Breaking Bad and its spinoff Better Call Saul are considered to be two of the best TV shows of all time, which is why it’s so impressive that Pluribus may do something that the latter failed to do. After wrapping up the Breaking Bad universe, acclaimed showrunner Vince Gilligan went back to his The X-Files roots for a sci-fi show on Apple TV+. Gilligan brought Rhea Seehorn along with him when he developed Pluribus, casting the former Kim Wexler actress as the most miserable person on Earth.
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Pluribus takes place in the immediate aftermath of the end of the world, which is caused by a hive mind that invades Earth. The hive mind makes every human on Earth join its collective consciousness, with the exception of Seehorn’s Carol Sturka and a dozen other individuals across the globe. So, Carol decides that she must unite the survivors in order to save the world, although this isn’t as easy as she originally hoped.
Pluribus Can Win Rhea Seehorn An Emmy After She Was Snubbed For Better Call Saul
The nominees for the 2026 Emmys have been announced, and Pluribus was one of the most nominated shows of the year. One of the most exciting categories is Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, which earned Seehorn a nomination for the sci-fi show. So, when the Emmys come around, Seehorn will be facing off against the four other nominees, those being Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age, Chase Infinity for The Testaments, Keri Russell for The Diplomat, and Zendaya for Euphoria.
Seehorn’s nomination for Pluribus is a big deal, as it means that the actress can finally win an Emmy after being snubbed for Better Call Saul. Kim Wexler was easily one of the best parts of the series, with Seehorn giving one of the most dynamic and acclaimed performances in the entire show. Her tenure as Kim earned Seehorn two nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2022 and 2024, although she didn’t win either. Unfortunately, this isn’t surprising, as Better Call Saul lost all of its 53 Emmy nominations, making it the most-nominated show to never win an Emmy.
Since this is the first awards season that Pluribus has been eligible for an Emmy, we still don’t know if the show will face the same fate as Gilligan’s previous show. After all, it is entirely possible that it could miss out on all of its Emmy nominations, as Pluribus is facing off against a set of incredibly impressive shows. However, this is the perfect opportunity for the Emmys to redeem its treatment of Seehorn and Better Call Saul, finally giving the actress the award she deserves.
Even if Seehorn wasn’t snubbed for Better Call Saul, she would still be deserving of an award for Pluribus. Seehorn’s dynamic performance captures what it would be like to see the end of the world, as well as her later frustration with being one of the only individuals left. Instead of just being angry, Seehorn explores all aspects of the emotion, portraying misery, frustration, rashness, stubbornness, and self-loathing. Seehorn manages to fully explore the range of a character like Carol, bringing immense depth to someone who, on their face, seems one-note.
Rhea Seehorn Isn’t The Only Pluribus Actor Who Deserves To Take Home An Emmy
While Rhea Seehorn’s Emmy nomination is notable, it isn’t the only acting nomination that Pluribus received at the awards show. Karolina Wydra also received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Zosia. In the show, Zosia is the body that the hive mind chooses to interact with Carol through, hoping that her resemblance to one of Carol’s book characters opens Carol up to the hive mind. Wydra was tasked with portraying an emotionally detached branch of a hive mind, and she does so perfectly, bringing persuasiveness and complexity to her relationship with Carol.
On top of that, Carlos Manuel Vesga received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. In Pluribus, Vesga plays Manousos Oviedo, one of the 13 survivors of the initial hive mind takeover. Manousos is sheltered in place in Paraguay when the hive mind takes over, but once he discovers Carol’s desire to save Earth, he ventures to Albuquerque in order to help her. With most of episode 7 focused on Manousos, Vesga is given a chance to shine, with him being one of the best parts of the latter half of the season. Seehorn, Wydra, and Vesga are all fantastic, and hopefully they all take home awards when the Emmys air on September 14, 2026.
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