Rhea Seehorn explores a very different Albuquerque in Pluribus, Vince Gilligan’s bold new sci-fi drama for Apple TV+, arriving in November. The creator of Breaking Bad and its prequel Better Call Saul reunites with his Saul star for this genre-blending series about the most miserable person on Earth trying to save humanity from happiness.
In the show, Seehorn leaves behind her role as sharp lawyer Kim Wexler to play Carol Sturka, a best-selling author of historical romance novels — or, as she jokingly calls them, “mindless crap.” Carol is on a successful book tour promoting her latest release when a strange phenomenon hits the quiet city of New Mexico: an apocalyptic (or maybe not so apocalyptic, depending on who you ask) virus that has filled the world with optimism and contentment.
Carol is immune to whatever has “afflicted” everyone else, forcing her to navigate this Twilight Zone-like new reality with a mix of confusion and anger. (That anger, by the way, causes some big problems.) She begins searching for answers about the phenomenon, though “there’s going to be complications arising from that,” Gilligan tells Entertainment Weekly.
The drama of the show is that the world’s most miserable person is desperately trying to save the planet from happiness. There’s a surprising amount of drama that we’re mining from that. But there’s a lot of humor to it too, Gilligan says, describing Seehorn’s character as a reluctant hero. She doesn’t really want to be tasked with saving the world, but she more or less feels like it’s her duty.
the series creator and executive producer says
When it comes to why Carol is immune, Gilligan doesn’t really have an explanation right now. And maybe he never will.
That’s a question that several people have asked me starting back in the writers’ room. I don’t want to give too much away, but maybe we’ll find an answer to that, maybe we won’t. A better way for me to put it is that it never really occurred to me as a question. I just figured there’s always gotta be a one-in-a-billion person. And it’s Carol. As to the science of it, I don’t know. Maybe we’ll have an answer, maybe we won’t.
he says
Pluribus has been in the works for a long time, with the idea first forming in Gilligan’s mind about a decade ago while he was working on Better Call Saul, the acclaimed Breaking Bad prequel about how Bob Odenkirk’s shady lawyer Saul Goodman went down the wrong path and ended up representing people like Walter White (Bryan Cranston), the chemistry teacher who became a drug kingpin.
During our lunch breaks, I would take long walks around the neighborhood near our offices. My mind would wander and I got interested in the idea of a world in which everyone was nice. There was no way you could insult them. There was no way you could hurt their feelings. But they would do anything and everything for you. I didn’t know what it meant, I’m still not sure exactly what it means.
Gilligan says, he says of the idea, quipping
It’s a pretty unique concept, kindness, given the world we’re living in right now.
There’s no denying that we live in a country that is very fractured. What interests me about this show and the possibilities for it is that people, I hope, can watch it and say, ‘What would the world be like if everybody got along?’ There’s probably a bit of wish fulfillment in the idea of this show. I don’t know that I set out to create that, but I see the real benefit in it now. Gilligan crafted the show with Seehorn in mind for the lead role, calling the actress a revelation. Initially I was thinking in terms of a male protagonist because that’s how I think being a guy,” he admits. “But then I thought, well, what about Rhea? She’s so good. She’s so funny when she wants to be, but can also break your heart when she wants to.
Gilligan says
Joining Seehorn in the nine-episode first season are Karolina Wydra and Carlos Manuel Vesga, along with guest stars Miriam Shor and Samba Schutte. “Complications will ensue,” Gilligan says about what’s to come. “It’s a show that takes a couple of surprising twists and turns.”
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The most exciting hint? Even though the series is very different from Gilligan’s earlier work, it might still include nods to those iconic worlds beyond Seehorn’s role and the setting. “There might be a couple if you keep your eyes and ears peeled,” Gilligan hints about possible Easter eggs. “Fans of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, if they pay close attention, they might come upon an Easter egg or two.”
Pluribus premieres Nov. 7 on Apple TV+ with two episodes, then continues with new episodes every Friday through Dec. 26.
Source: EW