At Home with Tech

I’m hooked watching ‘Pluribus’ on Apple TV. That said, this series doesn’t easily fit easily into a particular genre. ‘Pluribus’ or ‘PLUR1BUS’ (which is how the title credits spell it) is technically science fiction but isn’t what you’d expect from a traditional sci-fi series today. 

Created by Vince Gilligan, this show plays more like an episode from ‘The Twilight Zone,’ but quite not as ominous. That said, in one sense, it couldn’t be more frightening. It’s about the days (spoiler alert) after the human race is infected by an alien virus.

The first episode is effectively a chilling variant of the famous ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers.’ The result is a complete ‘Star Trek’ Borg-like psychic takeover where everyone is suddenly connected to a hive mind. The twist here is this alien-mind collective makes everyone happy and is supposedly benevolent. 

Is Resistance Futile?
Only 13 people in the world aren’t absorbed into this global cult (for some unknown reason) including Carol from Albuquerque, New Mexico, played by Rhea Seehorn. 

Carol, a romance writer, is generally a cranky person, and her negative energy later turns out to be something of a superpower for her.

She’s immune to the virus and determined to find a cure. Each episode follows her efforts to figure out how to reverse the takeover.

While this set up might be perfect for a tight sci-fi thriller, ‘Pluribus’ takes its sweet time revealing its clues. It’s actually way more mystery than sci-fi.

I’m five episodes in, and the writers are clearly more interested in exploring Carol’s understandably overwhelmed reactions to this insanity rather than furthering along the main pieces of the plot.

And that’s just fine with me.

Fan Predictions
I’ve seen some online reactions where fans are intensely studying every detail of each scene to reveal the plot ahead and even how the series is destined to end. (Who has the time for this radical deconstruction?) 

Frankly I’m not buying all these spoiler predictions. I just want to watch this story unfold. No need to rush it. 

In one scene from episode 5, Carol is trying to get some sleep, and the camera focuses on her nightstand with a book clearly in focus. It’s Agatha Cristie’s ‘And Then There Were None.’ Okay… so, that’s certainly a clue for rough times ahead.

Happy Zombies Vs Unhappy Person
I’m really enjoying ‘Pluribus.’ It’s quirky and offbeat. It’s dark but not without its lighter comedic moments. For now, the plot is clearly simmering. You can tell there are likely twists to come.

We’ve got billions of happy, connected zombies living in harmony. Is that so bad? Will Carol save the world? Does the world even need saving?

The writing throws big questions at us: Is restoring individualism worth the price of returning to our horribly fractured society? Isn’t total harmony the utopia we all thought we wanted? But at what cost? 

I think this is what ‘Pluribus’ is about. (Yes, it’s hard to describe succinctly.)

It’s the End of the World as We Know It
If I had to put it in one sentence… This series is a mystery about how one average person tries to repair the human race by saving the essence of humanity.

But I know this is too simplistic an answer. It’s just the framework. Who knows what’s really happening here.

The success of any mystery depends on the answers we eventually receive. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you how the mysteries from other famous TV series (‘The X Files,’ ‘Lost’) have not always been as satisfyingly resolved as we wanted.

The answers simply need to be as good as the questions. 

Season 2 is already confirmed, and the producers want to make a total of four seasons. Here’s hoping ‘Pluribus’ delivers on the expected payoff. 

For now, I’m sitting back and simply enjoying how one woman fights back against the end of the world.