Vince Gilligan Himself Reveals the Sci-Fi Inspirations Behind The Upcoming Show Pluribus
Following a long break from the science fiction genre, Vince Gilligan is staging a comeback back to where he began. Starting out on The Iconic X-Files, where he wrote three dozen installments, and even writing the screenplay behind the superhero comedy Hancock, Gilligan devoted recent years focused on the universe from Breaking Bad. This fall, via his latest streaming series Pluribus, he returns full circle to sci-fi which launched his journey.
A Mysterious Premise and Vague Trailers
The plot and premise for Pluribus are top secret. Promotional clips and teasers are intentionally ambiguous. For example, a short clip shows a woman by herself at work after hours calmly lifting pastries out of a box labeled “Feel free!” then tasting them prior to returning them neatly back in its place. Critics cannot reveal to disclose details about the show’s explosive first episode, except that the narrative begins as our modern world changes in a significant way.
The Creator’s Sci-Fi Watchlist
Since specifics about the plot or production were off-limits, Gilligan fielded an innocuous question: What additional science fiction series or movies should fans watch to prepare before Pluribus?
“Each of the 1956 and 1978 adaptations from Invasion of the Body Snatchers; that's a good touchstone,” he explains. “The Twilight Zone, that’s forever my go-to. The Thing, the John Carpenter film. I enjoy each one, but I especially like the John Carpenter version.”
A Love Letter to Science Fiction Fans
If you’re a fan of sci-fi or horror, you’ll likely recognize the tales that influenced Pluribus. Its inspirations aren’t exactly subtle — and that’s the point. The creator says his goal for the new show was to riff on sci-fi tropes.
“I was thinking of every science fiction trope and horror conventions I could incorporate into this show, and then turn each one onto their head,” Gilligan says. “ That was what tickled me.”
In other words: Pluribus is a science fiction series for genre lovers. Therefore, if you’re coming the show as a Breaking Bad devotee who isn’t typically into sci-fi, you may want to do some preparation beforehand. Gilligan just provided the essential watchlist.
Pluribus debuts Nov. 7 via Apple TV+.
