Vince Gilligan Himself Unveils the Sci-Fi Influences Behind His Upcoming Show Titled Pluribus

Following an extended hiatus away from the science fiction genre, Vince Gilligan is making a return to his roots. Launching his career on The Iconic X-Files, in which he penned 30 episodes, plus also writing the script behind the superhero comedy Hancock, Gilligan has spent the past decade-plus immersed in the universe of Breaking Bad Universe. This fall, with his new Apple TV series Pluribus, he’s coming full circle to sci-fi that launched his career.

A Secretive Premise and Cryptic Trailers

The storyline and premise of Pluribus are top secret. Promotional clips and teasers are tantalizingly vague. In one, a brief scene shows a female character alone at work at night nonchalantly lifting pastries out of a container marked “Feel free!” then tasting them prior to placing them neatly into its place. Critics cannot reveal to say details regarding the show’s thrilling first episode, except the fact the story kicks off when our modern world changes in a significant way.

The Creator’s Sci-Fi Watchlist

Since details on the plot or production could not be discussed, Gilligan was asked a simple inquiry: What other science fiction series or movies ought viewers watch to prepare for Pluribus?

“Both the 1956 and 1978 versions from Body Snatchers; that's a good touchstone,” Gilligan explains. “Twilight Zone, that’s forever my favorite. The Thing, John Carpenter's film. I enjoy both versions, but I especially like the John Carpenter version.”

A Love Letter to Science Fiction Fans

For those who are a fan of science fiction or scary movies, you will probably identify the stories inspiring Pluribus. The show’s influences aren’t exactly subtle — which is the point. Gilligan notes his aim with this series was to play with sci-fi tropes.

“My thought process involved of all the sci-fi clichés and horror-movie trope I could incorporate into this show, and then flip each one onto their head,” he says. “ That was what tickled me.”

Put simply: Pluribus serves as a sci-fi show aimed at genre lovers. Therefore, if you’re coming the show being a Breaking Bad superfan who isn’t typically into sci-fi, you may want to do a bit of homework in advance. Gilligan has now offered the curriculum.

Pluribus premieres Nov. 7 on Apple TV+.