{"id":2140621,"date":"2025-11-07T08:58:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T08:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2140621"},"modified":"2025-11-07T08:58:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T08:58:16","slug":"breaking-bad-creators-new-sci-fi-drama-proves-the-slowest-of-slow-burns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/breaking-bad-creators-new-sci-fi-drama-proves-the-slowest-of-slow-burns\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking Bad creator\u2019s new sci-fi drama proves the slowest of slow-burns"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">An awful lot happens in the first episode of <em>Pluribus <\/em>(Apple TV) and then not very much after that. Vince Gilligan\u2019s (<em>Breaking Bad<\/em>) new series begins with a signal from outer space exciting some nerds at a remote observation centre, moves quickly on to that signal containing instructions for creating a virus, and then within minutes that virus has transferred from lab rats to the entire human population. Cue <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2024\/03\/21\/zombie-apocalypse-paramedics-training-terrorism-disaster\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:zombie apocalypse;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">zombie apocalypse<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The difference here is that they are not actually zombies but preternaturally happy humans who wander around smiling enigmatically and generally behave like the <em>Everything is Awesome<\/em> chorus in <em>The Lego Movie<\/em>. That\u2019s because, for them, everything <em>is<\/em> awesome: the virus has somehow connected every human together into a version of Rousseau\u2019s ideal society.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Everyone is nice, helpful, charitable and endlessly self-sacrificing. They <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/health-fitness\/wellbeing\/mental-health\/toxic-work-culture-people-sick-burn-out-wellbeing\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:cannot and do not lie;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">cannot and do not lie<\/a>. They have even developed a hive mind whereby the knowledge of all the happy-clappers is linked, meaning they all know everything \u2013 and use it only for the common good.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Pluribus imagines the Earth being hit by a happy apocalypse. (Pictured: Seehorn and co-star Karolina Wydra) &#8211; Apple TV<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">This being a take on the zombie apocalypse trope, however, a handful of humans have been mysteriously spared infection. Chief among them is our protagonist, Carol Sturka, a bestselling author who, <em>avant le deluge,<\/em> churned out \u201cromantasy\u201d schlock \u2013 and hated herself for it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Carol, played by <em>Better Call Saul<\/em>\u2019s Rhea Seehorn, is a paid-up cynic who takes the Hobbesian view when confronted with all the virulent smilers: this is a freak show; it is the end of free will and individualism, it is wrong and something needs to be done about it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>E pluribus unum<\/em>? No thanks, says Carol, who sets about bringing back some pluribus.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I say \u201csets about\u201d, the first six hours of <em>Pluribus<\/em>, after that early burst of premise-setting, is remarkable mostly for its languor. The world is built with the precision and care of a matchstick house: wonderful to look at, much to admire, but as dynamic as dough.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Carol discovers that there are 11 other Faithfuls (<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/the-traitors-\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:if you like;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">if you like<\/a>) in the world and sets about meeting them. It\u2019s not hard for her to do so because the smiley Traitors are endlessly helpful. Carol just has to pick up the phone and they will take her there. But the other normals are all pretty useless because, frankly, they quite like this nutopia. Why, they ask Carol, does the world need saving?<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Against this feast of insipid gurning and general inertia, <em>Pluribus <\/em>places Seehorn as Carol, and as <em>Saul<\/em> fans would expect, she is sensational: it is a do-not-pass-go, move straight to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/emmys\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Emmy, performance;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">Emmy, performance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">You could spend a lot of time in Carol\u2019s company, which is lucky, because in the early stages of <em>Pluribus<\/em>, you do. The demands of the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/tv\/0\/tv-best-shows-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:high-concept set-up;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">high-concept set-up<\/a> mean that she is the only character (in the sense of someone inspiring empathy or interest) in the whole show. Everyone else is an automaton.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Rhea Seehorn as Carol Sturka in Pluribus\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"600\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/Di0H9BjgEzI9VWhcIEuC9g--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYwMDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/the_telegraph_258\/8cf0284b60647d7fe9b53d4ce37b5f0b\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Carol, a cynical romance novelist, is effectively the only character in the show who is not an automaton &#8211; Apple TV<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">At least, that is, until episode six, when another normie emerges who also sees the dangers in an entirely <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/health-fitness\/body\/thirty-years-still-have-symptoms-taking-benzodiazepines\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Xanax-ed society;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">Xanax-ed society<\/a> and might, just might, be able to pique our interest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The problem is that, by this point, we are six hours in. <em>Pluribus <\/em>was commissioned for two series straight off the bat, and I would suggest that this, and Gilligan\u2019s established modus (both <em>Breaking Bad <\/em>and <em>Better Call Saul <\/em>are slow-burners), is why it moves at such a leisurely pace.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">We know that those series took several seasons to catch light yet still ended up in the all-time TV hall of fame \u2013 on that basis the drama deserves further attention. I\u2019ve watched six hours and enjoyed every minute, but I still have no idea where, if anywhere, this show is going.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>The first two episodes of Pluribus are available on Apple TV<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/customer\/subscribe\/01doysa\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><b>Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An awful lot happens in the first episode of Pluribus (Apple TV) and then not very much after that. Vince Gilligan\u2019s (Breaking Bad) new series begins with a signal from outer space exciting some nerds at a remote observation centre, moves quickly on to that signal containing instructions for creating a virus, and then within [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2140622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[25317,359901,359903,359900,375590],"class_list":["post-2140621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-apple-tv","tag-better-call-saul","tag-carol-sturka","tag-rhea-seehorn","tag-zombie-apocalypse"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Breaking-Bad-creators-new-sci-fi-drama-proves-the-slowest-of.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2140621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2140621"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2140621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2140623,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2140621\/revisions\/2140623"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2140622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2140621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2140621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2140621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}