale with an amazing final twist. William Sturka (Fritz Weaver), a military scientist, plans to steal a highly advanced spaceship so his family can escape the planet before nuclear war ravages it. After overcoming a series of obstacles, William and his family take off in the ship. The episode’s ending reveals that the group’s destination, a far-away planet strikingly similar to theirs, is called Earth.

Although The Twilight Zone‘s William Sturka and Pluribus‘ Carol Sturka hardly share any traits, their connection is fun to analyze. Carol strives to stop an alien invasion of Earth in Pluribus, while William ends up becoming an alien invading Earth in The Twilight Zone. With this amusing contrast, Pluribus pays tribute to the iconic sci-fi show while devising its own subtle spin on “Third from the Sun.” Gilligan’s use of the Sturka name calls back to an outstanding episode of The Twilight Zone, and all Pluribus should take the chance to watch it.

Vince Gilligan’s Love for The Twilight Zone Is Evident in Pluribus

Gilligan may be best known for his gripping crime drama Breaking Bad and its excellent spinoff Better Call Saul, but he has also made a name for himself in the sci-fi genre. In fact, Gilligan worked on the acclaimed sci-fi series The X-Files as a writer, producer, and director for six seasons before rising to prominence in the TV world. Gilligan’s love for The Twlight Zone shines through the strongest in Pluribus, illustrated by the show’s mystery involving extraterrestrial life and an unsettling chain of events on Earth.

The first episode plays out like a horror movie as it depicts humans violently convulsing and spreading the virus to one another before succumbing to the collective alien conciousness. A terrifying takeover that also kills Carol’s wife Helen (Miriam Shor), the Joining is absolutely harrowing to watch as an introduction to Pluribus. Carol’s subsequent journey of interacting with the other immune individuals and the hive-minded “Others” features humor, tension, and a lot of complexity. Pluribus Season 1 expertly immerses audiences into a scenario reminiscent of The Twilight Zone‘s alien-centric episodes, such as “To Serve Man,” in which friendly invaders render Earth a utopia in a plot to use humans as food.

Like an episode of The Twilight Zone, Pluribus takes care not to reveal its secrets right away, keeping viewers engaged throughout the narrative. Over the course of its first nine episodes, Pluribus creates a mystifying dystopian world and a layered main character from a Twilight Zone-esque premise, perfectly embodying what made Serling’s show a masterpiece while expanding upon its themes about human individuality, isolation, and the unknown. Pluribus is a brilliant original sci-fi series, and it’s inspiration from The Twilight Zone makes it all the more compelling.

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