Unhappy Author Battles Perpetual Happiness in Vince Gilligan's Sci-Fi Thriller 'Pluribus'

Rhea Seehorn, known for her acclaimed performance in "Better Call Saul," is set to reunite with the show's creator, Vince Gilligan, for a new sci-fi series titled "Pluribus." The series, which is scheduled to premiere on Apple TV on November 7th, 2025, takes place in a fictional version of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where everyone is perpetually happy and optimistic – except for Seehorn's character, Carol Sturka.

Carol, an author of romantic fiction, is the only person in this cheerful world who seems to be in a constant state of unhappiness. In the creepy yet comical trailer, Carol is shown navigating through empty public spaces, the only one not infected by the widespread happiness that has taken over her surroundings. At one point, a man, presumably the President of the United States, addresses Carol from her television, urging her to "Join us" and be happy like the rest.

While everyone else is trying to make Carol cheerful, she is determined to revert everyone else to their normal emotional states. In a key scene, she asks a woman on an empty commercial plane, "How do I reverse all this?" Gilligan's new series marks a departure from his previous work in the "Breaking Bad" franchise, but it's not his first foray into the sci-fi genre. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he was a writer, director, and executive producer for "The X-Files."

With Seehorn's acclaimed performance and Gilligan's proven track record in creating compelling and thought-provoking television, "Pluribus" is poised to be a must-watch for fans of the "Breaking Bad" universe and science fiction enthusiasts alike.