Vince Gilligan, the mastermind behind Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, is back — and his latest project Pluribus has already taken the streaming world by storm. Released this week on Apple TV (formerly Apple TV+), the sci-fi drama has received near-universal acclaim from both critics and audiences.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Pluribus currently holds a perfect 100/100 critics’ score, while viewers have rated it 85 out of 100. Over on IMDb, the show boasts an impressive 9.0 rating — making it the highest-rated Apple TV series to date, surpassing popular titles like Ted Lasso and Severance.
Although Apple has not yet revealed official viewership figures, independent data suggests Pluribus had one of the strongest debuts of any Apple original in recent years. With just two episodes released so far, the show has already made a powerful impression thanks to its gripping premise and Gilligan’s signature storytelling style.
At the center of Pluribus is Carol Sturka, a famous author who travels to Albuquerque for her new book tour. However, she soon finds herself caught in a bizarre outbreak — a mysterious virus that turns everyone into unnaturally happy and content individuals. Carol, the only person unaffected, becomes humanity’s last link to “normal.” Apple describes the series as “a unique blend of genres where the world’s unhappiest person must save humanity from eternal happiness.”
Critics praise the series for blending dark humor, philosophical tension, and sharp social commentary — proving that Gilligan’s creative fire is still burning strong.