Vince Gilligan doesn’t have plans to return to the Breaking Bad universe any time soon, but he’s still finding new ways to leave his mark on television. Three years after wrapping up the critically acclaimed Better Call Saul, Gilligan is back with a very different kind of show in Pluribus, an enigmatic sci-fi series that reunites Gilligan with Better Call Saul star Rhea Seehorn. Pluribus recently had its two-episode premiere, launching on Apple TV+ following an intriguing marketing campaign that leaned into the show’s mysterious nature. It seems viewers were captivated by the teases, as they wasted no time in making Pluribus a hit.
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According to FlixPatrol, which tracks the popularity of various titles on streaming services, Pluribus is the No. 2 TV series on Apple worldwide, trailing only The Last Frontier. In the United States, Pluribus has surged to the top of the TV chart, overtaking The Morning Show for the No. 1 position.
Pluribus Is Poised to Become Apple’s Next Great TV Show
With a lineup of original programming that includes the likes of Severance, Ted Lasso, Slow Horses, and more, Apple has cemented itself as a home for compelling TV across a variety of genres. It’s still early, but Pluribus looks like it will become the latest addition to that ever-growing list. Like Gilligan’s previous work, Pluribus received widespread critical acclaim, as people praised its ability to put fresh spins on classic genre tropes and Seehorn’s lead performance. Pluribus boasts a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, so it isn’t surprising to see it score high viewership numbers. The word of mouth positions it as must-see TV.
Apple is confident Pluribus will continue to resonate with audiences. On the same day the show premiered, it was announced that Pluribus Season 2 had already received the green light. That indicates Apple intends to keep the series around for at least the foreseeable future, and based on the early returns, it made the right call to stay in business with Gilligan. Between the strong critical reception and viewership figures, Pluribus could be a flagship series for Apple.
It will be interesting to see how Pluribus performs with audiences as the first season goes on. Given the popularity of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Gilligan’s involvement was a main reason why so many people tuned into Pluribus. However, Gilligan’s new show is cut from a very different cloth than the crime saga of Walter White. While that’s part of what makes it so exciting, it’s conceivable that certain viewers could decide Pluribus is not for them and stop watching, which could hurt the series in the long run. The odds of that scenario happening are low, however. Apple subscribers made Severance a hit, so they should find plenty to enjoy in Pluribus.
While fans will always be interested in the Breaking Bad franchise getting some kind of continuation, the performance of Pluribus proves Gilligan doesn’t need to return to that well. Not only can he craft an engaging narrative in another genre, he found a way to make it click with viewers. Based on his track record, Pluribus should captivate and entertain for as long as Gilligan wants it to run.
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