Pluribus (TV series)
Updated: 12/30/2025, 12:42:00 PM Wikipedia source
Pluribus (stylized as PLUR1BUS) is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction television series created by Vince Gilligan for Apple TV. Set and filmed primarily in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows novelist Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), who finds herself isolated after an alien virus transforms the rest of humanity into a peaceful and content hive mind, which nevertheless seeks to assimilate her and other immune individuals. Pluribus premiered on Apple TV on November 7, 2025. A second season has been ordered. The title of the series refers to e pluribus unum, a Latin motto of the United States which means 'out of many, one'. Pluribus has received acclaim from critics, with praise for Gilligan's writing and direction and Seehorn's performance, as well as the show's originality, tone, and stylistic influences. It has been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and two Critics' Choice Awards.
Infobox
Tables
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
| 1 | "We Is Us" | Vince Gilligan | Vince Gilligan | November 7, 2025 (2025-11-07) | |
| Astronomers detect a radio signal from space that spells out a viral RNA sequence. Over a year, researchers reproduce the viral sequence in a lab, but an outbreak occurs one night, causing those infected to act collectively, spreading the virus through saliva. Romantasy novelist Carol Sturka returns to Albuquerque after her latest book tour with her manager and partner Helen. After planes disperse an aerosol, everyone around Carol, including Helen, begins to suddenly convulse. Carol rushes Helen to a hospital, finding the city overrun with chaos and destruction along the way. Carol is alarmed to find everyone at the hospital is infected and knows her name; Helen soon dies from her injuries. Carol flees to her house, where she discovers a TV broadcast showing a man in the White House press room with a lower third showing Carol's name and a phone number on-screen. When she calls, the man explains that the virus has transformed humanity into a permanently happy and peaceful hive mind. He tells Carol that she and eleven others appear immune, and the hive mind will grant their requests, but shares that the hive mind still seeks to assimilate them. | |||||
| 2 | "Pirate Lady" | Vince Gilligan | Vince Gilligan | November 7, 2025 (2025-11-07) | |
| While burying Helen, Carol is approached by Zosia, a member of the hive mind (the "Others"), who explains that all infected humans share one consciousness, containing each other's memories—including Helen's. When Carol lashes out at her, Zosia convulses. After recovering, Zosia reveals that Carol's anger overwhelmed the hive mind and that many died. Carol demands to meet the five other immune English speakers, and the Others arrange a meetup in Bilbao, Spain. One survivor, the hedonistic Koumba Diabaté, arrives aboard Air Force One, where the group assembles. Carol discovers the other survivors have accepted the new collective existence, despite her pleas to search for a cure. Zosia explains that the Others are nonviolent, but admits that over 886 million people died during the initial "Joining". Enraged, Carol accidentally triggers a second deadly global seizure, prompting the other survivors to abandon her. Koumba tells Carol he plans to travel to Las Vegas with Zosia as a sexual companion, but he requires Carol's permission. Carol protests but allows it before getting on her own commercial jet to return home. When she sees Zosia leaving with Koumba, she has a change of heart and rushes to stop their departing plane. | |||||
| 3 | "Grenade" | Gordon Smith | Gordon Smith | November 14, 2025 (2025-11-14) | |
| More than seven years before the Joining, Carol and Helen visit an ice hotel, after Carol had had her egg cells frozen, where they witness the aurora borealis. In the present, Carol and Zosia fly back to Albuquerque, during which Carol calls Manousos, one of the immune, but he curses at her. Zosia provides Carol with a gift that Helen had ordered before the Joining; Carol demands the hive mind completely forget about Helen. Carol refuses a meal prepared by the Others and instead goes grocery shopping, finding her local store empty because of the Others' allocation of resources. At Carol's request, the store is immediately restocked. Angered by a forced power outage, Carol sarcastically asks for a hand grenade. Later, Zosia brings a grenade to Carol's home. Over drinks, Carol vents her frustrations and primes the hand grenade, thinking it is fake, but is shocked to learn it is real. Zosia quickly throws it away, but is injured in the explosion and taken to a hospital. While waiting for Zosia to recover, Carol speaks to a representative of the hive mind, asking if they would give her anything, even an atom bomb. When the hive mind confirms that they would, Carol dismisses the representative as she contemplates. | |||||
| 4 | "Please, Carol" | Zetna Fuentes | Alison Tatlock | November 21, 2025 (2025-11-21) | |
| In a flashback, Manousos, living in a storage facility office in Paraguay, refuses help from the Others. He ransacks the lockers for food when he receives Carol's call. In the present, Carol returns home from the hospital and starts to compile a list of facts she has learned about the Others, determining they cannot lie. Carol goes to Zosia at the hospital to ask if the Joining is reversible, but the hive mind refuses to answer. Carol secretly takes vials of sodium thiopental and tests its effectiveness as a truth serum at home, revealing to herself that she is sexually attracted to Zosia. Back at the hospital, Carol takes Zosia for a walk outside the hospital, stealthily injecting the serum into her IV bag. When Zosia starts to lose clarity, Carol tries to probe the answer from her about reversing the Joining. Zosia struggles to speak, while several Others arrive to surround them, repeatedly chanting "Please, Carol". Zosia collapses from cardiac arrest, with members of the hive mind coming in to try to revive her. | |||||
| 5 | "Got Milk" | Gordon Smith | Ariel Levine | November 26, 2025 (2025-11-26) | |
| After Zosia is returned to the hospital, Laxmi, one of the immune, calls Carol and berates her for disrupting the Others. Carol naps, during which the entire Albuquerque population departs, leaving a recorded message telling Carol they need space from her. She records a video message to the other twelve immune, explaining what she's learned and asking for their help. In trying to prevent wolves from digging in her garbage, she takes her trash to town and discovers a large number of empty milk cartons from a local dairy. She investigates and finds that, instead of milk, the dairy was producing a strange fluid created from a bagged crystalline substance. Carol performs tests on the bagged substance, recording her observations in a video for the immune. She postulates the Others drink it to maintain the hive mind. The wolves return for more food and attempt to dig up Helen's body. Carol scares them away with her police car and lays heavy tiles over the grave to protect it. After finding a barcode on the bag, she traces its origin to a local food packaging plant and discovers something shocking hidden under a tarp. | |||||
| 6 | "HDP" | Gandja Monteiro | Vera Blasi | December 5, 2025 (2025-12-05) | |
| Carol records her discovery from the packaging warehouse, which is filled with hundreds of shrink-wrapped human body parts. She drives to Las Vegas, where Koumba is living in the penthouse of the Westgate, causing the Others to leave the city. When Carol arrives, Koumba reveals he is already aware of her findings. He shows her a recording that explains that the Others cannot kill any animal or plant; hence, to sustain their bodies, they supplement their diet with human-derived protein (HDP) from dead bodies. Koumba also reveals that he and most of the immune stay in touch over video calls from which Carol is excluded due to a majority vote, which devastates her. The next morning, Koumba reveals the Others have learned how to convert the immune by extracting their stem cells and customizing the virus for each individual – but they require the person's consent to do so. Carol calls the Others to firmly refuse consent before leaving. Three days prior, Manousos receives the first of Carol's video messages and realizes he is not alone. Taking Carol's address from the package, he gets in his car and drives away. | |||||
| 7 | "The Gap" | Adam Bernstein | Jenn Carroll | December 12, 2025 (2025-12-12) | |
| Carol returns to Albuquerque and exploits luxuries abandoned by, or requested from, the hive mind as they continue to avoid her. Manousos ventures across South America alone, running low on fuel, food and water, but refusing help from the Others. He practices English by listening to language lesson tapes along the way. When he reaches the Darién Gap, the Others warn him of dangerous conditions and urge him not to continue his journey on foot, offering to transport him and his car directly to Carol. In response, Manousos defiantly burns his car and tells the Others that he will never accept their help because everything they could offer him is stolen. During his trek through the jungle, Manousos trips and is impaled on a chunga palm tree. Despite attempts to cauterize his wounds, he collapses and is rescued by the Others. Having spent over a month in isolation, Carol succumbs to depression. She paints a message on the street asking the Others to come back to her, leading to Zosia's arrival at her home. Carol tearfully embraces her. | |||||
| 8 | "Charm Offensive" | Melissa Bernstein | Jonny Gomez | December 19, 2025 (2025-12-19) | |
| Manousos wakes up in a Panamanian hospital, being treated for his injuries. Despite the Others' caution that he still needs time to recover, he forcefully demands to leave and drives away in an ambulance. In Albuquerque, Carol spends the day with Zosia as the Others return to the city. Zosia shows Carol how they sleep in groups inside big spaces, and Carol stays with the Others overnight. The two spend more time the next day, and Zosia tells Carol about the alien signal's origin and the Others' plan to build a giant antenna to transmit the signal to other planets. Later, they visit a diner with connections to Carol's writing career which was rebuilt from scratch by the Others. That night, Carol explains that the situation with the Others is unsustainable, and she knows the hive mind is attempting to distract her from pursuing a solution. Zosia kisses Carol and they sleep together. The next morning, Carol produces the first chapter of the next book in her Winds of Wycaro series. Several days later, Zosia informs Carol she is about to have a visitor as Manousos nears the Mexico–U.S. border. | |||||
| 9 | "La Chica o El Mundo" | Gordon Smith | Alison Tatlock & Gordon Smith | December 24, 2025 (2025-12-24) | |
| Manousos arrives at Carol's home. Carol uses a translator app to communicate with him, and he reveals his intent to destroy the Others if the Joining cannot be reversed. Manousos searches Carol's home for listening devices. Carol brings him to stay at one of her neighbor's homes. After seeing Carol call Zosia, Manousos asks the Others to send Zosia to talk to him privately. Carol takes her away, but Manousos calls for another member of the Others to replace Zosia. Zosia suddenly goes into convulsions and Carol finds that Manousos has intentionally triggered a global seizure to test the radio frequency he discovered. Carol stops him, and Zosia and the Others leave the city to protect themselves from Manousos. Carol leaves with Zosia, and they tour the world together for two weeks. During this time, Kusimayu, an immune teenager in rural Peru, willingly joins the Others. Zosia reveals Kusimayu's fate to Carol and confesses that the Others are working to extract Carol's stem cells from her frozen eggs, expecting to complete her custom virus in about a month. Carol has Zosia return her home with a large crate containing an atom bomb and tells Manousos that she is ready to help him. | |||||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| 2025 | American Film Institute Awards | Television Program of the Year | Pluribus | Won | |
| Astra Creative Arts Awards | Best Cinematography | Marshall Adams and Paul Donachie | Nominated | ||
| Best Editing | Skip Macdonald, Chris McCaleb, and Joey Liew | Nominated | |||
| Best Main Title Design | Joey Reinisch | Nominated | |||
| Best Production Design | Denise Pizzini | Nominated | |||
| Screen Awards | Best TV Series | Pluribus | Nominated | ||
| Best Lead Performance by an Actress – TV | Rhea Seehorn | Won | |||
| Best New TV Series Debut | Pluribus | Nominated | |||
| 2026 | Critics' Choice Awards | Best Drama Series | Pluribus | Pending | |
| Best Actress in a Drama Series | Rhea Seehorn | Pending | |||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Television Series – Drama | Pluribus | Pending | ||
| Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama | Rhea Seehorn | Pending | |||
| Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards | Outstanding Original Title Sequence for a Television Production | Dave Porter | Pending | ||
| Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production | Dave Porter | Pending | |||
| Satellite Awards | Best Drama Series | Pluribus | Pending | ||
| Best Actress in a Drama or Genre Series | Rhea Seehorn | Pending |
References
- transl. 'The Girl or the World'
- The listed year refers to the date of the ceremony, not necessarily the year in which the corresponding season or episod
- Yahoo Newshttps://www.yahoo.com/news/article/pluribus-vince-gilligan-brings-hive-minds-heartbreak-and-hilarity-to-apple-tv-show-173519950.html
- Pluribushttps://time.com/7332089/pluribus-premiere-explained/
- Pluribushttps://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/tv/a69015612/pluribus-vince-gilligan-apple-tv-date-cast-news-trailer/
- Breaking Badhttps://variety.com/2023/tv/news/vince-gilligan-new-show-details-rhea-seehorn-ai-breaking-bad-1235745560/
- Pluribushttps://mashable.com/article/pluribus-virus-explained-aliens
- Show Snobhttps://showsnob.com/pluribus-season-1-episode-5-recap
- Pluribushttps://deadline.com/2025/11/apple-pluribus-book-bloodsong-of-wycaro-available-download-1236618088/
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/pluribus-finale-karolina-wydra-zosia-carol-ending-interview-1236457718/
- Colliderhttps://collider.com/pluribus-episode-7-carlos-manuel-vesga-manousos/
- Pluribushttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/apple-tv-pluribus-teaser-rhea-seehorn-1236396962/
- Pluribushttps://time.com/7328396/vince-gilligan-interview-pluribus/
- Deciderhttps://decider.com/2025/12/05/pluribus-samba-schutte-interview/
- Pluribushttps://directories.wga.org/project/1256994/pluribus/
- Pluribushttps://www.indiewire.com/news/breaking-news/pluribus-first-look-rhea-seehorn-vince-gilligan-1235141103/
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/pluribus-episode-9-season-finale-review-recap-la-chica-o-el-mundo
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://web.archive.org/web/20251122213047/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/vince-gilligan-bad-guys-walter-white-pluribus-rhea-seehorn-1236419075
- Inversehttps://web.archive.org/web/20251122213147/https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/pluribus-apple-tv-sci-fi-vince-gilligan-rhea-seehorn-interview
- Polygonhttps://www.polygon.com/pluribus-episode-1-2-explained-spoilers/
- Pluribushttps://variety.com/2025/tv/news/pluribus-explained-vince-gilligan-rhea-seehorn-1236571666/
- IndieWirehttps://web.archive.org/web/20251122095454/https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/pluribus-vince-gilligan-interview-x-files-1235157248
- Better Call Saulhttps://deadline.com/2022/08/vince-gilligan-new-drama-series-genre-better-call-saul-followup-x-files-1235089196/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2022/09/vince-gilligan-next-series-rhea-seehorn-star-apple-tv-plus-two-season-order-1235124488/
- Esquirehttps://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/tv/a69847194/vince-gilligan-pluribus-interview/
- Deadlinehttps://deadline.com/2024/03/karolina-wydra-rhea-seehorn-vince-gilligan-apple-tv-series-1235859208/
- Pluribushttps://www.techradar.com/streaming/apple-tv-plus/we-had-a-list-of-over-100-titles-pluribus-creator-vince-gilligan-admits-his-new-apple-tv-series-was-incredibly-difficult-to-name
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/pluribus-episode-5-cliffhanger-gordon-smith-interview-1236436248/
- Breaking Badhttps://www.koat.com/article/breaking-bad-director-film-albuquerque-new-mexico/60779885
- Breaking Badhttps://uproxx.com/tv/vince-gilligan-new-show-release-date-updates-feb-2025-wycaro/
- Pluribushttps://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/vince-gilligan-pluribus-interview-ai-1235443720/
- The Ringerhttps://www.theringer.com/2025/12/24/pluribus/pluribus-finale-recap-atomic-bomb-questions-season-2
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/tv/news/pluribus-finale-explained-vince-gilligan-original-ending-1236616824/
- Pluribushttps://filmmusicreporter.com/2025/07/25/dave-porter-scoring-apple-tvs-pluribus
- Pluribushttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/arts/television/pluribus-vince-gilligan.html
- Pluribus: The Official Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pirate-lady/id1846198705?i=1000735659664
- Pluribushttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/pluribus-vince-gilligan-rhea-seehorn-1236414569/
- Atlas of Wondershttps://www.atlasofwonders.com/2025/11/where-was-pluribus-filmed-house-and-all.html
- Pluribushttps://deadline.com/2025/11/pluribus-explainer-vince-gilligan-interview-apple-tv-1236611750/
- Pluribushttps://deadline.com/2025/10/pluribus-vince-gilligan-season-1-trailer-1236593802/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2022/08/vince-gilligan-new-drama-series-genre-better-call-saul-followup-x-files-1235089196/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2023/tv/news/vince-gilligan-new-show-details-rhea-seehorn-ai-breaking-bad-1235745560/
- Pluribushttps://bleedingcool.com/tv/pluribus-gilligan-seehorn-wydra-shor-attend-special-screening/
- Pluribushttps://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2025/11/apple-tv-celebrates-the-world-premiere-of-pluribus-vince-gilligans-new-science-fiction-drama-starring-emmy-award-nominee-rhea-seehorn-ahead-of-its-debut-on-friday-november-7/
- Pluribushttps://ew.com/pluribus-opening-scene-reveals-secretive-message-for-earth-exclusive-11844474
- Pluribushttps://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a69281326/pluribus-apple-tv-release-schedule/
- Pluribushttps://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a69287834/pluribus-season-1-release-schedule/
- 9to5Machttps://9to5mac.com/2025/12/18/apple-tv-releasing-pluribus-season-finale-early-next-week/
- Pluribushttps://www.goldderby.com/tv/2025/pluribus-cast-plot-release-date-everything-to-know/
- Pluribushttps://www.techradar.com/streaming/apple-tv-plus/i-called-the-mysterious-phone-number-for-apple-tv-s-new-show-from-breaking-bad-creator-and-im-absolutely-shocked-by-the-response
- Bloodsong of Wycaro (excerpt) – Chapter Sixteen: The Isle of Sananteshttps://books.apple.com/us/book/bloodsong-of-wycaro/id6754341665
- Pluribushttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/pluribus/s01
- Pluribushttps://www.metacritic.com/tv/pluribus/season-1
- Vulturehttps://web.archive.org/web/20251122233034/https://www.vulture.com/article/pluribus-apple-tv-series-review-vince-gilligan-rhea-seehorn.html
- RogerEbert.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20251122233121/https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/pluribus-apple-tv-rhea-seehorn-review-2025
- NPRhttps://web.archive.org/web/20251122233147/https://www.npr.org/2025/11/07/nx-s1-5597877/pluribus-apple-tv-review
- IndieWirehttps://web.archive.org/web/20251122233248/https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/pluribus-review-vince-gilligan-series-1235159034
- Pluribushttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/arts/television/pluribus-review.html
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/tv/columns/pluribus-finale-review-defense-1236616861/
- Deadlinehttps://web.archive.org/web/20251121082926/https://deadline.com/2025/11/pluribus-launch-ratings-apple-tv-drama-series-record-1236625239
- Media Play Newshttps://www.mediaplaynews.com/pluribus-takes-top-spot-on-weekly-whip-us-streaming-originals-chart-through-nov-16/
- Forbeshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/12/13/pluribus-just-set-an-all-time-record-for-apple-tv/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/12/afi-awards-tv-top-10-1236636296/
- Gold Derbyhttps://www.goldderby.com/film/2025/astra-creative-arts-2025-nominees/
- Screen Ranthttps://screenrant.com/screen-awards-2025-nominations/
- Screen Ranthttps://screenrant.com/screen-awards-2025-winners/
- 9to5Machttps://9to5mac.com/2025/12/05/critics-choice-awards-apple-tv-nominations/
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/golden-globes-nominations-2026-nominees-list-1236444421/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/artisans/news/society-of-composers-lyricists-awards-nominations-2026-1236610753/
- "IPA set to Celebrate the 30th Annual Satellite™ Awards"https://www.pressacademy.com/news/ipa-set-to-celebrate-the-30th-annual-satellite-awards/
- Deciderhttps://decider.com/2025/11/07/pluribus-episode-1-recap/
- Polygonhttps://www.polygon.com/pluribus-review-apple-tv-severance/
- Den of Geekhttps://www.denofgeek.com/tv/pluribus-hive-mind-dilemma-the-expanse-never-explored/
- Esquirehttps://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a69290035/pluribus-episode-1-recap/
- Deadlinehttps://web.archive.org/web/20251122183948/https://deadline.com/2025/11/pluribus-credits-made-by-humans-1236611581
- Colliderhttps://collider.com/pluribus-episode-4-carol-backstory-reveal/
- The Ringerhttps://www.theringer.com/2025/11/07/pluribus/pluribus-review-vince-gilligan-eddington-ari-aster-covid-pandemic
- Polygonhttps://www.polygon.com/pluribus-episode-3-chatgpt-ai-vince-gilligan/
- Autostraddlehttps://www.autostraddle.com/pluribus-episode-7-recap/