Is there a downside to being happy? According to “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan, there is. Gilligan returns to TV after wrapping his “Breaking Bad” spinoff series “Better Call Saul” with his latest franchise, “Pluribus.”
The secretive series reunites Gilligan with his “Better Call Saul” star Rhea Seehorn; the science fiction drama Apple TV+ show has also already been renewed for a second season, months prior to its first season release.
“Pluribus” is billed as a “genre-bending original in which the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness.” The logline reads: “Happiness is contagious.” In addition to Seehorn, the series stars Karolina Wydra (“Sneaky Pete”) and Carlos-Manuel Vesga (“Donde Tú Quieras”), and guest stars Miriam Shor (“American Fiction”) and Samba Schutte (“Our Flag Means Death”).
“Pluribus” was announced in 2022 as an untitled project. Season 1 of “Pluribus” will span nine episodes. “Pluribus” is produced by Sony Pictures Television and executive produced by Emmy Award-winning Gilligan alongside WGA Award winner Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock, Diane Mercer, Allyce Ozarski, and Jeff Frost. Jenn Carroll and Trina Siopy serve as co-executive producers.
Seehorn previously earned two Emmy nominations for turn on “Better Call Saul.” She said in 2023 that she hopes to be able to “revisit” her “Better Call Saul” character Kim later on. Meanwhile Gilligan hinted that he most likely won’t be making another “Breaking Bad” universe installment after six seasons of “Better Call Saul” and film “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.”
Gilligan famously got his start writing for “The X Files.” The IP is being rebooted by Ryan Coogler, who confirmed his involvement during the “Last Podcast on the Left” in 2025. “I’ve been excited about that for a long time, and I’m fired up to get back to it,” he said. “Some of those episodes, if we do our jobs right, will be really fucking scary. We’re going to try to make something really great and really be something for the real ‘X Files’ fans, and maybe find some new ones.” There is no word yet if Gilligan will be involved at all.
“Pluribus” premieres on Apple TV+ with its first two episodes on Friday, November 7, followed by new episodes every Friday through December 26. Check out the first look below.